News
Department of Mechanical Engineering

The annual festival, now in its 13th year, is a showcase day for RIT. But Imagine RIT isn’t just a one-day celebration. Every day, RIT students, faculty and staff are working to pair technology, art and design in ways that move the world forward.

Kristina Klishko, a fifth-year mechanical engineering student from San Diego, spent her summer in Fremont, Calif., working for Tesla.

As part of an interactive games and media course, 12 RIT students made cardboard and digital pinball machines designed around themes of their own choosing. For the final exam, students brought their creations to The Strong National Museum of Play and had visitors give their physical and virtual pinball machines a test drive.

The coaster contest was a thrill ride for RIT’s Theme Park Enthusiasts student group at the annual Ryerson Invitational Thrill Design Competition. For the second time since the competition began, the club won first place overall at the competition.

Claudia Alant, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student from Niskayuna, N.Y., has worked for the Writing Commons for five semesters. According to Alant, being a peer consultant for the commons is “one of the coolest jobs an undergraduate student can have” on campus.

ASME.org features David Swerzenski '17 (mechanical engineering) and talks to Tim Landschoot, principal lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Catherine Osadciw, fifth-year software engineering major.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers features Risa Robinson, department head, mechanical engineering.

WROC-TV talks to Risa Robinson, department head and professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, about her research on vaping and e-cigarettes.

Intersections: The RIT Podcast, Ep. 21: Are electronic cigarettes really a healthier alternative to tobacco products? Risa Robinson, head of RIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, talks with Edward Hensel, associate dean, about their unique research methods into how these devices are used and how they affect users’ health.

Engineers today must be able to manage technical aspects of projects but also work effectively in a diverse, multi-cultural workplace. RIT is preparing its engineering graduates for those growing demands and was recognized by the American Society of Engineering Education as part of its national commitment to improve diversity within university engineering programs.

A faculty-researcher at Rochester Institute of technology has developed a prototype micro device with bio-sensors that can detect the deadly Ebola virus. With this type of device, those infected can be treated earlier, and the early detection process can potentially decrease the spread of infections.

When Gabrielle Cole starts her new job, she will be the only female engineer at the company. Her journey from academics to professional was influenced by several factors—from family and hometown to campus and co-op experiences. She was able to build on these foundations toward an ideal first job.