Welcome from the ME Chair, Joseph J. Beaman, Jr.

One of the most sought-out fields of engineering, and popular degree programs at The University of Texas at Austin is Mechanical Engineering. It is an area of study in which mathematics and science are combined with experience and judgment for the design, creation and production of practical human necessities. The formal education of a mechanical engineer includes training in physical science studying chemistry, physics, mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, statics, and dynamics, as well as the study of mathematics through the level of differential equations. In addition to the physical sciences, mathematics, and the engineering sciences, mechanical engineering majors study the humanities and social sciences to understand more fully the engineer's relationship and responsibilities to society. The best mechanical engineering education is based on a strong foundation of theory, strengthened by experience and innovation.

Mechanical engineers offer expertise in the fields of energy technology, biomedical engineering, acoustics, noise and vibration control, fluid mechanics and aeronautics, combustion, controls, manufacturing, robotics, quality management, manufacturing logistics and process simulation. The mechanical engineer of the 21st century is involved in the management of people and resources, as well as the development and use of new materials and technologies. Mechanical engineers are committed to the use of science, mathematics, and technology to improve the quality of life for all of society.

The mission of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin is to educate the next generation of leaders in the mechanical engineering profession; create, explore, and develop innovations in engineering science and technology; and to provide beneficial service to the local, state, national, and international communities. The department has tremendous intellectual breadth. Aside from our strength in the traditional Mechanical Engineering areas of Thermal Fluid Systems and Mechanical Systems and Design, our Department has vigorous programs in Materials Science and Engineering, Operations Research and Industrial Engineering, Biomedical/Biomechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Nuclear and Radiation Science. This academic diversity allows the department to provide an exceptional and exciting interdisciplinary environment within our academic community, making it possible to address the many needs of society, on large, human, micro and nano scales.

The core values of our program are leadership, innovation, creativity, professionalism, the novel application of engineering science, excitement in discovery, and involvement in interdisciplinary activities. We strive to foster a community of scholars - a rapport between faculty and undergraduate students and a culture of collaborative learning and scholarship among students.

The Mechanical Engineering department is a department rich in intellectual diversity. The academic pursuits within the department are as varied and diverse as the faculty members who undertake them. In this same spirit of diversity, the Department of Mechanical Engineering is dedicated to the University's goal of creating an institution of higher education, which truly represents the diversity of the population of Texas.

One unique aspect of our program is our curriculum initiative, PROCEED, or Project-Centered Education in Mechanical Engineering. The objective is to closely tie all the elements of the ME undergraduate experience to real-world engineering. Integration of new hands-on labs with respective theory courses, introduction of videoconferencing with corporate engineers during undergraduate instruction, and a senior elective sequence open to a broad variety of career path options are just a few of PROCEED's curriculum innovations. To compliment these academic innovations, one of the goals of the PROCEED initiative has been to renovate and re-equip our laboratories and classrooms. We now boast one of the best-equipped and study-friendly facilities on campus.

The University of Texas is a leading research institution, and the Department of Mechanical Engineering is no exception. Our faculty members are performing cutting edge research in the areas of Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), biomaterials and bionanotechnology, manufacturing, clean energy technologies, combustion, and emissions control, just to name a few. Students attending the ME program at The University of Texas are taught by these leading researchers, have the opportunity to interface with them one on one as part of our mentoring program, and occasionally have the opportunity to work with them as undergraduate or graduate research assistants.

Our program is one of the best mechanical engineering programs in the country, located in the heart of Austin and Central Texas, offering something of interest for everyone. We invite you to contact us for additional information and welcome you to visit our truly world-class institution.