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 Research and Independent Projects
ME - Research Topics for Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Double Majors and Minors
- Engineering Management Minor
- Environmental Studies Program
- Biomedical Engineering Second Major & Minor Programs
Study Abroad
Internships and Outside Work
Student Societies
Research and Independent Projects
Undergraduate
research and projects offer unique educational opportunities. All Mechanical
Engineering undergraduates are encouraged to participate in such projects. All
BSME students are required to have at least one full-semester project experience
through the Senior Design Project Elective (ME 43). Students who wish to engage
in additional undergraduate research or independent projects enroll in ME 19
(Project Laboratory), ME 92 (Thesis), ME 93 (Special Topics), or ME 193/4
(Advanced Special Topics). With the supervision of a faculty member and often in
collaboration with others, students focus on a topic of scientific or practical
interest. Undergraduate projects often require students to perform laboratory
experimentation and/or numerical simulations; thereby giving them an opportunity
to gain practical experience and be exposed to graduate level engineering
education.
Independent project work is of greatest benefit when it is part of a coordinated
program of study that includes a balance of structured courses and less
structured projects. As such, students who want to pursue a project for more
than a single semester (ME 19 or ME 93) are expected to do so by undertaking the
writing of an undergraduate thesis (ME 92). The College administers an Honors
Thesis. Information on this program is available from the Dean's Office.
Tufts undergraduates have entered and distinguished themselves in several
national competitions. Tufts students participate annually in the student paper
competition hosted by the New England Region of ASME. Tufts has been one of the
strongest competitors in this competition and has gone on to represent New
England and has won at the national competitions. Last year, the ASME Student
Section hosted this conference here at Tufts. Students also participate and do
well at competitions sponsored by other organizations including the American
Society of Engineering Education and the Society of Women Engineers. For
example, Adam Gold, David Khtikian and Jennifer Thurber, all BSME '98) placed
first in the ASME New England Region Student Design Competition in April 1998
and Greg Murphy (BSME '97, MS '99 (exp)) who placed first in the ASME New
England Region 1997 Student Paper Competition.
In many cases, undergraduate students co-author technical papers presented at
professional conferences or published in scientific journals. Such activities
indicate the national recognition of the research efforts of our Mechanical
Engineering students. The Department maintains a project "showcase" on its web
site.
To encourage and recognize undergraduate research in the Department, several
years ago the Mechanical Engineering faculty established the Lloyd MacGregor
Trefethen Award presented annually to a mechanical engineering student for
outstanding undergraduate research. This award is named in honor of Prof. Trefethen who continues to embody the notions of scientific inquiry and the
excitement of new insight. Recent winners include Timothy Fallon (BSME '97, MS
'99 (exp)), Seth Mann (BSME '98, MS '00 (exp)) and Daniel Allis (BSME '00
(exp)).
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Double Majors and Minors Mechanical Engineering
undergraduates often pursue a minor program of study in addition to their
mechanical engineering concentration. Some students double major or even pursue
the BA/BS double degree program. Minor programs in Biomedical Engineering,
Biotechnology and Engineering Management, as well as second majors in Biomedical
Engineering and Environmental Studies are available in the College of
Engineering. In all cases, the pursuit of a minor or second major introduces
additional constrains on electives in a student's program. Students considering
any of these programs should consult the University Bulletin and the host
department for more information. Students should pay close attention to the
various departmental policies concerning the counting of courses towards dual
majors or degrees and keep in close consultation with their academic advisor(s).
Also, students will often be required to take additional courses (e.g. more than
38 in the BSME program) to fulfill the concentration and minor requirements
simultaneously.
All of the second major and minor options for engineering students are listed in
the 1998-2000 Arts, Sciences and Technology Bulletin on page 63. Some of the
more popular programs for mechanical engineering students are highlighted here.
Engineering Management Minor
This program, which requires a total of five courses, is described in detail the
University Bulletin. The course requirements are:
- ES 51 - Technical Writing (treated as a Free Elective)
- ES 52 - Engineering Management
- CEE 53 - Engineering Economy
Note that Department policy is to allow either ES 52 or CEE 53 to be used as
Concentration Elective. The other is counted as a Free Elective.
- EC 1 or 2
- ACL 50, CHE 110, CHE 155, ME 54, PS 104,
PS 105, PSY 17 or SOC 22.
Note that ME 54 can be used as a BSME concentration elective without petition
while CHE 110 or CHE 155 can be used as the first out-of-Department
concentration elective. Other courses on the list might be used to satisfy
Humanities/Social Science requirements.
