Department Mission and Goals

Scope and Objectives

RAPHaEL (Robotic Air Powered Hand with Elastic Ligaments).

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering offers curricula in aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The scope of the departmental research and teaching program is broad, encompassing dynamics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, manufacturing and design, micro- and nano-engineering, structural and solid mechanics, and systems and control. The applications of mechanical and aerospace engineering are quite diverse, including aircraft, spacecraft, automobiles, energy and propulsion systems, robotics, machinery, manufacturing and materials processing, microelectronics, biological systems, and more. At the undergraduate level, the department offers accredited programs leading to B.S. degrees in Aerospace Engineering and in Mechanical Engineering. At the graduate level, the department offers programs leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and in Aerospace Engineering. An M.S. in Manufacturing Engineering is also offered.

Department Mission
The mission of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department is to educate the nation’s future leaders in the science and art of mechanical and aerospace engineering. Further, the department seeks to expand the frontiers of engineering science and to encourage technological innovation while fostering academic excellence and scholarly learning in a collegial environment.

Undergraduate Program Educational Objectives
The aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. In consultation with its constituents, the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department has set its educational objectives as follows: within a few years after graduation, the students will be successful in careers in aerospace or mechanical or other engineering fields, and/or in graduate studies in aerospace or mechanical or other engineering fields, and/or in further studies in other fields such as medicine, business, and law.

Undergraduate Study
The Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering majors are designated capstone majors. Within their capstone courses, Aerospace Engineering students are exposed to the conceptual and design phases for aircraft development and produce a structural design of a component, such as a lightweight aircraft wing. Mechanical Engineering students work in teams in their capstone courses to propose, design, analyze, and build a mechanical or electromechanical device. Graduates of both programs should be able to apply their knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering in technical systems; design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs; function as productive members of a team; identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems; and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.