- Mechanical engineering is a broad discipline and at UM we have research strengths in many areas including artificial intelligence, automotive engineering, bioengineering, biosystems, combustion, computation, controls, design, dynamics, energy, environment, fluid mechanics, health systems, manufacturing, mechanics of materials, mechatronics, micro-engineering, nano-engineering, power systems, robotics, solid mechanics, sustainability, thermal sciences, and transportation. The Department’s annual research expenditure is over $35 million, placing us among the most highly funded ME programs in the nation.