Mechanical Engineering is one of oldest, broadest, and best-established of the engineering disciplines. Simultaneously, the discipline is also constantly changing and evolving in response to new scientific discoveries and societal needs. The ME Department at the University of Washington reflects the old-yet-new character of the discipline itself.
Portions of our undergraduate curriculum are based on science and technologies developed in the late 19th to mid- 20th centuries. This includes courses devoted to statics, strength of materials, heat transfer, fluids, thermodynamics, dynamics, and traditional metal-working processes. Referred to as "engineering fundamentals," these core courses provide the basic understanding and tools necessary to function as a mechanical engineer.
On the other hand, most of our upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses are devoted to engineering analyses and concepts that did not exist even twenty years ago. Examples include the transitioning, chemically-reacting, and turbulent fluid flows that occur in the ozone layer, advanced "smart" composite materials and structures with applications in modern aerospace and automotive structures, the design and manufacture of nanoscaled biological and structural materials and devices, 3-D computer-controlled manufacturing processes, and environmentally-friendly energy conversion technologies.
Please visit other portions of this website to more fully explore the research studies currently being performed by our faculty and students.
The Department celebrated its centennial year in 2006. More than 10,000 alumni have gone on to satisfying and successful engineering careers. ME graduates currently lead large national or international engineering firms, have started their own companies, or have used their preliminary training in mechanical engineering as a springboard to careers in other areas such as business or medicine.
Our faculty and staff look forward to the challenges of the next 100 years, and remain committed to educating mechanical engineers capable of life-long learning and whose vision, expertise, and talents will benefit society throughout the 21st century.
