Over the past five years, the Mechanical Engineering Department at ºÚÁÏÍø has experienced a nearly 16% increase in enrollment growth and added new program offerings. In Fall of 2025, 815 students were enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program offered through the department, making it the largest on campus.

To acknowledge this, along with the breadth and depth of curricular offerings, the department name will change to the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department (MIE) effective July 1, 2026. A faculty working group went through a deliberative process during the 2025-2026 academic year to consider possible names by reviewing the composition of ºÚÁÏÍø’s peer institutions, engaging in consultation with the industrial advisory committees for the industrial engineering and mechanical engineering programs, and getting faculty feedback. A name change was recommended and subsequently approved by the university’s leadership.

“Our new name represents the current composition of the programs and positions us for continued growth,” said Dr. Sudhir Kaul, chair of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department. “It allows our programs to get better visibility from prospective students as well as peer institutions in the region and beyond.”

This name change coincides with multiple new initiatives in the department in recent years:

• New Minor: A minor in aerospace engineering launches in Fall 2026.
• Early Entry: Current undergraduate students may pursue a graduate certificate or degree in conjunction with their undergraduate program through an early entry program.
• Graduate Certificates: Two graduate certificates were added in Fall 2025 – one in Additive Manufacturing and another in Fluid Power. These certificate programs complement the traditional areas of expertise at ºÚÁÏÍø and provide a great opportunity for students to gain technical specialization.
• Graduate Degree: The longstanding M.S. in Engineering (MSE) program has been substantially revamped with two tracks – one with a six credit Capstone option and another with course-only option. This provides ample opportunities for working professionals to pursue a graduate degree while also providing a track for traditional students who may be interested in a research-intensive experience.

These new or revamped programs join the MIE Department’s well-established Bachelor of Science degree programs in mechanical engineering and industrial engineering. The MIE Department supports several student organizations: AIAA, ASME, Fluid Power, IISE, Lunabotics, Rocketry, SAE, Supermileage, and more, with six student teams regularly participating in national competitions. Undergraduate research has been supported through grant awards from NSF-REU, NSF-SSTEM and Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium.

“We continue to place significant emphasis on project-based learning, experiential learning, and undergraduate research. I am looking forward to the opening of the new Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center at ºÚÁÏÍø that will allow us to engage students in unique experiential learning opportunities,” said Kaul. “This new facility will give us state-of-the-art spaces to continue our growth and to incorporate applied artificial intelligence into the curriculum.”