Purdue University and Rolls-Royce in Indianapolis are coming together on a new jet-engine research and development program. The $33 million partnership aims to create next-generation aircraft propulsion systems.

Bumsoo Han, Jeff Rhoads, Cagri Savran, and Greg Shaver have been promoted to Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering. The promotions were finalized at an April 8 meeting of Purdue's Board of Trustees, and are effective starting the Fall 2016 semester.

The Purdue Society of Professional Engineers took second place at the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest national championship in Columbus, Ohio on April 9, 2016.

Dr. Ben Hillberry passed away on April 4, 2016. He began teaching at Purdue University in 1967, and retired in 2006. He served many roles during his tenure at Purdue, including Chairman of the Design Division of the School of Mechanical Engineering, Founder and Director of the Purdue Technical Assistance Program, and Faculty Coordinator for the Mechanical Engineering Building Renovation. Ben conducted research in the areas of Metal Fatigue and Biomechanics. He was a named Fellow in the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).

A Purdue team has developed a simulation technique to help reduce the cost of building with carbon nanotubes and similar structures. The team, based at Birck Nanotechnology Center, includes mechanical engineering professor Timothy Fisher and PhD student Majed Alrefae.

The new oil-absorbing and water-repelling substance can be easily manufactured, according to a paper by Suresh Garimella (Goodson Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering), Justin Weibel (professor of Mechanical Engineering) and Xuemei Chen, research assistant.

Purdue Engineers Week (E-Week) is a celebration of all things Engineering -- a chance for students to get a taste of all the disciplines offered on campus.

A Purdue team has won the 2016 Student Soybean Product Innovation Competition, challenging students to use soybeans in innovative ways. The team used biodegradable soybeans as exfoliants in a new soap, replacing plastic microbeads. Ryan Pendergast, a mechanical engineering junior, shared in the top prize along with three Purdue pharmacy students.

Bumsoo Han, associate professor of mechanical engineering, co-authored a recent paper detailing the challenges of using nanotechnology to affect the very complex micro-environments of cancerous tumors. While great potential exists, Han says "we need to start thinking outside the box." Purdue's Birck Nanotechnology Center hosts many of these research projects.

The latest U.S. News and World Report Graduate School rankings have been published, and Purdue's College of Engineering is well-represented.