Environmental Studies Program
This program, described in detail in the University Bulletin, is designed to
allow students to obtain a second major in Environmental Studies. (i.e.
Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Studies). Mechanical Engineers can do
so by pursuing "Track II - Environment and Technology" option of the program.
Professor Chudyk of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is the
coordinator of the program for engineering students. Professor Abedian is an
active faculty participant in the program.
Biomedical Engineering Second Major & Minor Programs
A student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering may choose to fulfill the
requirements for a second major or minor in Biomedical Engineering. The second
major option requires 10 courses, no more than 5 of which can be used as
concentration courses for the "first" major (e.g. BSME)
The requirements of the program for a Mechanical Engineering student pursuing
the minor are:
- CHEM 2 and BIO 13L
- One course from BIO 14, 41 or 46
- ES 50 - Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
- ME 121 - Introduction to Biomaterials
- Biomedical Engineering Senior Project (ME 43)
These requirements are most easily met by electing CHEM 2 and BIO 13L as part of
the introductory science courses, doing the second Biology course as a
Math/Science elective, taking ES 50 as the foundation elective
Either the major or minor options are recommended (but not essential) for
students planning to study medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine, for
those planning careers in bioengineering research, and for anyone planning to
work in medical product development or manufacturing. . Interested students
should discuss the program with Professor O'Leary who coordinates the program
within the Department. Also, more information is available from Prof. Vo of the
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
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Study Aboard
The
Mechanical Engineering Department offers the opportunity for selected students
to study for one or two terms (typically during the Junior year) at the
University of Sussex in England and the Institut National des Sciences
Appliquees de Lyon in France. Students interested in participating in one of
these exchange programs should consult their advisor, Prof. Nelson and the
Assistant Dean Knox during their sophomore year. Although these are the only
programs with which the Department has formal arrangements, students have
attended other universities (e.g. University of London, University of New South
Wales, accredited engineering programs in the U.S.).
Students considering study abroad or at another American university should pay
careful attention to course selection and maintaining expected progress through
the required portions of the undergraduate curricula. The advantage of the
Sussex and Lyon programs is that courses taken are treated as Tufts courses.
Hence, grades are transferred and course equivalencies are already established.
Past experience has shown that the most problematic course equivalencies involve
laboratory and design project courses. In order to assure good progress in their
programs, students should obtain advisor and Department approval for transfer
course credits before going abroad in order to avoid problems related to degree
requirement completion when they return. In the case of an exchange not
involving an institution with which Tufts has a formal set of course equivalency
agreements, the burden of proof of course equivalency is the responsibility of
the student. The Tufts Abroad Program Office is also a source of useful
information in this regard but certification of BSME requirements is the
exclusive function of the Department. top
Internships and Outside Work
The
Department of Mechanical Engineering considers work done in conjunction with
outside employment to be a positive experience for students. The Department
participates in the College of Engineering Internship Program. Students
interested in internships should consult that office. Information is available
at
http://engineering.tufts.edu/intern-s.asp.
The Internship Program allows students two options:
- Internship Without Credit But With Transcript Notation, or
- Internship With Course Credit.
Students who wish to pursue the Internship With Credit Option must register for
ME 99 (Internship in Mechanical Engineering) during the term in which the
internship is performed. The Department will not grant course credit for
internships or outside employment unless the following requirements are
fulfilled:
- The student has junior or senior standing and has declared a major in
Mechanical Engineering.
- The student must submit a written internship proposal which must be
approved
prior to the semester in which the internship will be performed. No internships
with course credit will be approved once the semester of the internship has
started.
- A faculty mentor must have supervisory and technical control of any work that
receives credit in the Department.
- A written report must be submitted that is to be evaluated by the faculty
advisor and the outside institutional supervisor. Work of a proprietary nature
cannot be used as a basis for the granting of course credit.
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Student Societies
The
Department encourages its students to be active members of one or more
professional societies as part of their initiation into their profession.
Mechanical Engineering students manage in collaboration with a faculty mentor
student sections of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Human Factors and Ergonomics
Society (HFES), the Tufts Robotics Club and Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME).
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and the National Society of Black Engineers
(NSBE) also have active Tufts student sections with membership from all
engineering departments.
In addition to the professional societies, the Department nominates and supports
student applications to the national Mechanical Engineering honor society – Pi
Tau Sigma as well as the national engineering society – Tau Beta Pi.
ASME Prof. O'Leary
HFES Prof. Cao
NSBE Prof. Clemow
Pi Tau Sigma TBA
Tau Beta Pi TBA top |
