Blogs

MechSE offers graduate degrees in both Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (TAM), as well as one professional degree program, the Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (M.Eng.ME). MechSE's graduate programs are among the top ranked in the world, and our MS, PhD, and M.Eng.ME graduates go on to careers as leaders in academia, research, industry, and government. 

MechSE alumni are a valued part of the MechSE family, who contribute their knowledge, experience and resources to help change the future of engineering around the world. Our graduates are leading new technical developments, changing how industries work, and rethinking the future of engineering.

Taylor Tucker is a 2017 alumna with a B.S. in engineering mechanics. She loves flying, music, sports, and being outside. In 2019, she began pursuing a research-based master’s degree through the DELTA program at Illinois' College of Education.

Project manager Damon McFall blogs about the details of the Lu MEB project.

Lexi Larson is a a mechanical engineering junior studying abroad during the Spring 2022 semester at the University College Dublin in Ireland.  She blogs about her studies and adventures in and around Dublin. 

MechSE offers many opportunities on the path toward your career, including internships, research positions, and other professional experiences. This guide is one way to help you navigate that journey… and survive!

Learn more about Mechse for Undergraduates: student experiences, announcements, news items and more.

Stefanie Anderson is a senior in ME from the north side of Chicago. Veronica Holloway is a senior in ME from Mount Prospect, IL. Amanda Maher is a senior in ME from Batavia, IL. Together they make the (Fluid) Dynamic Trio!

Engineering mechanics and mechanical engineering are diverse fields with a vast range of careers and applications. Naturally, the MechSE Department at Illinois attracts an array of unique individuals with many interests. These are the stories of our undergraduates and how their various paths led them to MechSE.

During the spring 2014 semester, Amanda Steelman was a fourth-year student in mechanical engineering. She studied abroad in Sweden, thanks in part to the Nordberg INSPIRE Student Scholar Award, and blogged about her experiences there. INSPIRE is the Illinois Sweden Program for Educational and Research Exchange.

Amanda Steelman graduated from MechSE in 2015 with a mechanical engineering degree. She now works in the drilling department for ExxonMobil in Houston, Texas, as an engineer for the Gulf of Mexico team, which focuses on offshore deepwater projects in the Gulf. 

She blogs about her experiences and living life after college. 

From 2013 to 2017, Ritu Raman was a PhD candidate in mechanical engineering, an NSF Graduate Research Fellow, and a researcher in the labs of Professors Rashid Bashir and Taher Saif. Her research interests are focused on high-resolution 3D bio-printing and soft robotics. 

Ritu grew up on three continents and studied at ten schools before joining Illinois. She is passionate about K-12 STEM education and promoting women in STEM. She graduated magna cum laude from Cornell University in 2012 with a BS in mechanical engineering and a minor in biomedical engineering, and received her MS (2013) and PhD (2017) in mechanical engineering from Illinois. Ritu is currently a postdoctoral researcher at MIT.

Undergraduate Paula Stocco traveled to Uruguay, where she collaborated with the students at Universidad ORT Uruguay in design, computation, and Uruguayan culture classes. The region is close to her roots; she was born in neighboring Argentina, in the mountain province of Mendoza. In her blog, she shared her experiences with fellow engineering women, while sipping some mate and exploring the city of Montevideo.