Mechanical Engineers Mechanical Engineers are often what people picture when they hear the word engineer. This is partly because mechanical engineering is known as the engineering discipline with the broadest applications. Whether it is roller coasters, car engines, or computer keyboards, it is likely that a mechanical engineer was involved in its design. To be more specific, mechanical engineers work with any process involving moving parts. This includes the motor that pulls the rollercoaster car up track, the axles that allow cars to drive down the road and so much more. Mechanical engineers design every part of the piece of machinery so that it can perform the intended task efficiently. Performing tests to calculate how large a piston in an engine needs to be to produce a certain amount of power is one example of a task that may be assigned to a mechanical engineer. One notable innovation in the automotive industry is the Tesla Model S sedan, one of a few successful electric cars in the past few years. Featuring a range of over 200 miles and the handling of a sport sedan, the electric Model S is able to outperform its gasoline powered rivals in many ways. One notable area is safety. The mechanical engineers designed the frame so that it received a near perfect score in every crash safety test conducted by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Association (See Figure 1). This has set a new standard for not only electric vehicles, but all vehicles to ensure safety in the case of any crash.

Figure 1: Tesla Model S Frontal Crash Test

Engineers at the University of Texas at Austin are applying mechanical engineering on a smaller scale. They have designed and are now working on making nanomotors that promise to make more power and last longer than any designed before. These motors are small enough to fit into human cells. The motors could possibly be