Interdisciplinary at its core, the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Northeastern focuses on optimizing and solving real world global challenges such as healthcare systems, energy systems, and resilience systems. Through a holistic thinking approach and partnerships with industry, our faculty and students are creating solutions to an ever changing world.
Education and Research Excellence
Experiential learning is the heart of a Northeastern education and encompasses our co-op program as well as project-based learning, research, global experiences, service learning, and student organizations.
BS, MS, and PhD Degrees
A vibrant research enterprise spans 12 disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research themes addressing global challenges and includes partnerships, collaborations, and funding with industry, academia, and government agencies.
Addressing Global Challenges
Join our welcoming, inclusive, and exciting community! With programs across the Global University System, our department provides access to global experiential opportunities, regional hubs for high- and bio-tech interactions, top hospitals in the world, strong interconnected and intercultural communities for student organizations to engage with peers, and a network of faculty, alumni, and industry professionals.
Award-Winning, Active Student ClubsSpotlight Stories
DAIS Data Analytics Teaching Award
MIE Associate Teaching Professor Mohammad Dehghani received the Data Analytics & Information Systems (DAIS) Data Analytics Teaching Award from the DAIS division of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, the prime national society for industrial engineering.
Engineering in Action
Out of This World Experiences
Paige Butler, BS, mechanical engineering, shares how her involvement in the student group Students for the Exploration and Development of Space landed her two co-ops at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and subsequently, a full-time position following graduation. Learn how Northeastern University’s cooperative education program helps undergraduate students explore their passions while providing unparalleled opportunities for career advancement.
PhD Research for Impact
Conor Doyle, PhD, mechanical engineering, found a can-do culture and spirit of discovery in his program at Northeastern University. Testing and evaluating materials in Northeastern’s advanced lab facilities, he’s gained a hands-on skillset with applications for both research and industry.
Co-op Leads to Career Position at SpaceX
Ethan Flynn, BS, mechanical engineering, says co-op sets you up for the future. He completed three co-ops in his 4.5 years at Northeastern: Sikorsky working on Black Hawk helicopters, NASA JPL working on the Mars Rover 2020, and at SpaceX, which he converted to a full time position!
From Co-op to Full Time Job Offer—Before Graduation
Sharon Melul Steinfeld, BS, industrial engineering, and MS, engineering management, completed co-ops at Hasbro as a project engineer on the Transformer toy line, and at PriceWaterhouseCoopers as a management consultant for company mergers. Sharon got a full time job offer 18 months before graduating and contributes this to her co-op opportunities.
Recent News
Fall 2025 AJC Merit Research Scholars
Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s AJC Merit Research Scholarship, which will fund a co-op in the laboratory of a Northeastern University STEM faculty member.
Northeastern Graduate Builds AI Assistant for MassDOT
Sai Panindra Santosh Kumar Majji, MS’24, engineering management, created a generative artificial intelligence assistant called the Highway Engineer Knowledge Assistant (HEKA) for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to help organize projects, documents and information for the engineering team.
Patent for a Solar Device That Makes Fresh Water
MIE Associate Professor Yi Zheng was awarded a patent for “Photothermal evaporator for a desalination system and method of manufacture.”
Innovative Heat-Conductive Plastic Prevents Overheating of Electronics
MIE Professor Randall Erb and Daniel Braconnier, PhD’23, mechanical engineering, give insight into their research and development of a lightweight plastic-ceramic composite that can conduct heat and can be used to cool down advanced electronics.