Mechanical Engineering

The federal Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recognized this year’s team of UC Merced engineering students for its design of a device that cools high-powered electronics aboard military aircraft.

In the yearlong Field-Reversible Thermal Conductor (RevCon) Challenge, hosted by DARPA and the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the team of juniors and seniors took second place overall and won first-place honors for having the most comprehensive analysis.

More than 70 people learned about the research and education opportunities offered by UC Merced’s new Merced nAnomaterials Center of Energy and Sensing (

Rebecca Quinte is a mechanical engineer who is learning to apply her skills and knowledge in unexpected ways, and that could end up benefitting farmers in the Central Valley and beyond.

Working together to study friction on the atomic scale, researchers at UC Merced and the University of Pennsylvania have conducted the first atomic-scale experiments and simulations of friction at overlapping speeds.

The winners of this year’s Innovate to Grow competition have been announced.

The event includes three components: The Mobile App Challenge, the Capstone competition for senior Innovation and Design Clinic teams and the Engineering Service Learning competition for undergraduate teams.

Two prizes are given for Capstone teams. The winners receive $1,000 each — up to $5,000 or $6,000 per team, depending on the number of students on the winning teams.  

The winning Engineering Service Learning team shares $3,000, while Mobile App winners share $5,000.

A group of students in the most recent School of Engineering capstone design course at the University of California, Merced, devised a sweet solution to a local farm’s harvesting problem – one that is reaping long-term benefits for the farm and the students.

MERCED, Calif. — Research into sustainable water supplies and viable solar energy solutions won the University of California, Merced, an anticipated $5 million in prestigious and competitive grants from the University of California.