| Department Theme: Multi-Scale Engineering |
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| Theme Focal Group: Mechanics and Computation |
Much of modern mechanical engineering research is intrinsically multi-scale and multi-disciplinary by its nature-and this is certainly a principal theme in M.E. at Stanford. Examples include:
- research for the control and modeling of turbulence,
- micromechanics of materials,
- and design and fabrication of microscale devices.
To this broad roster of multi-scale engineering we can now add nanotechnology which is the creation and utilization of functional materials, devices, and systems with novel properties and functions that are achieved through the control of matter, atom by atom, molecule by molecule or at the macromolecular level. In a sense this represents the ultimate multi-scale engineering field by virtue of the enormous range of scales involved.
At the heart of the M.E. department's multi-scale engineering efforts is the Mechanics and Computation Group, which is responsible for taking a leading role in a broad spectrum of technologies including multi-scale simulations and computational prototyping tools.
The Nanotechnology Revolution
A revolution has begun in science based on our recent ability to organize, characterize, and manipulate matter systematically at the nanoscale. The engineering and technology applications are only now beginning to emerge. Far-reaching outcomes for the new century are envisioned in a wide range of technologies including advanced materials, energy conversion and storage, nanoelectronics, biosensors and nanobiotechnology. The Mechanics and Computation Group is addressing the formidable challenges which remain, not only in the area of fundamental understanding, but also in device and system design, manufacturing, and system integration.
Approaching the Problem
Since nanosystems are of a size intermediate between isolated atoms and molecules and bulk materials, understanding the behavior of nanosystems requires modeling, large-scale computer simulation, and new tools for experimentation and for design. Approaches such as quantum mechanics, molecular simulation, grain and continuum-based models, and stochastic methods are all part of the study taking place within the department. Current M.E. faculty expertise places the Department at the confluence of theory, fundamental experimentation and application.