Founded in 1946 by two UW–Madison professors, the Engine Research Center (ERC) is the largest academic research center focused on internal combustion engines in the U.S. and serves as a national resource for information on combustion engine science and technology. ERC research teams approach their investigations with a unique combination of modeling and experimental capabilities, and focus on the fluid mechanics, heat transfer, combustion, sprays, pollutant emissions, and overall energy conversion efficiency of internal combustion engines.