Mechanical Engineering & Mechanical Engineering & AeronauticsAeronauticsCaltech Student-Faculty ConferenceApril 5, 2007Chair: Edward Truong-Cao, 2007, Mechanical Engineering

Committee MembersCommittee Members Student Members

◦ Steven Gray, 2007, Mechanical Engineering◦ Chi Wan Ko, 2008, Mechanical Engineering◦ Kevin Watts, 2008, Mechanical Engineering◦ Matt Wierman, 2008, E&AS: Aeronautics

Faculty Members◦ Christopher Brennen, Richard L. and Dorothy M.

Hayman Professor of Mechanical Engineering◦ Melany Hunt, Professor of Mechanical Engineering;

Executive Officer for Mechanical Engineering◦ Guruswami Ravichandran, John E. Goode, Jr.,

Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Option Representative

◦ Joe Shepherd: Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering

Background of Mechanical Background of Mechanical EngineeringEngineeringDivision of Engineering and Applied Sciences

(E&AS)Undergraduate B.S, Graduate M.S, Engineer,

Ph.D.16 faculty membersResearch in:

◦ Thermal sciences◦ Fluid and solid mechanics◦ Mechanical systems◦ Robotics◦ Control◦ Engineering design

March 30 – 31, Celebrated Centennial birthday of Mechanical Engineering at Caltech

Background of Background of AeronauticsAeronauticsMainly a graduate department,

Graduate Aeronautical Laboratories of Caltech (GALCIT)

Offers undergraduate concentration under E&AS

Research includes:◦Biomechanics◦Biopropulsion◦Micro-and nanomechanics◦Space science◦Space technology

Overview of IssuesOverview of IssuesUndergraduate Student-Faculty

Interactions/Socials◦Repeat issue from the previous SFC

Support for Department to further Educational Goals

Combining Aeronautics concentration under Mechanical Engineering option◦Repeat issue from the past to SFC’s

Student-Faculty Student-Faculty InteractionsInteractionsStudents would like more interaction

with professors and departmentSpring 2005: Student-Faculty Social

organized for undergraduatesDepartment currently has social

gatherings through Society of Professional Students (SOPS)

Will contact SOPS to discuss allowing undergraduates to these socials

Aim to have at least 2 gatherings in upcoming term

ASME and AIAAASME and AIAAProfessional Societies also good

medium for interactionsCurrently have professors willing

to head up societiesNeed to have student interest to

start societies

Support for Mechanical Support for Mechanical Engineering DepartmentEngineering DepartmentStudents note that several courses not

regularly offered:◦ ME 73 (Machine Component Design):

Not offered in 4 years because department appropriate instructor

◦ ME 115 (Kinematics and Robotics): not offered regularly, department also looking for professors to teach course

◦ ME 20 (Heat Transfer): not enough students to be offered each year.

◦ Students would like an Introduction to Engineering menu course. Once had E5, Freshman Engineering lab, but was canceled due to stretched faculty

Support (cont’d)Support (cont’d)Underlying issue to unavailability

of courses: Department not funded or staffed well enough to fully support those courses.

Committee will start dialogues with Division Chair and Provost to address these issues.

Aeronautics ConcentrationAeronautics ConcentrationIssue for the past 2 SFC’sCurrently, Aeronautics Department

cannot support an undergraduate option◦Department too thin to provide necessary

courses for ABET-accredited majorMany Aeronautics students opt to declare

as Mechanical Engineering, but still want credit for doing Aeronautics coursework

Previously recommended that Aeronautics move to concentration under ME

Causes strain on ME department with all Aero students now moving to ME

Aeronautics (cont’d)Aeronautics (cont’d)Proposed alternative to

Aeronautics concentration: create Aerospace minor

Change proposed at Aeronautics Faculty meeting, and change submitted to Curriculum Committee

Recommended ActionsRecommended ActionsShort Term:

◦Contact SOPS to discuss undergraduates at social gatherings

◦Have gatherings at least twice per term◦Contact E&AS Division chair and Provost

to discuss support for ME departmentLong Term

◦Build up student interest in ASME and AIAA.

◦Professors are available, need at least one student to work with professors and generate student interest.