Student adjusts windmill blade in wind tunnel

Mechanical Engineering, PhD
PhD

Earn your mechanical engineering PhD at UWM where we are empowering the next generation of innovators

We empower mechanical engineering PhD students to become accomplished researchers and confident innovators, ready to lead groundbreaking advancements in technology and engineering.

UWM is recognized as an R1 research university for its commitment to discovery, you’ll be challenged to ask bold questions, push the boundaries of knowledge, and solve complex global problems through extensive, hands-on research.

Our accomplished faculty pursue high-impact research and foster an environment where curiosity and persistence thrive. As a PhD student, you’ll work side-by-side with leading experts on projects in construction, energy, optics, rehabilitation robotics, sensors, biomechanics, water filtration, composite materials, tribology, and more.

At UWM, you won’t just earn a doctorate—you’ll be empowered to make a lasting impact on the world.

Program Type

Doctoral

Program Format

On Campus

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Mechanical Engineering PhD Student Spotlight

Farah Nourin was invited as a student representative to speak at a US Department of Energy (DOE) Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) roundtable to discuss how the DOE can help American manufacturers to improve efficiency, train an energy-savvy workforce and reduce their carbon footprints.

Student: Farah Nourin

Build the mechanical engineering PhD program that fits you best

A PhD degree requires completion of 66 graduate credits beyond the bachelor’s degree. Some engineering students pursue their PhD after completing a master’s degree, and others choose to earn a PhD instead of a master’s degree. Please see the academic catalog for specific requirements to determine what is best for you.

Many mechanical engineering PhD students earn Teaching Assistantships (TAs), Research Assistantships (RAs) or Fellowships during their graduate study which helps to fund their education while also building leadership skills. Assistantships decisions are made by the academic departments only after an applicant has been accepted to the program.

Earning a PhD in can provide you with a wide range of professional or academic opportunities that may include leadership roles in academia, government service, or high-level industrial research.

More Information

Contact the College of Engineering & Applied Science Graduate Programs Office.

Explore an area of mechanical engineering PhD research

We’re a top tier R1 research university and our students have the opportunity to work with engineering faculty engaged in cutting-edge research in areas such as:

  • Batteries
  • Energy
  • Optics
  • Rehab Robotics
  • Sensors
  • Tribology

Mechanical Engineering Research Labs

  • The team at the Center for Sustainable Electrical Energy Systems (SEES), led by Rob Cuzner, are exploring methods to make electric power systems more sustainable, cost-effective, and secure through research on energy storage, microgrid systems, and renewable energy sources.
  • The Connected Systems Institute (CSI), led by Joe Hamann, accelerates innovation by bringing together industry and academic researcher to facilitate digital transformation for small and medium-sized manufacturers, ultimately developing an educational curriculum to better prepare the workforce of the future.
  • In the Energy Storage Research Laboratory, led by Deyang Qu, the focus is on fundamental electrochemical research, seeking new materials and understanding reaction mechanisms in the areas of renewable energy, sensor and water treatment.
  • The mission of GRid-connected Advanced Power Electrical Systems (GRAPES), led by Rob Cuzner, is to accelerate the adoption and insertion of power electronics into the grid in order to improve system stability, flexibility, robustness, and economy.
  • The Industrial Training and Assessment Center (ITAC), led by Ryo Amano, is a Department of Energy program dedicated to helping small and medium-sized manufacturers and wastewater treatment plants minimize their energy costs through efficient use of resources
  • The Machine Shop, led by Michael Brown, is a hands-on facility with state-of-the-art manual and computer-assisted equipment and machine tools used by faculty, students, and members of industry.
  • The mission of the Movement Analysis for Biomedical Innovation & Technology (Mobility) Laboratory, led by Brooke Slavens, is to advance quantitative rehabilitation research for improving health and function of persons with disabilities.

As an R1 research institution, research is integral to our work at UWM and to the experience of students pursuing graduate degrees. Our college has a wide range of faculty-led labs that perform cutting edge research. Full list of our college’s research labs, centers and institutes.

Image of the UWM College of Engineering & Applied Science's Structural Engineering Lab in the EMS Building
The UWM Structures Lab is used by faculty, students, and members of industry.

Faculty

Amano, Ryoichi
  • Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Director, Industrial Assessment Center (IAC)
Armstrong, Brian
  • Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Avdeev, Ilya
  • Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Director, Lubar Entrepreneurship Center (LEC)
  • Co-Founder and Executive Director, UWM Student Startup Challenge
  • Director (PI), Milwaukee Regional Energy Education Initiative
Chang, Woo Jin
  • Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
D'Souza, Roshan
  • Richard and Joanne Grigg Professorship
  • Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Judes, Avie
  • CEAS Lab Manager
  • Lab Manager, Makerspace
Lim, Saniel
  • Teaching Faculty II, Mechanical Engineering Department
Musinski, William
  • Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering
Nosonovsky, Michael
  • Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Pillai, Krishna
  • Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Qu, Deyang
  • Johnson Controls Endowed Professor in Energy Storage Research
  • Department Chair, Biomedical Engineering
  • UWM Distinguished Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Rahman, Mohammad Habib
  • Richard and Joanne Grigg Professorship
  • Professor and Department Chair, Mechanical Engineering
  • Affiliate Professor, Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering
  • Switzer Research Distinguished Fellow
Reisel, John
  • Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Secretary of the University
Rohatgi, Pradeep
  • Distinguished Professor, Materials Science and Engineering Department
  • Distinguished Professor, Biomedical Engineering
  • Distinguished Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Director, Center for Advanced Manufacture of Materials
Salowitz, Nathan
  • Alan D. Kulwicki '77 Faculty Fellowship
  • Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Founder, Advanced Structures Laboratory
Schnorenberg, Alyssa Joy
  • Scientist I, Mechanical Engineering Department
  • Associate Director, Mobility Lab
Slavens, Brooke
  • Richard and Joanne Grigg Professor of Mechanical Engineering, EMS Office 1080
  • Affiliate Faculty of Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Science & Technology
Stern, Nathaniel
  • Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Professor, Art & Design
  • Director of Academic Engagement & Creative Impact, Lubar Entrepreneruship Center
Sung, Yongjin
  • Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Yahiaoui, Mohamed
  • Teaching Faculty 3, Mechanical Engineering
Zhang, Xiaoxiao
  • Scientist I, Mechanical Engineering Department
Zheng, Dong
  • Scientist III, Mechanical Engineering Department

Advising

Crary, Therese
  • Advisor, Graduate Programs
  • Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Health Informatics
Packard, Robert
  • Advisor, Graduate Programs
  • Civil/Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering

External funding partners

UWM is proud to be one of only two R1 research universities in Wisconsin. As a mechanical engineering PhD student you will work alongside top faculty working with externally funded partners that support our important research:

  • National Academy of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine (NASEM)
  • National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • United States Department of Defense (USDoD)
  • United States Department of Energy (USDoE)
  • Regional businesses: Johnson Controls, Rockwell Automation, Harley Davidson, We Energies
Academic Catalog
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Mechanical Engineering
Contact Info: ceas-me@uwm.edu

Street Address
College of Engineering & Applied Science
3200 North Cramer Street
Milwaukee, WI 53211

Mailing Address
College of Engineering & Applied Science
P.O. Box 784
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0784