Mission Statement
The graduate program in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is dedicated to the education of a new generation of mechanicists and researchers of areas related to mechanical and aerospace engineering who aim to master the fundamentals of the mechanical sciences -- which include disciplines such as continuum mechanics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, energy conversion, etc. -- while being exposed to the forefront of research techniques, methodologies and equipment to solve problems that are relevant to modern society (green energy, mechanical modeling and synthesis, robotics and mechatronics, control systems, etc.).
The mission of the mechanical and aerospace engineering research area is to provide a modern, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary educational experience to its students with the objective of preparing them for successful careers in the current and dynamically changing professional environment. To achieve this mission, the graduate emphasis in mechanical and aerospace engineering strives to accomplish the following educational objectives:
Educational Objectives
- To provide a solid background on the pertinent mathematical, physical, chemical, and engineering concepts that make up the foundations of the broad disciplines of mechanical and/or aerospace engineering and applied mechanics, as well as on their closely associated fields;
- To provide our students with the knowledge to correctly apply natural laws to the creative formulation and solution of engineering problems through the use of analytical, computational and experimental techniques;
- To expand the reach of research in mechanical and/or aerospace engineering and applied mechanics to non-traditional areas by continually seeking to incorporate new methodologies and research findings to our graduate curriculum.
Learning Outcomes
Upon graduation, Ph.D. recipients in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering:
- Are able to identify significant research questions in mechanical and/or aerospace engineering, and contextualize their research in the current literature of the field.
- Are able to apply their knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to solve a problem, and to design and implement a suitable solution.
- Are able to design and conduct experiments and/or simulations of mechanical and/or aerospace systems, and to analyze and evaluate these solutions in the context of existing technologies.
- Have lifelong learning skills; are able to acquire and use new engineering techniques, skills, and tools for research and development in mechanical and/or aerospace engineering, and to develop new methods and discover new knowledge.
- Exhibit high professional standards in research, demonstrating objectivity, ethical conduct, and integrity.
- Are able to communicate effectively through oral, visual, and written means, with a broad range of technical audiences.
Upon graduation, M.S. recipients in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Plan 1 (thesis option):
- Are able to conduct supervised research in mechanical and/or aerospace engineering, and can contextualize this research in the current literature of the field.
- Are able to apply their knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to design and implement a solution, under appropriate guidance, to solve a problem.
- Are able to conduct experiments and/or simulations of mechanical and/or aerospace systems, and to analyze and evaluate these solutions in the context of existing technologies.
- Have lifelong learning skills; under guidance, are able to acquire or create new engineering techniques, skills, and tools for research and development in mechanical and/or aerospace engineering.
- Exhibit professional standards in their work, demonstrating objectivity, ethical conduct, and integrity.
- Are able to communicate effectively through oral, visual, and written means, with a broad range of technical audiences.
Upon graduation, M.S. recipients in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Plan II (non-thesis option):
- Are able to apply their knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to design and implement a solution, under appropriate guidance, to solve a problem.
- Are able to conduct experiments and/or simulations of mechanical and/or aerospace systems, and to analyze and evaluate these solutions in the context of existing technologies.
- Have lifelong learning skills; under guidance, are able to acquire or create new engineering techniques, skills, and tools for research and development in mechanical and/or aerospace engineering.
- Exhibit professional standards in their work, demonstrating objectivity, ethical conduct, and integrity.
- Are able to communicate effectively through oral, visual, and written means, with a broad range of technical audiences.
