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Lukas Desorcy takes a microscope image of a diffusion welded sample
March 16, 2026

The safety breakthrough behind tomorrow’s compact nuclear reactors

Compact heat exchangers could enable advanced nuclear reactors that are smaller, more efficient and more affordable—but a critical step in their adoption is verifying they can withstand the high temperatures and possibly high pressures in…

2025 Wisconsin Impact Nexus award recipients
March 16, 2026

Grants empower bold thinking and transform vision into momentum

Expanding a consortium that strengthens ties between the college and the steel industry. Commercializing chip-cooling tech. Designing an economical nuclear microreactor. Through funding and in-kind support, Wisconsin Impact Nexus grants are igniting a ripple effect,…

Badgers in Themed Entertainment student org members
March 11, 2026

In the loop: New student organization is taking Badgers for a ride

Only the nerdiest among us take our first steps into Disneyland or Universal Studios and exclaim, “What a feat of engineering!” But maybe more of us should. Theme parks (or “themed entertainment,” for those in…

Professor Frank Pfefferkorn
March 3, 2026

New laser-based manufacturing course connects students on campus and in industry

A fourth-year undergraduate student sits in a classroom on the first floor of the Mechanical Engineering building on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, laptop open, chatting with an online master’s degree student and a working…

Harsh Sharma discusses a digital twin research project with a student in his office
February 16, 2026

More than a mirror: How a digital twin turns dynamic data into a real-life decision

Harsh Sharma is an assistant professor of mechanical engineering whose research sits at the intersection of computational science and mechanical/aerospace engineering, with a focus on the design, analysis and control of complex engineering dynamic systems….

Moon
February 9, 2026

Designing lunar surface missions for how the brain handles strain

As NASA plans crewed surface missions to the Moon and eventually Mars, researchers say managing cognitive fatigue may be essential for safe, effective deep space exploration. As NASA prepares to send astronauts back to the…

Teaching specialist Aidan Butula operates the new flight simulator
February 5, 2026

Regents approve new aerospace engineering major

Badger Engineers are cleared for takeoff. The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents voted to approve the creation of a new aerospace engineering major within the UW-Madison College of Engineering on Feb. 5, 2026….

So Yeon Kim
January 30, 2026

Focus on new faculty: So Yeon Kim is designing more durable materials for next-gen energy systems

When So Yeon Kim tells people that she has worked on designing materials for both solid-state batteries and next-generation nuclear reactors, they are often surprised, assuming that these energy systems are very different. “But from…

A student follows a robotic dog on a construction site
January 29, 2026

Robots to the rescue?

While fantasies of mechanical maids aren’t yet reality, autonomous aides are emerging in a few areas of the modern world. Highlight reels from the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games, held in August 2025 in Beijing,…

PhD student Molly McCord works in the lab
January 23, 2026

Physics-defying discovery sheds new light on how cells move

The cells in our bodies move in groups during biological processes such as wound healing and tissue development—but because of resistance, or viscosity, those cells can’t just neatly glide past each other. Or can they?…