May 4, 2026 - ME Faculty & Staff Newsletter
Quick Shout Outs
Mukherjee earns AI Spring Grant
Department Highlights
CU Boulder mechanical engineering graduate program ranks top 15
The Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering graduate program at CU Boulder was ranked 14th amongst public institutions for 2026-27, according to U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings. Up three spots from last year, the program continues to build on its growing national reputation.
Graduating student Asaiah Gifford wins prestigious Silver Medal award
Asaiah Gifford, a mechanical engineering student graduating this spring, has been selected by the Colorado Engineering Council to receive this year’s Silver Medal Award. One of the state’s top honors for undergraduate engineers, the Silver Medal recognizes students who embody the values of academic excellence, personal integrity, professionalism and community service.
Staple-like particles reveal new path to strong materials
A tightly packed ball of office staples can be surprisingly strong. Try to pull it apart and the tangled metal resists like a solid object. But with the right movement or vibration, that same bundle can quickly fall back into loose pieces. A team of engineers and materials scientists in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering at CU Boulder are exploring how this uncanny combination of strength and flexibility could inspire a new class of materials built on interlocking particles.
Nine mechanical engineering students earn 2026 graduating student awards
Nine students from the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering have earned graduating student awards from the College of Engineering and Applied Science in 2026. These awards honor seniors who are nominated by faculty, staff or fellow students for their outstanding contributions to the college and campus community.
ME outreach program brings big engineering dreams to small rural towns
Associate Research Professor Daniel Knight and Professor Michael Hannigan are leading an outreach program that connects CU Boulder students with rural high schools to introduce hands-on engineering experiences in the classroom. The initiative, known as the Science and Engineering Inquiry Collaborative (SCENIC), serves 12 schools and nearly 700 high school students across rural Colorado each year, turning local questions about air and soil quality into real-world research projects.
ME students, alum among this year's New Venture Challenge winners
Undergraduate students Jack Mulvaney and Josh Shewbridge, graduate student Dan Miltenberger and ME alum Justin Whiteley (MMechEngr’14, PhD’16) have won a combined $165,000 in startup funding along with their respective teams as part of this year's New Venture Challenge competition. Their startups, Kioga, Ptarmigan Clockworks and WatchPost, specialize in developing cutting-edge technology that offer next-generation solutions in health, wireless networks and environmental safety.