The Mechanical Engineering Profession
Mechanical engineers are typically involved with the generation, distribution, and use of energy; the processing of materials; the control and automation of manufacturing systems; the design and development of machines; and the solutions to environmental problems. Research, testing manufacturing, operations, marketing, and administration are some other key activities associated with practicing Mechanical Engineers.

Mechanical engineers are characterized by personal creativity, breadth of knowledge, and versatility. They are also valuable and reliable multidisciplinary team members. The technical subject areas that form the main basis for their work include mechanics, energy transfer and conversion, design and manufacturing, and the engineering sciences. Through clever use of analysis, modeling, design, and synthesis, they solve important problems to improve quality of life.

Mechanical engineers work on teams responsible for developing a wide range of products and systems including, for example, space shuttle vehicles, aircraft of all sizes and shapes, automobiles, turbines, pumps, power plants, and factories. Virtually any machine or process you can think of has benefited from the influence of a mechanical engineer.

Everyday conveniences such as refrigeration, microwave cooking, high-fidelity sound reproduction, transportation, communication, and copying are affordable largely because mechanical and other engineers worked together to make it happen. Mechanical engineers are in demand now, and projections for the future suggest a long-term need for professionals in this specialty. About 20% of the nearly 3 million engineers in the United States are mechanical engineers.


Mechanical Engineering at Iowa State University
To ensure the success of students completing the curriculum in mechanical engineering, the department has established the following educational objectives:
1. The department provides a sound foundation for graduates to pursue a variety of careers. Most graduates will find immediate employment in industry, government laboratories or consulting, but some will pursue graduate or professional studies in such fields as engineering, business, law or medicine.
2. Graduates will apply the problem solving skills they have learned at Iowa State University to meet the challenging demands and increasing responsibilities of a successful career.
3. Graduates will continue to learn as they grow in their profession, using modern technology and communication skills to contribute as team members or leaders in solving important problems for their employers and for society.
 
The primary constituencies considered when developing the program’s educational objectives were the students, alumni, employers and department faculty. The Mechanical Engineering Curriculum Committee formulated the objective statements above on the basis of a series of faculty retreats, meetings of the Mechanical Engineering Advisory Council, and the work of several committees and sub-committees composed of faculty and students working on curriculum development over a period of three years.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Iowa State University has already sent nearly 6000 graduates into the work force. Each year more than 100 men and women complete B.S.M.E. degree requirements and move on to exciting employment opportunities or further formal education.


The Faculty
The faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering are a diverse group of professional educators. They include award-winning teachers, best-selling textbook authors, renowned researchers, prominent inventors, leaders of professional technical societies, journal editors, licensed engineers, esteemed designers, and sought-after consultants. These faculty have as their primary goal the mentoring of engineering students. Their productivity is measured in terms of how much they accomplish with their students. When students succeed, the faculty do too.


The Facilities
The Henry M. Black Engineering Building, in use since 1985, provides an excellent home for the department with world class teaching and research laboratories. Continuous improvement of equipment, including computer hardware and software, is a high priority.


The Program
Excellence in the classroom has been a longstanding tradition at Iowa State, and the undergraduate degree program in mechanical engineering is among the best in the country.

After you have satisfactorily completed courses in the basic sciences, mathematics, mechanics, and engineering fundamentals, you are eligible for admission to the professional program. Here you can elect, from several options, a specific path leading to a capstone or terminal design course. Options include mechanical system design, heating, ventilating and air conditioning design, internal combustion engine design, and power plant design. Classes are held to a reasonable size to allow for ample student/faculty interaction. Courses are kept relevant through a review and revision system.


Our Alumni
A mechanical engineering degree is an excellent foundation for success in the engineering profession and also for further training and subsequent achievement in other disciplines including business, law, and the sciences. Professional opportunities for mechanical engineering graduates are too numerous to list. Our alumni have gone on to attain prominence not only as engineers but also as corporate leaders, professors, inventors, innovators, attorneys, and medical doctors. Our graduates are found throughout the world--in companies ranging from the smallest to the largest in existence.