Mechanical Engineering

‘Unwavering determination’: Rice Wind Energy takes second place at national Collegiate Wind Competition

Rice’s student-led Rice Wind Energy team soared to new heights this year, clinching second place overall at the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2025 Collegiate Wind Competition.

New leash on life: Rice students design haptic vest for blind dogs

A team of engineering students at Rice designed an innovative wearable vest that helps blind dogs safely navigate their surroundings.

From Rice to orbit: Student engineers build safer, low-cost satellite thruster

A team of Rice engineering students has designed and built a safer, low-cost propulsion module for small satellites.

Rice researchers engineer personalized treatments for movement impairments

Impaired neuromusculoskeletal function due to conditions such as stroke, osteoarthritis, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, limb amputation, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and cancer is a leading cause of disability.

Lydia Kavraki named University Professor, the highest faculty distinction at Rice

In a landmark moment for Rice, renowned computer scientist Lydia E. Kavraki has been named a University Professor, the institution’s highest academic rank. She becomes only the 11th person and the third woman in the university’s 112-year history to earn this prestigious title.

Cushion Queens bring comfort to the commute: Rice students design mechanotherapeutic seat for bus drivers

Public transit operators keep cities moving, helping people get to work, attend medical appointments and access essential services. But while passenger safety is often in the spotlight, the health and well-being of drivers who spend long hours behind the wheel is frequently overlooked.

Bao wins Robert Henry Thurston Lecture Award

Rice's Gang Bao has been selected to receive the Robert Henry Thurston Lecture Award from the American Society for Mechanical Engineers for his sustained contributions to the mechanics of composites, cell mechanics and nanomedicine.

A new wearable removes the guesswork from breastfeeding

While breastfeeding offers numerous benefits for both mother and baby, one challenge has persisted: It’s nearly impossible to know how much milk a baby is consuming.

Powered by play: Engineering students blend circuits, code and imagination

Everywhere you turned at the final showcase for Design of Mechatronic Systems, something moved, danced, blinked or spun.

Senior Spotlight: Arthus Morrison de la Bassetiere ’25

Arthus Morisson de la Bassetiere, a senior mechanical engineering major and men’s tennis player from Reims, France, has his sights set far beyond the court — he wants to be one of the first French people to walk on the moon.

National Academy of Sciences elects Lydia Kavraki as a member

Lydia Kavraki, a leading researcher in robotics, computational biomedicine and artificial intelligence at Rice, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the world’s foremost professional societies dedicated to honoring achievement in science and outstanding original research.

Revolutionizing touch: Researchers explore the future of wearable multisensory haptic technology

Recently, a team of experts, including Rice’s Marcia O’Malley and Daniel Preston, published an in-depth review in Nature Reviews Bioengineering analyzing the current state of wearable multisensory haptic technology, outlining its challenges, advancements and real-world applications.

Rice Robo-Rumble features epic competition between battlebots

Campus buzzed with excitement March 9 as Rice hosted its inaugural battlebots competition, the Rice Robo-Rumble.

Rice researchers harness gravity to create low-cost device for rapid cell analysis

A team of researchers at Rice has developed an innovative AI-enabled, low-cost device that will make flow cytometry ⎯ a technique used to analyze cells or particles in a fluid using a laser beam ⎯ affordable and accessible.

Rice and UTHealth Houston advancing innovation in translational science

As a partner institution of the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences at UTHealth Houston, Rice has received approximately $1.69 million in grant funding to support pilot projects, student training and collaborative research in bioengineering, informatics, team science and related areas.