As an engineering school, we aspire to discover the unknown, educate students and serve society. Our strategy focuses intellectual efforts through a new convergence paradigm and builds on strengths, particularly as applied to medicine and health, energy and environment, and security.

Through innovative partnerships with academic and industry partners—across disciplines and across the world—we will contribute to solving the greatest global challenges of the 21st century.

Their Department and the School of Engineering & Applied Science at Washington University have recently developed strategic plans for education and research; the purpose is to maximize opportunities for our faculty and students, and to take advantage of the unique strengths of Washington University.

As a result of this planning process, the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science is adjusting its focus to include the development and study of advanced materials. The most pressing challenges of the 21st century involve energy, sustainability, healthcare, security, and information technology.

New materials—nano-structured, multi-functional, energy-harvesting, light, strong, and environmentally sustainable-will play a significant role in addressing each of these challenges. Mechanical engineers, in collaboration with physicists, chemists, physicians, biologists, and other partners, will harness these new materials to address the grand challenges we face.