Research at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering does not follow rigid institute structures, but is organized across institutes in a cluster structure. Based on an analysis of existing strengths, an assessment of future research trends, consideration of industrial needs and a forecast of the industrial future potential of research topics, research fields were identified and clustered into the following four focus areas:

• Energy & Environmental Engineering
• Materials Engineering
• Micro & Biomedical Engineering
• Product & Service Engineering

Research at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum is also closely networked across faculty boundaries. Research foci of the faculty are reflected at university level in the interdisciplinary Research Departments Materials Science, Closed Carbon Cycle Economy and Solvation Science.

External partners

In recent years, the faculty has specifically strengthened its networking with external research institutes. In the beginning of 2020, the new

• The Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geothermal Systems IEG

was added, that also includes the International Geothermal Center Bochum. Also the

• Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT

in Oberhausen has been linked to the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering for many years.

In addition, intensive networks exist through associated professorships with the

• German Aerospace Center in Cologne,
• Jülich Research Centre,
• Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin for material and energy
• Max-Planck-Institut for Sustainable Materials in Düsseldorf.

Together with the neighboring faculty in Dortmund, the “Engineering Unit Ruhr” was founded as a joint cooperation.