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Stephanie Viola is executive director of the ASME Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and managing director of ASME Philanthropy and Programs. In her role as executive director, Viola leads ASME’s team of development professionals in consolidated fundraising efforts for philanthropic programs across ASME and the ASME Foundation.
Since joining ASME, Viola has been instrumental in launching an ambitious capital campaign that emphasizes increasing equity in engineering and building a more sustainable future. She established a campaign cabinet made of leaders from industry, academia, and government—it included executives from HP, SpaceX, and ComEd. Viola also helped launch ASME’s community college and HBCU pilot programs, which built a network of stakeholders and donors committed to growing a more equitable and innovative technical workforce.
OnlineEngineeringPrograms.com: When it comes to the future of mechanical engineering, what are some of the most exciting areas of research and design?
Viola: Mechanical engineering’s future is focused on three pillars: AI-driven design; digital twin technology, allowing for real-time virtual monitoring of complex systems; and clean, sustainable energy, where engineers are reinventing how we power everything. We are no longer just building machines; we are designing intelligent ecosystems that bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds.
OnlineEngineeringPrograms.com: What do you see as some near-term breakthroughs for mechanical engineering, and what do you see as more long-term/aspirational?
Viola: Near term, we’ll see smarter machines that use AI and sensors to design faster, use less energy, and predict failures before they happen. Think lighter cars, more efficient factories, and safer infrastructure.
Longer term, the aspiration is fully sustainable engineering—materials that recycle themselves, carbon‑neutral manufacturing, and human‑machine systems that help engineers solve society’s biggest challenges, from climate resilience to advanced healthcare.
OnlineEngineeringPrograms.com: How can engineering students equip themselves to tackle mechanical engineering’s key challenges and help build the future of the field?
Viola: Today’s engineering students can prepare by building strong fundamentals while staying curious and adaptable. Learning how to use digital tools, data, and AI alongside hands‑on problem‑solving is key. Just as important are soft “power” skills like communication, teamwork, and an understanding of ethics and sustainability. Students who seek real‑world experience through projects, internships, and lifelong learning will be best equipped to turn new ideas into practical solutions that benefit society.
At the ASME Foundation, we seek to empower next-generation engineers in three ways: education, career preparation, and support for entrepreneurs with sustainable innovations. We work to leave no brilliant talent behind, regardless of race, gender, or economic status. We know that inclusive engineering teams produce the best outcomes that can ultimately benefit everyone.
AI is changing the way mechanical engineers work and think. In what’s known as generative design, AI-powered apps and algorithms assist mechanical engineers in quickly spinning up multiple design options based on specified parameters and constraints (i.e., weight reduction, material efficiency, cost minimization, or performance enhancement).
Engineers can then explore a wide range of designs in a short period of time, iterating through inputs and ultimately gaining a better understanding of both the design problem and the solution space (Journal of Mechanical Design 2023).
Think of it like a juiced up CAD function. Working at the concept and early design stages, generative design lets engineers search through significantly more options than they could manually, potentially surfacing more non-intuitive solutions. It also connects more seamlessly with simulation and manufacturing: instead of designing a part in CAD, sending it to simulation, then checking whether it can be manufactured, AI-powered workflows pull all those steps closer together, generating designs while also testing their feasibility against a set of given constraints.
Generative design is not new, but it is growing in adoption and capability. Airbus and Autodesk used generative design and 3D printing to create an aircraft cabin partition inspired by cell and bone structures that was nearly 50 percent lighter than conventional designs; Autodesk and General Motors used generative design to make a similar breakthrough on a lighter, stronger seat bracket. NASA is using AI-powered systems to design its mission hardware. As AI continues to improve, its force-multiplying effect on mechanical engineers grows in tandem.
A digital twin is a virtual model of an object or system—like an engine, or a factory line, or an aircraft component—and connected to the same data streams as its real-world physical counterpart. They let mechanical engineers monitor a system’s performance, simulate future behavior, and optimize performance. NIST approximates the potential benefits of digital twins to be $37.9 billion annually if adopted throughout the US manufacturing industry.
Digital twins are particularly valuable in mechanical engineering because many core problems of the discipline are expensive to test physically. HVAC systems, industrial machinery, and aerospace infrastructure all involve a symphony of mechanical, thermal, electrical, and control systems. A comprehensive digital twin allows mechanical engineers to test and optimize a system before anything is built, saving significant time, reducing risk, and saving money (Siemens).
They can also be used for predictive maintenance. Instead of performing maintenance on a fixed schedule or only when something fails, digital twins can monitor sensor data for degradation patterns, enabling mechanical engineers to intervene early (Heliyon 2023). Equipped with digital twins, mechanical engineers are moving from reactive problem-solving to a more predictive, more efficient stance.
Mechanical engineers thrive in a green economy and play an outsized role in fostering a sustainable future. Considerations around energy efficiency, material selection, carbon footprint, and life-cycle are part of the mechanical engineer’s design process from the very beginning. Amid net-zero goals and climate change initiatives, mechanical engineers are on the front lines of a sustainable future: building renewable energy systems, optimizing sustainable manufacturing processes, and designing energy-efficient buildings (Ken Institute).
Sustainable mechanical engineering is not always strictly “green.” Many mechanical engineering systems are fueled by thermal industrial energy: boilers, furnaces, and process heating systems. Improving the efficiency of those systems is a major engineering lever, with significant environmental impact: in industrial furnaces, waste heat recovery can improve energy efficiency by up to 50 percent (US Department of Energy). That extra efficiency preserves energy, reduces emissions, and lowers air pollutants.
But mechanical engineering can also be the purest shade of green: designing innovative electric vehicles and battery systems; integrating renewable energy sources into smart grids; and testing new ways to capture and store carbon dioxide before it reaches the atmosphere (ASME 2025). Boosted by advances in generative design and the optimization power of digital twins, mechanical engineers have a vital role to play in building a more sustainable world.
Matt Zbrog is a writer and researcher from Southern California. Since 2018, he’s written extensively about a wide range of engineering disciplines, with a particular focus on the potential impacts of major technological breakthroughs. His work largely centers around conversations with engineering faculty at top universities, highlighting their research in areas such as nuclear power, artificial intelligence, soft robotics, and semiconductor design. He’s also worked with leaders and subject matter experts at the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).
By reading a select number of engineering blogs, university students can gain access to the thoughts of some of the best engineers in the world and get on the path to becoming one themselves.
The future of 3D printing is poised to further disrupt and redefine industries by enabling democratized manufacturing and localized production. As advancements continue, we can expect even more sophisticated materials to become available, broadening the range of products that can be printed.
Field engineering is a crucial discipline within the broader engineering landscape, focusing primarily on the on-site implementation, troubleshooting, and maintenance of engineering projects. Field engineers are tasked with applying technical knowledge in real-world settings, often collaborating with construction personnel, project managers, and clients to ensure that projects are executed according to specifications and within the allocated timelines. Their role demands high technical proficiency, adaptability, and problem-solving skills, as they must swiftly address any challenges that arise on-site.
By participating in a high school engineering program, students can build a solid foundation in STEM, form professional networks, and gain a clearer sense of their academic and career paths.
The best gifts for mechanical engineers are tools that help them activate their engineering spirit and build their own creations. Those tools can be knowledge-based, they can be practical, or they can be plain old fun. We’ve gathered a list of potential mechanical engineering gifts that fit every budget and personality.
