Find out what UMass Lowell Mechanical Engineering research is all about!

The Mechanical & Industrial Engineering faculty remain dedicated to delivering outstanding teaching and a quality education for students, but the priority and composition of the Department has broadened to successfully conducting research that impacts the following national needs: Energy and Sustainability, Defense and Security, Manufacturing and Industry, and Engineering Education.


The Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department faculty excel in three main research thrust areas:

  1. Dynamic Systems
  2. Thermofluid Transport
  3. Mechanics and Materials

Research Centers

The Mechanical & Industrial Engineering faculty are actively engaged and lead several University Centers which encourage interdisciplinary research collaborations on projects that advance technology innovations.

  • Stock image related to 3D Printing
    Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) Center
    A collaboration between the UMass Lowell, University of Connecticut, and Georgia Institute of Technology to create a National Science Foundation I/UCRC focused on 3D printing.
  • baseball-testing
    Baseball Research Center
    The Center is concentrating on dynamic baseball bat performance and durability using high-speed air cannons, modal techniques, finite element modeling, high-speed photography and a wide variety of other tools.
  • fields-of-wind-turbines
    Center for Wind Energy
    The center consists of 13 interdisciplinary faculty members whose research focuses on wind turbine manufacturing, reliability, energy storage, and design.
  • heroes
    HEROES
    A unique collaborative research and development center between UMass Lowell and the U.S. Army Natick MA Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC).
  • nano-woman
    Nanomanufacturing Center
    We leverage a strong plastics heritage along with industrial scale equipment to develop advanced nanomanufacturing processes, in a safe, reproducible and controlled environment.
  • Human walking on equipment at NERVE Center
    UMass Lowell NERVE Center
    The UMass Lowell NERVE Center is an interdisciplinary robotics testing, research, and training facility that evaluates robotic capabilities, human performance, and human-robot interaction.
  • Sunset Wind Turbines
    WindSTAR
    National Science Foundation supported industry-university collaboration driving down the cost of wind power.

Research Labs

The Mechanical & Industrial Engineering faculty remain dedicated to conducting research that impacts national needs. Our 11 faculty-run research labs provide students with the opportunity to work with state of the art equipment to advance energy and sustainability, security and defense, and manufacturing and industry, while furthering their engineering education.

  • 3D Printer. The ADVANCED COMPOSITE MATERIALS AND TEXTILE RESEARCH LAB is involved in the active integration of analytical modeling, experimentation, and numerical simulation to understand the behavior of fiber-reinforced, polymer matrix composites.
    Advanced Composite Materials and Textile Research Lab

    We are involved in the active integration of analytical modeling, experimentation, and numerical simulation to understand the behavior of fiber-reinforced, polymer matrix composites.
  • 4-D Textiles, printed grids on standard textile. The APPLIED SOLID MECHANICS LAB is Applying solid mechanics principles to various applications such as wind energy, composite manufacturing, flexible electronics, and textile manufacturing to improve performance, predictions, and design.
    Applied Solid Mechanics Lab

    Applying solid mechanics principles to various applications such as wind energy, composite manufacturing, flexible electronics, and textile manufacturing to improve performance, predictions, and design.
  • Low, Ambient, and High Temperature Hopkinson Bars for Polymer Testing
    Dynamic Mechanics of Materials Lab

    We study the mechanics and physics of materials, including polymers, composites, metals, and metamaterials under varied dynamic loadings and extreme environments.
  • Asst. Profs. Hsi-Wu Wong and Hunter Mack examine the reactor used in creating biofuels in the lab.
    Energy & Combustion Research Lab

    We are exploring a variety of topics ranging from alternative fuels, novel thermodynamic cycles, and combustion-assisted material synthesis.
  • An Energy Conversion Experiment. The ELECTROCHEMICAL ENERGY LAB primary research interests are centered on fundamental materials development and new processes in solving one of the most critical issues of our time, affordable and sustainable energy.
    Electrochemical Energy Lab

    Our primary research interests are centered on fundamental materials development and new processes in solving one of the most critical issues of our time, affordable and sustainable energy.
  • Asst. Prof. Ertan Agar conducts an electrochemical energy transport experiment. The ELECTROCHEMICAL ENERGY LAB's primary research interests are centered on fundamental materials development and new processes in solving one of the most critical issues of our time, affordable and sustainable energy.
    Electrochemical Energy Systems and Transport Lab

    We have an overarching goal to advance the science and engineering of flow assisted electrochemical energy systems, particularly redox flow batteries.
  • An image of a blue green background with blue circles over it.
    iComp2 Lab
    We develop ICME approaches for the analysis and optimization of advanced composites from manufacturing to failure.
  • Manufacturing Innovation and Neural Interface (MINI) Lab
    Manufacturing Innovation and Neural Interface (MINI) Lab
    The MINI Lab conducts experimental and modelling work to generate fundamental understandings of manufacturing processes.
  • Student conducts experiment in Re-Engineered Energy Lab. The RE-ENGINEERED ENERGY LAB is researching how to use solar energy and electricity to develop new types of sustainable fuels and chemicals.
    Re-Engineered Energy Lab

    We're researching how to use solar energy and electricity to develop new types of sustainable fuels and chemicals.
  • Student inspects test wind turbine blade in the research lab. The STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS & ACOUSTIC SYSTEMS LAB's research is related to analytical and experimental problems in the areas of structural and acoustic systems. The main thrust of the SDASL is to develop, employ and improve techniques to solve these problems using analytical approaches that are verified through experimental techniques.
    Structural Dynamics & Acoustic Systems Lab

    The main thrust of the SDASL is to develop, employ and improve techniques to solve these problems using analytical approaches that are verified through experimental techniques.
  • The humanoid robot NAO developed by SoftBank Group Corp. is capable of locomotion and manipulation tasks. The ROBOTICS AND LOCOMOTION LAB is focused on developing nonlinear control strategies to achieve stable, agile, versatile, robust, and energy-efficient bipedal robotic walking. We are also interested in applying our robotics knowledge and skills to understanding human walking biomechanics as well as investigating robot-assisted human walking.
    Terrain Robotics Advanced Control and Experimentation (TRACE) Lab

    We focus on developing nonlinear control strategies to achieve stable, agile, versatile, robust, and energy-efficient bipedal robotic walking. We are also interested in applying our robotics knowledge and skills to understanding human walking.