Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Spotlights

May 13, 2021
Creating Synthetic Bone Graft Materials
Biochemistry student Morgan Pfaff is working with MIE Associate Professor Randall Erb and Post-Doctoral Researcher Jessica Faust to create synthetic materials for bone graft applications. She’s building better bones while encouraging diversity in science Main photo: Morgan Pfaff, who studies biochemistry, conducts biomaterial research for bone graft applications in Egan Research Center. Pfaff recently received […]

May 12, 2021
He’s Traveled the World, from the North Pole to Antarctica—and Still Dreams of Landing on the Moon.
In 1956, during one of Ken Bronstein’s first engineering classes at Northeastern, a professor made predictions about what might change by the year 2000. The Space Race was on, and personal jet packs and regular trips to the Moon were a couple of the possibilities that sparked Bronstein’s imagination. He dreamed of embarking on a lunar journey, and today, he’s disappointed that technology hasn’t made it a reality for himself or many others—but other travels awaited him.

May 12, 2021
A Legacy that Lives On
The College of Engineering was sad to learn of the recent passing of alumnus John R. Nelson. He will be remembered for his scientific achievements during a nearly 40-year career and also his commitment to philanthropy, including a recently endowed engineering scholarship fund at Northeastern. John grew up on Fairview Street in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston. One of nine children and the son of a Boston Police Department patrolman, he loved building and fixing things and was destined for an engineering career―but funds for college were limited. At the time, Northeastern’s coop program offered the perfect means for John to finance his education. He graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and then earned an MBA in 1978 from Northeastern’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business.

May 12, 2021
Contributing to a Plant-Based and Climate-Friendly World
Jane Patterson and Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni, who are parents of Northeastern student Orlando Cossia Castiglioni, E’23, mechanical engineering, have combined their professions in design and business with their passion for animal welfare and an animal-free food supply. Their recent gift to the College of Engineering will help establish two co-op positions in the Sherman Center for Engineering Entrepreneurship Education focused on plant-based and climate-friendly food systems.

May 05, 2021
When Work is Play
Always driven to see how things worked, mechanical engineering student Amanda Vasconcelos, E’22, now uses those talents to build better toys while working on co-op at Hasbro.

Apr 21, 2021
Combining Energy and Leadership Programs to Make an Impact
AbdurRehman Rashid, ME’20, energy systems, and certificate in engineering leadership, knew early on that he wanted to make the world a better place through engineering. Growing up in Pakistan, at 18 he moved to Medford, Massachusetts, to attend Tufts University for his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, which he completed in 2016. After working for […]

Apr 18, 2021
The Power of Community
The S-POWER scholars program helped Juan Mesa, E’21, mechanical engineering, find a true community and gave him the opportunity to become the best version of himself. Awarded a GEM Fellowship, he will be attending Carnegie Mellon University to pursue a PhD in advanced hydrogen energy systems.

Apr 15, 2021
Fulbright to Study in Iceland
Mechanical engineering student Tyler Gogal, E’21, has received a Fulbright Open Study/Research Award to pursue a master’s degree in environmental engineering with a focus in water resources from the University of Iceland.