Mechanical Engineering

By Lauren Carnahan Vanderbilt’s TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers) chapter hosted its second annual Toy Adaptation event, bringing together students to modify toys and make playtime more accessible for children with physical disabilities. Held at the Wond’ry, Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center, this year’s event expanded from its original focus on plush toys… Read More

By Lauren Carnahan At Susan Gray School, a new tree installation has quickly become a favorite feature for the kids. This once empty space now invites students to settle into a cozy reading nook. The tree, with its soft colors and layered wooden branches, helps create… Read More

Robert W. Pitz, professor of mechanical engineering, has received a 2025 Sustained Service Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). The award recognizes sustained, significant service and contributions to AIAA by members of the Institute. Robert Pitz The award winners have made contributions at the local section… Read More

The School of Engineering’s Assistant Dean for Design joins a new cohort of 10 Immersion Faculty Fellows who are supported by Undergraduate Education in the Office of the Provost. The fellows represent each of the university’s 10 schools and colleges and will elevate Immersion Vanderbilt, now in its third year… Read More

Yuankai Huo Yuankai Huo, assistant professor of computer science, and Jason Valentine, professor of mechanical engineering, along with their team, are recipients of the distinguished Charles E. Ives Award for collaborative imaging research. The award is given in recognition of an outstanding contribution in the area of… Read More

Vanderbilt University has been awarded $965,000 by the National Science Foundation for the acquisition of a 50 kV, high-throughput electron beam lithography (e-beam) tool. This grant, part of the NSF’s Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, represents a significant step forward for research, education and outreach at Vanderbilt. Joshua Caldwell The… Read More

A new peer-reviewed study shows that a back-relieving exosuit originally developed at Vanderbilt University and then commercialized by spin-off company HeroWear can simultaneously increase lifting endurance and reduce injury risk. This has important implications for the future of workplace safety and for workers in civilian and defense sectors. The results… Read More

Ravindra Duddu, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Vanderbilt University, is among a team of researchers who have developed a novel approach to better predict fracture propagation in Greenland glaciers, which has implications for global sea level rise that impacts coastal communities around the world. Ravindra Duddu… Read More

Surgeons at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) have successfully completed the first-in-human clinical trial of a surgical robotic device developed by a Vanderbilt engineer to advance precision and control when removing kidney stones. The device is the first-known independently steerable kidney stone retrieval device, enabling more effective maneuvering… Read More

Xiaoguang Dong, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is leading a team of researchers that has developed a system of artificial cilia capable of monitoring mucus conditions in human airways to better detect infection, airway obstruction, or the severity of diseases like Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases… Read More