Cars, aircraft, medical devices, structures— all of these begin in the imaginations of mechanical engineers. Mechanical engineers use computers to simulate freezing human cells, casting processes, and failure of vehicle components, among other things. They improve alternative energy sources like fuel cells, wind, and biomass, and use reality-based design and optimization to boost performance.

Iowa’s program is especially strong in areas ranging from biomechanics to fluid mechanics, such as design optimization for ship hydrodynamics. The breadth of faculty expertise opens extensive options for students to do hands-on research, and a combined B.S./M.S. degree option means more opportunity for specialization.