News | Department of Mechanical Engineering

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Six graduate programs in The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering at UC Santa Barbara placed among the nation's best, as did the college itself. Photo Credit: Matt Perko

UCSB Engineering Graduate Programs Earn Top-Tier National Rankings

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

The latest U.S. News & World Report assessment underscores the university’s influence in engineering.

Group of ten participants at the WiSe mentorship event

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Mentors at the WiSE Mentorship Event

Finding Confidence and Community

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

A student-centered look at how the WiSE organization empowers women and gender minorities in STEM.

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Front row (L to R): Lily Chen, Ava Graef, Arjun Gunda, David Bogdanovic
Second row (L to R): Marc Osborn, Camden Smith, Will Morgali, Riley Tang, Michael Krumland-Dunning

Student Engineers Build and Install Solar-Powered Table

Friday, January 23, 2026

The Engineers Without Borders project gives students real-world experience.

UCSB Professor elected as Distinguished Fellow of the International Engineering and Technology Institute (IETI)

Friday, December 12, 2025

Linda Petzold is among the 70 scholars elected for their global influence.

Turning Strain into Strength: A Doctoral Student’s Unique Journey

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Shantal Adajian grew up amid war, scarcity, and uncertainty. Now she is pursuing a PhD in mechanical engineering at UC Santa Barbara.

UCSB Researchers Invent Displays that Let You Feel What You See

Monday, November 3, 2025

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have invented a display technology for on-screen graphics that are both visible and haptic, meaning that they can be felt via touch. The screens are patterned with tiny pixels that expand outward yielding bumps when illuminated, enabling the display of dynamic graphical animations that can be seen with the eyes and felt with the hand. This technology could one day enable high-definition visual-haptic touch screens for automobiles, mobile computing, or intelligent architectural walls.

Beth Pruitt Receives National Award for Leadership in Bioengineering

Thursday, October 30, 2025

Named in memory of her colleague, the prestigious honor highlights Pruitt’s lifelong commitment to bioengineering research, education, and service.

2025 Grad Slam Winners

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Four students compete in the annual ME Grad Slam competition.

2025 Department of Mechanical Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

The 2025 Department of Mechanical Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Venkat Rapaka.

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(Pictured left to right) Sukhan Kang, Maryam Majedi, and Ousmane Kodio received awards in support of their research projects

Supporting New Ideas in Innovation, Design, and Ethics

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Three junior faculty receive campus awards supporting projects that expand how innovation is measured, technologies are designed, and ethics are taught.