University of Utah Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

05/14/2026

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is happy to recognize Gabriel Parra for receiving the 2026 Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award for the College of Engineering. This award recognizes his exceptional commitment to advancing research within the department. Parra is a member of the Human-Robot Empowerment Lab (HRELab) where he works with Dr. Laura Hallock and other undergraduate and graduate students.

Learn more: https://www.mech.utah.edu/gabe-parra-receives-outstanding-undergraduate-researcher-award/

05/12/2026

Mechanical engineering graduate student Alex Edwards, student in the Movement Bioengineering Lab, is a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP). This prestigious fellowship supports outstanding doctoral and research-based master’s students doing research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Edwards’s research is focused on developing clinically accessible mobile sensing tools that are used to monitor the progression of movement-related conditions. Specifically, the work leverages current musculoskeletal modeling software alongside machine learning algorithms to increase the accessibility of whole-body musculoskeletal dynamic analysis.

Mechanical engineering graduate student Alex Edwards, student in the Movement Bioengineering Lab, is a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s […]

05/06/2026

Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. student Olivia Draughn, member of the Multiscale Mechanics & Materials Lab, was selected for the prestigious Rickover Fellowship in Nuclear Engineering. This fellowship helps prepare students for roles in naval nuclear propulsion and supports the advance of fission energy development through research.

Draughn will be working at the intersection of computational materials science and solid mechanics, with a focus on how microstructural features influence the performance of engineering materials. This research aims to connect grain-scale physics to macroscopic behavior, improving predictive models of deformation and failure, particularly in additively manufactured materials.

Learn more: https://www.mech.utah.edu/ph-d-student-olivia-draughn-receives-rickover-fellowship/

04/29/2026

Each year, the University of Utah recognizes the achievements of exceptional faculty members in teaching, research, mentorship and service. This year, Dr. Pania Newell of the Department of Mechanical Engineering was recognized with the John G. Francis Prize for Undergraduate Student Mentoring, highlighting her commitment to students.

https://www.mech.utah.edu/newell-receives-john-g-francis-prize-for-undergraduate-student-mentoring/

04/21/2026

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is proud to announce Seo Young Ahn as the recipient of the 2026 Best Dissertation Award for her outstanding doctoral research titled “Nano/Micromechanical Investigation of Nature-Inspired Porous Materials.”

Seo’s dissertation represents an exceptional contribution to experimental mechanics and materials science, uncovering how complex porous architectures found in nature govern mechanical behavior across multiple length scales. Nature-inspired porous materials, ranging from biological systems to engineered microstructures, are widely recognized for their remarkable combinations of strength, toughness, and multifunctionality. However, the fundamental relationship between their hierarchical structure and mechanical and fracture response has remained a major scientific challenge.

https://www.mech.utah.edu/me-outstanding-dissertation-award-seo-young-ahn/

04/15/2026

Join us today in the Union Ballroom as we showcase 24 senior design projects from the Department of Mechanical Engineering!