Design Engineering

Research in design entails the systematic study of the artifact creation process and its integration into various environments — including virtual, physical, social, psychological, economic and political. This focus area aims to enhance the practice of design engineering. It involves deepening our understanding of both the designers themselves and the users of their creations; the methodologies and techniques employed in the design process; and the broader societal impact of engineered solutions and outcomes. 

Strength Areas in Design in Mechanical Engineering

• Design Theory and Methodology: Underlying science of processes that designers use to develop engineering solutions. 
• Computational Design and Optimization: Development and use of technology to visualize, analyze, and make decisions during design processes. 
• Systems Engineering: Multi-disciplinary approaches for the design and operation of complex systems within their broader socio-technical environments. 
• Engineering for Sustainable Development: Development of design methods and processes to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. 
• Design for Manufacturing: Methodologies and processes for designing parts, components, and products for efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable manufacturing and product realization.  
• Inclusive & Human-Centered Design: Methodologies and processes that place stakeholders at the heart of the design process to create solutions that understand and enable people of all backgrounds. 
• Bio-Inspired Design: The process of learning from nature to inspire strategies for innovation, including principles of form, function, performance, and aesthetics. 
• Design Education Research: Development and analysis of epistemology, policy, and assessment of engineering education and design skill development, including K-12, higher education, and post-education.