The Woodruff School has climbed to No. 2 in the nation, according to the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings of undergraduate mechanical engineering programs. The ranking moves the Woodruff School up two spots from last year and places it at No. 1 among public universities.

This edition of Woodruff Buzz looks back on a helluva year and is filled with buzzworthy stories highlighting student success, research preeminence, and community and culture — the three key focus areas of our strategic plan.

The Georgia Tech team set a challenge record for occupancy and took home first place in the Formula Sun Grand Prix’s multi-occupant category.

The Georgia Tech Alumni Association has announced the seventh annual class of 40 Under 40, with six Woodruff School alumni among the honorees: Niall Brown, Bachir El Fil, Roshan Kalghatgi, Raj Siyasena, Brennan Torstrick, and Jeffrey Twum.

Assistant Professor Fan Zhang will lead a Genesis Mission project to develop AI-enabled digital twin technologies that support the safe, autonomous operation of advanced nuclear energy systems. She is also collaborating on a second project to develop AI tools for the lifecycle of fusion plants, including robotics and maintenance.

Regents’ Professor Steven Liang and his wife have committed support for the Jen and Steven Liang Professorship for Excellence in Mechanical Science and Engineering. With this gift, Steven becomes the first tenure-track faculty member to endow a professorship while still employed at Georgia Tech — and the first to do so across the University System of Georgia.

The Woodruff School's graduate program in mechanical engineering has reached a historic milestone, earning its highest-ever ranking of No. 3 in the nation (No. 1 among public universities), while the nuclear engineering program is ranked No. 9, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2026 edition of Best Graduate Schools.

Drawing on her experience as a Georgia Tech alumna, Carolyn Seepersad shares her priorities for the School, the importance of philanthropy and alumni engagement, and her vision for advancing student success, research leadership, and growth in the years ahead.

A historic $100 million bequest from the late Georgia Tech alumnus John W. Durstine will forever transform the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. The landmark gift — the largest single gift in Tech’s history — will establish endowed chairs, professorships, and faculty awards, ensuring that the School continues to recruit, develop, and retain world-class faculty for generations to come. 

Meet Georgia Tech mechanical engineering students Andrew Grant and Sana Hafeez, who share their academic journey and what they enjoy about the Woodruff School. Former Eugene C. Gwaltney, Jr. School Chair Devesh Ranjan and Professor Carolyn Seepersad explain what's unique about the undergraduate program, ranked No. 4 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, and how it prepares students for their careers and beyond.