The goal of this research-intensive degree is to educate future leaders in industry and academia in the field of Mechanical Engineering. This doctoral program allows students to work closely with faculty experts in the field studying topics such as adaptive systems and intelligent structures, nano-heat transfer, energy systems, robotics, advanced composite materials, and computational fluid mechanics. Student may also benefit from a broad range of collaborations and partnerships, including but not limited to: Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Center for Materials Interfaces in Research and Applications, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, and local businesses such as W.L. Gore and Associates, Lowell Observatory, and the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer. In this program, each student chooses their own courses and completes an original research project. Research work makes use of state-of-the-art facilities and culminates in a dissertation and oral defense.