professor holding mechanical design component

Research

The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIE) has a vibrant research environment motivated by our dedicated faculty. Our research programs are funded by many government agencies. In addition to the government, working with academia and industry is part of our focus. We have established large-scale collaborations with government agencies and industry including Rogers Corporation and Dow Chemical, Army Research Laboratory, and Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.

Research activities at the department can be classified by research areas and by research centers. The department is focused within twelve disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and trans-disciplinary research themes strengthened by the wide range of MIE faculty expertise. Department faculty are leveraging Northeastern’s global network and Institutes to build strong research partnerships, these include the Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security – Burlington, MA, Roux Institute – Portland, MA, Institute for Experiential Robotics, Network Science Institute, Institute for Experiential AI, and Global Resilience Institute.  The department also leads two research centers, including the Center for High Rate Nanomanufacturing and the Healthcare Systems Engineering Institute, both federally funded.

View faculty profiles to learn about their research, including work being conducted in their laboratories. Also, view our Annual Reports.


Recent News

Faculty

2026 Stanford University Annual Assessment of Author Citations

The following COE professors are among the top scientists worldwide selected by Stanford University representing the top 2% of the most-cited scientists with single-year impact in various disciplines.

Image for Light & Matter! Bringing Color-Changing Art to Life
Faculty

Light & Matter! Bringing Color-Changing Art to Life

Researchers led by MIE Associate Professor Hongli Zhu have developed a method for writing multicolor images into cellulose-based photonic gels using light. Published in Advanced Functional Materials, the study on “Grayscale Photomasks Enable Noncontact Optical Patterning of Hydroxypropyl Cellulose Gels for Dynamic Art” combines machine-learning-guided calibration with grayscale photomasks to create images in a single 10-second ultraviolet exposure.

Image for Zheng Receives 2026 Humboldt Research Fellowship
Faculty

Zheng Receives 2026 Humboldt Research Fellowship

Yi Zheng, associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, has received a 2026 Humboldt Research Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Image for Patent for Radar Technology That Enhances 3D Imaging and Signal Clarity
Faculty

Patent for Radar Technology That Enhances 3D Imaging and Signal Clarity

MIE/ECE Professor Jose Martinez Lorenzo was awarded a patent for “Millimeter-wave massive MIMO FMCW radar with binary-phase-coded OFDM.”