F ROM T HE DE PT HE A D
Welcome friends, alumni, and supporters of the Department of
Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech. For several years now the
department has been in the midst of a substantial growth curve that
has seen an increase in the numbers of students, faculty, laboratories,
research partnerships, and a broadening of what it means to be a
mechanical engineer.
The fields of study within mechanical engineering have continued to
evolve and today we are one of the most diverse fields in engineering,
working on everything from nano-particles to extra-planetary robotics
and equipment. From bio-inspired material, to bio-medical design, and
from nuclear engineering to additive manufacturing that changes the
way we design, develop, and build the hardware of tomorrow. Please
take a glimpse of the outstanding and substantial research of our
faculty and students which has grown significantly in recent years to
national and international recognition.
I am proud of the work done by more than 100 full-time, affiliate, and
adjunct faculty, and all our dedicated staff who propel the department
forward, and the more than 1,100 undergraduates and more than 300
graduate students who stand by ready to lead us into the next genera-
tion. This annual report is a reflection of their efforts in making the
department one of the most respected in the world.
Azim Eskandarian, Nicholas and Rebecca Des Champs Chair,
Department Head, Mechanical Engineering
Revised and Corrected, Nov. 2019 3