Mechanical Engineering

About the Department

One of four departments in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Department of Mechanical Engineering offers accredited and nationally ranked undergraduate and graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering, Automotive Systems Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering. Our curriculum offers comprehensive and rigorous education rich in design, research, and interdisciplinary opportunities leading to successful careers in industry, government, higher education, and non-profit organizations both in southeast Michigan and worldwide.

Our Fields of Study

Please welcome Mechanical Engineering’s newest faculty member, Dr. Caymen Novak!

Dr. Caymen Novak received her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Oakland University and her master’s and PhD degrees in biomedical engineering from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Her postdoctoral research took place at The Ohio State University in the Department of Internal Medicine. Dr. Novak’s research focus on the mechanical microenvironment of fibrosis and how it influences the cell-cell interactions between stromal and immune components. Utilizing bioreactor designs and 3D model systems her lab studies the development and progression of fibrosis within the pulmonary and tumor microenvironments with a specific focus on sex as a biological variable. Dr. Novak’s technical expertise include: characterization and construction of 3D microenvironments, bioreactor design, pulmonary and tumor cell culture and mechanotransduction investigations. She is a recipient of the F32 Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award, the Momental Foundation Mistletoe Fellowship, the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, the Marian Sarah Parker Prize, and the Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Prize for Distinguished Academic Achievement.

At our department, Dr. Novak will continue her exceptionally successful research career and teach courses in bioengineering and mechanical engineering areas.

Department Staff

Oleg Zikanov

Professor and Chair, Mechanical Engineering

zikanov@umich.edu

313-593-3718

Rebekah Awood

Graduate Programs Coordinator, Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering

rsdew@umich.edu

313-593-5241

Sherry Boyd

Administrative Assistant, Mechanical Engineering, and Graduate Programs Coordinator, Automotive Systems Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering

sjboyd@umich.edu

313-593-5582

Nicole Engel

ME Administrative Assistant Senior, Mechanical Engineering

nicengel@umich.edu

313-593-4913

Horia Marcu

Administrative Assistant Associate

hmarcu@umich.edu

313-593-5241

The ME department continually seeks outside interactions with business, industries, and government through its Industrial Advisory Boards. Our advisory boards are composed of industry professionals who provide input on curriculum, potential employment for students, research opportunities for faculty, and a perspective on future challenges requiring collaboration.