Students choose to major in chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, or mechanical engineering. While pursuing their undergraduate degrees, students also have opportunities to participate in undergraduate research with the faculty or to gain work experience through engineering internships and cooperative employment with industry. Mechanical Engineering Mechanical engineering is a broad profession creatively engaged in the design, production and operation of devices, machines, and systems which extend our physical abilities. These may be on a scale as large as a space shuttle or so small as to only be visible under a microscope. Mechanical engineers are involved in activities such as research and development of composite materials, materials science, energy conversion and utilization, machinery design, manufacturing processes, automatic control, biomechanics, and transportation of all forms.
Mechanical engineers study the response of materials to forces and energy flows.
They are concerned with the motion of solids, liquids, and gases, and the heating and cooling of materials, structures, and systems. The flow of fluids and the tran sport of heat are fundamental to the manufacturing technologies, the environment, and the aerospace industry. Using their understanding of these basic processes, mechanical engineers design space vehicles, aircraft, automobiles, robots, medical equipment, prostheses, and the multitude of mechanical devices which we depend on every day but often take for granted. The successful design, manufacture and operation of machines of every type is within the broad scope of today's mechanical engineer. Engineering One of the frequent tendencies that students in technical disciplines have is to inextricably link their career possibilities with their academic major.