Of all the engineering professions, mechanical engineering is perhaps the broadest and most diversified. From gadgets to medical devices; from air, ground, sea and space vehicles to power plants and industrial machines; from engines to robots; mechanical engineers design systems and processes for nearly every product manufactured throughout the world. The range and scope of mechanical engineering has undergone major changes over the past decade, while retaining and expanding traditional areas of endeavor. Some of the changes have been due to the improvements in auxiliary fields, such as new materials, or the introduction of new fields, such as bioengineering, additive manufacturing, sustainable energy, micro-/nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML).

Students in the mechanical engineering program begin by studying the scientific foundations that are the basis for all engineering. The program provides a collaborative educational environment that advances technological research frontiers and scientific discovery in product design, advanced manufacturing, thermal/fluid systems, sustainable energy, micro-nanotechnology, robotics, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and biomechanical engineering. We aim to produce graduates who will become future innovators and leaders with a knowledge-based foundation, problem-solving skills, and the ability to address critical societal challenges and uncertainties. In the senior year, students have the opportunity to participate in an actual engineering design project which is taken directly from a current industrial or commercial application.

The Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Concentrations

If you have particular interests or highly specific objectives, we can generally satisfy your individual goals through elective courses and appropriate project work. Furthermore, the available pool of electives allows the student to specialize in one of the following concentration areas:

• Aerospace Engineering

• Automotive Engineering

• Biomedical Engineering

• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

• Power Generation

• Product Design and Manufacturing

• Robotics and Automation

• Sustainable Energy

The mission of the mechanical engineering program is to produce graduates with a broad-based foundation in fundamental engineering principles and liberal arts, together with the depth of disciplinary knowledge needed to succeed in a career in mechanical engineering or a related field, including a wide variety of advanced technological and management careers.

To achieve its mission, the Mechanical Engineering program, with input from its constituents, has established the following Program Educational Objectives:

1. Graduates will be known for handling challenging mechanical engineering problems to innovate and develop solutions to meet the current and emerging
   needs of society

2. Graduates excel as leaders in diverse and broad mechanical engineering industries.

3. Graduates continually improve their knowledge and skills to drive technological change in an ethical and socially responsible manner

The strategic priorities of our program are to:

• Create and nurture a student-centric environment that prepares our students to become technological leaders, creative thinkers, and outstanding problem solvers

• Provide 21st-century educational programs that feature innovative content and relevance

• Support, recognize, and celebrate our diverse community of learners and scholars

• Foster, nurture, and support the growing culture of impactful research and scholarship in our education

Student Outcomes

By the time of graduation, mechanical engineering students will attain:

1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics

2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors

3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences

4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts

5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives

6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions

7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies