George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

Graduate students in the Woodruff School were recognized this spring for reimagining how makerspaces can better support graduate education, research, and collaboration. Through a project-based competition tied to the Ph.D. teaching practicum class, students explored new models for graduate-centered makerspaces and earned honors as TechMade Graduate Makerspace Innovation Fellows and TechMade Graduate Makerspace Ambassadors.

Led by Andrei Fedorov, professor and associate chair for graduate studies and the Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair and Regents’ Entrepreneur, the competition challenged students to propose scalable, future-ready solutions for integrating makerspaces into large graduate programs, with a focus on reducing access barriers, strengthening peer-to-peer learning, and increasing research productivity.

The TechMade steering committee named Samuel Chen, Carolina Colón, and Talia Thomas TechMade Graduate Makerspace Innovation Fellows. In addition, the following students were recognized as TechMade Graduate Makerspace Ambassadors: Yang Chen, Shae Cole, Brian Epstein, Max Erpelding, Kaushik Godbole, Anthony Lim, Zihao Lin, Matt McCoy, Christian Molina-Mangual, Mayur Singh, James Wateska, and Guangxing Zhang.

Full story: https://bit.ly/3S7DxVk

05/28/2026

During the spring semester, the Woodruff School launched the Cornerstone to Capstone Design Experience, a new program designed to introduce first-year students to the design and manufacturing pathway early in their academic journey. Led by Principal Lecturer Raghu Pucha, the program connects freshmen with sophomore, junior, and senior mentors, creating a supportive environment where students can build confidence, develop hands-on skills, and understand how early design coursework connects to Capstone Design and professional practice.

By pairing more than 60 first-year student teams with approximately 30 upper-level mentors, the program provides valuable leadership opportunities for experienced students. Mentors guide mentees through their first engineering design experiences, design decision making, and early project development, helping create a stronger sense of community and a more intentional progression from ME 1670: Introduction to Engineering Graphics and Design to Capstone.

The program also featured a lunch and learn speaker series last semester with Woodruff School alumni Dustin Coha, Francis Garing, and Steven Lustig, offering students real-world perspectives on engineering design, manufacturing, and career pathways. These sessions reinforced the connection between classroom learning, mentorship, and professional practice, while allowing students to engage directly with alumni working across design and manufacturing roles.

05/27/2026

The Woodruff School recently honored 36 graduate students with awards and fellowships for their outstanding research and teaching contributions during the 2025–26 academic year.

This year also marked the introduction of the Hugh Wellington Fellowship for master’s students, established by alumnus Hugh Wellington, B.S. ME 1982, M.S. ME 1983, to help strengthen graduate student support and keep the School competitive for top talent.

See the full list of honorees: https://bit.ly/3RNYncd

05/26/2026

05/26/2026

Assistant Professor Emily Sanders has received the prestigious NSF CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation.

The award will support Sanders’ research project, “Patterning Hard Interlocking Particles to Achieve Soft Materials and Structures,” which explores interlocking granular materials that can shift between soft, fluid-like behavior and rigid structural performance depending on deformation.

By studying how these materials deform and fail, Sanders aims to develop computational models and design tools that could lead to advances in soft robotics, electronics, advanced manufacturing, medical devices, and reconfigurable structures.

Read the full story: https://bit.ly/43vyMaE

05/22/2026

From the Woodruff School to what’s next. 🎓🐝

Five graduates reflect on their time at Georgia Tech — sharing lessons learned, favorite memories, and where they’re headed next. Congrats to all of our recent graduates and best wishes on what’s ahead!

05/22/2026

The tassel was worth the hassle! 🎓

Earlier this month, the Woodruff School hosted the Ph.D. Graduation Celebration Luncheon for graduating students, their families, and friends. At the event, graduates received a Woodruff School coin from Eugene C. Gwaltney, Jr. School Chair and Professor Carolyn Seepersad in celebration of their successes.

View a photo gallery from the event: https://bit.ly/4dFwOJG

05/21/2026

When Natalie Cannon crossed the stage at Georgia Tech’s May commencement ceremony, it marked the culmination of a journey that began almost by accident and led her to one of the most specialized nuclear engineering roles in the country.

Earlier this month, she graduated with a Ph.D. in nuclear and radiological engineering from the Woodruff School while working full-time as a research and development engineer at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Now, Cannon plans to continue her work at Los Alamos, where she values the opportunity to engage in both fundamental research and applied projects while collaborating with a wide range of partners. 🎓🐝

Read the full story: bit.ly/4tOwkHa

05/20/2026

Sleep-related breathing disorders, including sleep apnea, affect millions of people worldwide but frequently go undiagnosed. One major barrier to diagnosis is the test itself.

Traditional sleep monitoring systems often rely on bulky equipment and nasal cannulas — small tubes inserted into the nostrils to measure airflow. While effective, these systems can be uncomfortable, intrusive, and difficult to tolerate overnight, limiting their use for long-term monitoring at home.

Now, researchers led by W. Hong Yeo, Peterson Professor in Pediatric Research at the Woodruff School, have developed a soft, wireless nasal patch that could offer a more comfortable alternative for monitoring breathing during sleep.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4uTgSKC