About the Department
One of four departments in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Department of Mechanical Engineering offers accredited and nationally ranked undergraduate and graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering, Automotive Systems Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering. Our curriculum offers comprehensive and rigorous education rich in design, research, and interdisciplinary opportunities leading to successful careers in industry, government, higher education, and non-profit organizations both in southeast Michigan and worldwide.
New Program Available
New master's program in Materials Science and Engineering coming this September!
Applications are now open for the new MSE in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE-MTSE) program for the Fall 2021 semester. The 30-credit-hour program is interdisciplinary and will combine learning fundamentals with a focus on emerging principles and advanced applications of engineering materials in areas such as automotive technology, manufacturing, energy, or biomedical engineering. The program will rely on faculty expertise and industry connections from all four departments in CECS and will utilize the newly updated facilities in the Engineering Laboratory Building.
- 1959: UM-Dearborn's first students enroll in three degree programs, including Mechanical Engineering.
- 1963: The Mechanical Engineering master's program begins.
- 2011: The Bioengineering undergraduate program begins.
- 2016: The Bioengineering master's program begins.
- 2017: The PhD in Mechanical Sciences and Engineering program begins.
- 2017: The Automotive Systems Engineering master's program joins the department.
- 2019: The D.Eng. in Automotive Systems and Mobility begins.
Learn more about our fields of study
The mechanical engineering field is one of the oldest engineering fields. It is also one of the broadest in scope, for it is not restricted to any particular technology or particular device. Mechanical engineers understand the basic principles of statics and dynamics, thermodynamics, heat transfer and fluid flows, control, instrumentation, and other areas. Mechanical engineers know how to use these principles to design and manufacture technical systems.
The field is continuously evolving with new technologies bringing new challenges, new knowledge, and new job opportunities. One example is the automobile. The automotive industry has always employed many mechanical engineers, but the work they do and the problems they solve now are completely different than what they were fifty or even twenty years ago. Another example is new methods of energy generation. Neither wind, nor solar, nor biomass energy would be possible without mechanical engineers.
Bioengineering (BENG) is a cross-disciplinary field in which the methods of various areas of engineering are applied to solve problems in medicine, biology, health care, and, in general, to improve the quality of human life. The expertise of a bioengineer combines knowledge of engineering principles with the understanding of living systems.
Bioengineering is a rapidly growing profession with expanding career opportunities. Bioengineers work on medical and health care devices (artificial organs, imaging systems, surgery instruments and so on), medical procedures (such as rehabilitation), bio-processing technologies in pharmaceutical and other industries, and other biology-related problems (such as safety and ergonomics).
The automotive engineering industry is currently in the process of fundamental change, probably the most significant one in its history. Electric and autonomous vehicles are the two most noticeable aspects of the change, but there are other rapid developments such as the use of lightweight materials, more efficient powertrains, intelligent control systems, better manufacturing techniques, and improved comfort and safety.
The automotive engineering program is an interdisciplinary field that integrates the knowledge of other technical and non-technical disciplines. In addition to expertise in a specialized area, an automotive engineer must understand broader issues and have the skill of synthesizing diverse technical approaches into a system-wide solution.
Materials science and engineering (MTSE) is an interdisciplinary field that enables advances in the development and application of materials in engineering practice. Technological innovations are directly linked to the understanding of materials and are required to meet next generational challenges. Advances in nanomaterials, energy storage materials, functional and sensory materials, lightweight structural materials, etc., will enable further development of practically all technology fields.
News Flash
For a recent UM-Dearborn grad, the COVID vaccine is deeply personal by Lou Blouin
We would like to shine a spotlight on this article by Lou Blouin about Meghan Lohner, a UM-Dearborn Bioengineering Graduate. Following her graduation in Fall 2020 she took a job as Pfizer in her hometown of Kalamazoo and immediately began working towards finding a vaccine for Covid-19.
Her family was directly impacted by the virus, with both her parents catching the virus and recovering, along with heavy disruption to her whole families jobs due to the shutdown. Please give the article a read to learn more.
Article by Lou Blouin.
Graphic by Violet Dashi
Open Faculty Positions
The Department of Mechanical Engineering invites applications for these tenure-track faculty positions:
Department Staff
Rebekah
Awood
Sherry
Boyd
Nicole
Engel
Advisory Boards
The ME department continually seeks outside interactions with business, industries, and government through its Industrial Advisory Boards. Our advisory boards are composed of industry professionals who provide input on curriculum, potential employment for students, research opportunities for faculty, and a perspective on future challenges requiring collaboration.
Subha Bhattacharyya, PhD
Principal Engineer
Medtronic PLC
Mark Cheng, PhD
Director, Nanofabrication Core
Wayne State University
Steve LeBeau
nanoMAG
Songnian Li
Sr PD Engineer II
Terumo Cardiovascular Group
Jan Stegemann, PhD
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
University of Michigan
Fangjing Wang, PhD
Senior scientist
Allergan
Qigui Wang
Material Tech Specialist
General Motors
Bin Wu
Software Engineering Manager
Engine & Drivetrain Systems Business Unit, Vitesco Technologies
Taner Onsay, PhD
Manager of Noise-Vibration-Harshness (NVH) Test, Development and Lab Operations
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Kelly Pietras
Chief Engineer Hybrid Population
General Motors
Greg Roth
Director of Automotive and Transportation Solutions
Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc.
Brian Schweitzer
Chief Engineer: Electronics, Components, Instrumentation & Core Engineering
Yazaki
Eric Tseng
Ford Motor Company
