A Message From the Director

I’m excited and pleased to be the new director of the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. What a privilege it is to have the opportunity to lead this dynamic program.

As you can see in this newsletter, it is a truly exciting time of unprecedented growth in the school. Our program has doubled in size in the past decade, and we are now the largest mechanical engineering program in the Northwest.

In recent years, we have expanded our offerings to Bremerton and Everett, and last spring saw our very first graduating class from our Everett program. These programs are meeting real industry needs in western Washington while also providing more affordable access for students to study in our program.

And, thankfully, while our enrollments have increased so dramatically, we have also been able to hire many new faculty members to provide the unique and transformative educational experiences that allow our students to succeed, and we are searching for eight additional faculty to start in fall 2015. Our faculty members are among the most cited in the world and are nationally and internationally recognized for excellence.

The work that MME faculty and students are doing has impact around Washington, the nation, and the world. Whether introducing safer lithium-ion batteries, improved hip and bone replacement materials, or environmentally friendly bioplastics, our researchers are meeting industry needs and addressing important real-world challenges.

Of course, none of our success would be possible without support from you, our donors and friends. I want to thank you for your continued interest in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. Your support makes a tremendous difference and allows our program to thrive.

Please feel free to share your news with us, or come by whenever you’re in Pullman.

Sincerely,

Mike Kessler
Berry Family Director and Professor