Evelyn Wang, head of MIT's Department of Mechanical Engineering, is incorporating research challenges into the curriculum that will change the way the subject is taught at MIT. In this episode of ASME TechCast, Wang discusses her efforts and what they will mean for programs at other universities.

Fourteen teams of ASME student members from universities around the globe took part in the final round of the ASME Student Design Competition at the 2018 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in Pittsburgh.

Vacuum cleaner maker Dyson's stated plans to get into the business of making electric cars appears aimed at taking the technology a step further. The company is reported to be looking at solid state batteries for power -- the next step beyond lithium ion batteries -- and carbon fiber for structural components.

The addition of simple deflectors can increase wind turbine efficiency as much as 11.4%, a highly significant result, according to research by a Rutgers University team. The key is the ability of the addition of several deflectors to produce more torque.

ASME recently convened a congressional staff briefing titled, "Lasers for America: Driving Advancements in Science, National Security, Manufacturing, Health, and U.S. Competitiveness." The briefing, which was held Dec. 12, followed the release of a National Academies of Sciences study, titled "Opportunities in Intense Ultrafast Lasers: Reaching for the Brightest Light." Learn more.