Facts & Stats
Duke's Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science offers rigorous and flexible undergraduate, master's and doctoral (PhD) degree programs that cultivate creative engineers who are inspired and equipped to solve complex societal problems.
Duke MEMS research is designing the future of mechanical systems and materials.
Duke Mems at a Glance
- 30 tenured or tenure-track faculty
- $10 million in new research awards, fiscal 2020
- 163 graduate students
- 89 BSE graduates, 2020 (May graduates only, mechanical engineering as first major only)
- MEMS faculty awards & recognition
Rankings
- #4 STEM University for Women—Forbes
- Top 10 in U.S. mechanical engineering research productivity—Academic Analytics (v.2020)
- Top 10 Graduate Engineering School Popular with Women—U.S.News & World Report
- Top 10 Best School for Engineering Majors by Salary Potential—Payscale.com
- Top 15 U.S. college that pays off the most for engineering students—CNBC
- Top 30 undergraduate program in mechanical engineering—U.S.News & World Report
- Top 30 graduate programs in mechanical engineering and materials science—U.S.News & World Report
RESEARCH
Areas of Focus
- Aerodynamics and Aeroelasticity
- Autonomous Systems
- Biomechanics & Biomaterials
- Computation and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Energy Systems and Energy Materials
- Soft Matter and Nanoscale Materials
Major Research Initiatives
- AI for Understanding and Designing Materials—National Research Traineeship Program (aIM-NRT)
- Duke Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering (CBTE)
- Duke Materials Initiative (DMI)
- Duke MEDx: Medicine + Engineering
- Duke Soft Matter Center
Duke MEMS Centers & Consortia
Students
Undergraduate Program
- Double majors: Computer Science, Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Economics
- Certificates: Aerospace Engineering, and Energy & the Environment
- Fellowships: Duke, Pratt Research, and Chambers
- Co-Curricular opportunities: Duke Smart Home, Duke Electric Vehicles, Duke Motorsports, Duke Robotics, Duke chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
More about undergraduate study »
Graduate Program
- 103 PhD students
- 36 Master of Science (MS) students
- 24 Master of Engineering (MEng) students
- International THRUST MEng program in turbomachinery aeromechanics
- Participation in Duke's University Program in Materials Science & Engineering
- Funding: U.S. Department of Defense, National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), non-governmental, industry, and foundations
More about graduate study »
Updated March 30, 2021