Program Overview

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, M.S.

The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering faculty have special interest and expertise in five thrust areas: dynamics and controls; fluid dynamics and propulsion; mechanics of materials and structures; systems and design; and thermal and transport sciences.

Dynamics and Controls

Research in dynamics and controls covers a broad multi-disciplinary area of theory and practical applications. The general aim is to model, analyze and regulate the behavior of dynamical systems in the presence of modeling errors, perturbations and disturbances, while ensuring a level of optimality in carrying out a sought objective. Specific areas of interest include:

• Control theory and algorithms
• Autonomous and distributed systems
• Navigation and flight systems
• Machine learning

Fluid Dynamics and Propulsion

The area of fluid dynamics and propulsion includes incompressible and compressible turbulent flows, multiphase flows, chemically reacting and other nonequilibrium flows, turbomachinery, electrosprays, aeroelasticity, aerodynamic optimization, and aeroacoustics. Specific areas of interest include:

• Aeroacoustics
• Aeroelasticity
• Biomedical flows
• Combustion theory
• Computational fluid dynamics
• Electrosprays
• Jet and rocket propulsion
• Multiphase flow
• Turbomachinery

Mechanics of Materials and Structures

The field of mechanics of materials and structures emphasizes theoretical, computational, and experimental approaches that contribute to a fundamental understanding of and new insight into the properties and behavior of materials and structures. Areas of interest include:

• Nano- and micro-scale solid mechanics
• Modeling and design of lightweight structures and materials
• Deformation and failure mechanisms
• Smart and morphing structures
• Uncertainty quantification and propagation
• Structural synthesis and optimization
• Machine learning applications in materials design and modeling

Systems and Design

Systems and design is a broad disciplinary area that involves the development of methodologies to address issues ranging from defining the size and shape of components needed for force and motion specifications, to characterizing performance in terms of design parameters, cost, and complexity. Applications include:

• Microdevices
• Biomechanics
• Air pollution
• Manufacturing
• Automotive and aerospace systems Specific areas of interest include:
• Design and control of MEMS
• Machine information systems integration
• Computer-aided design
• Robotics including microrobotics
• Biomechanics
• Carbon and magnetic MEMS
• CD-based fluidics
• Rehabilitation, prosthetics, and exoskeletons
• Kinematics of spatial motion
• Design of mechanical systems
• Modeling of global air pollution
• Aerospace systems

Thermal and Transport Sciences

The field of thermal and transport sciences encompasses energy generation and harvesting, environmental impacts, and heat transfer. Areas of specific interest include:

• Combustion and emissions
• Fuel cell technologies
• Advanced energy systems
• Renewable energy
• Heat transfer
• Atomization and sprays
• Reaction kinetics
• Nanomaterials

Program Plans

Two plans are available to pursue study toward the M.S.: a thesis option and a comprehensive examination option.

Plan I: Thesis Option

The thesis option requires completion of:

• Eight graduate, technical, and science courses
• An original research project with a Faculty Advisor
• The writing of the thesis describing the research project
• Approval of the thesis by a thesis committee Students must complete:
• 12 units of ENGRMAE 296
• 3 units of ENGRMAE 298
• Four graduate courses from a restricted list in the selected MAE major area Additionally, four of the eight required graduate courses must be from the MAE Department.

Plan II: Comprehensive Examination Option

The comprehensive examination option requires completion of:

• Eleven graduate, technical, and science courses
• A comprehensive exam Students must complete:
• 3 units of ENGRMAE 298
• Four graduate courses from a restricted list Additionally, six of the eleven required graduate courses must be from the MAE Department. Up to two of the required courses may be replaced by an equivalent number of units of ENGRMAE 294, which includes execution and documentation of a research or design project under a faculty advisor.