Mechanical Engineering
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
309 Furnas Hall
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260
Phone: 716.645.2593
Fax: 716.645.3875
Web: www.mae.buffalo.edu/
D. Joseph Mook
Chair
Roger W. Mayne
Director of Undergraduate Studies
About the Department
The roots of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo date back to the 1920s when the first engineering courses were offered at the University of Buffalo – then a private university. A four-year baccalaureate program in Mechanical Engineering (ME) was established in 1944, and served as the foundation for the official establishment of the UB School of Engineering in 1946. In 1962, the University at Buffalo became one of four graduate centers of the State University of New York. In 1980, the aerospace engineering program was integrated with mechanical engineering to form the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering – with its long history dating back some eighty years and including traditions in both the private and public sectors.
Degrees Offered
Undergraduate: B.S.
Graduate: M.S., M.E., Ph.D.
About Our Degrees
Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest of the engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers are involved in design, development, research, manufacturing, and technical sales for a wide variety of industrial and consumer products. We are currently graduating about 110 students per year at the undergraduate level.
Acceptance Criteria - B.A.
Minimum GPA of 2.0 overall.
Minimum GPA of 2.5 in PD 120 and PD 212.
Minimum completion of 24 credit hours.
Acceptance Criteria - Minor
Minimum GPA of 2.0.
Minimum "B-" in PD 120 or PD 212.
Acceptance Information
Number of applicants (2003-2004): approximately 140
Number of accepted majors (2003-2004): approximately 120
Total number of majors currently enrolled: 340
Degree Requirements
See the Undergraduate Catalog.
About Our Courses
The typical class size for:
Freshman/introductory courses is: 80-100
Sophomore/intermediate courses is: 40-70
Upper level/advanced courses is: 20-40
In the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, what do teaching assistants (TAs) do?
Nearly all of our courses are taught by regular full-time faculty members and in some cases by practicing professionals from industry.
Normally graduate student teaching assistants grade homework and conduct laboratory and recitation sections of courses.
For course descriptions, please see the Undergraduate Catalog.
About Our Faculty
The faculty members in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering are nationally recognized for their technical skills. They are active participants in our instructional program and several have received awards for their teaching abilities including five winners of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. In aulition to their teaching duties, our faculty are active contributors to the world of technology in industry and research. Six of our faculty have received prestigious national research awards including the coveted Presidential Faculty Fellow award.
Special Academic Opportunities
Independent study, internships, and co-op experiences are all available in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Extracurricular Activities
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
The AIAA is a national organization whose goal is to serve the technical needs and to promote the professional development of engineers in the aerospace field. The student chapter at UB serves the interests of both undergraduate and graduate students of aerospace engineering. The student section runs a variety of activities including field trips, guest speakers, and design projects.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME International)
ASME International organizes meetings of researchers and practitioners throughout the country and publishes numerous reports, conference proceedings, and journals, as well as the monthly magazine, Mechanical Engineering, which is received by members. Here at UB, the student chapter coordinates, plans and runs a variety of student activities, including invitation of guest speakers, organization of field trips, department open house for the Buffalo community, student paper contests, an annual picnic and banquet, and participation in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Student Conference. Membership provides students with the privileges of the parent society.
Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)
BMES is a national organization with 2,000 members, approximately half of whom are students. Members include engineers as well as physiologists and other health scientists with interests in Biomedical Engineering. The annual BMES Fall Meeting features awards to undergraduate and graduate students. The Buffalo student section program includes guest lecturers, and field trips to research and manufacturing facilities.
Sigma Gamma Tau (SGT)
Sigma Gamma Tau is the National Honorary Society for Aeronautics, Astronautics, and Aerospace Engineering in the United States. Outstanding students are selected from among the juniors and seniors in the Aerospace Engineering program. A formal initiation coupled with a dinner takes place every spring.
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
The SAE student chapter is organized primarily to train students in hands-on engineering and design skills. To accomplish this, teams are formed to work on projects that will subsequently be entered in national competitions. Typical projects include: Mini-Baja, Supermileage Vehicle, Formula Car, and Go-Karts (an introductory experience to involve underclassmen). The UB SAE student chapter is large and well-motivated, and has performed well in recent competitions. The SAE has been named the UB Student Association's 'Club-of-the-Year’ - a rare honor for a technically oriented club.
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
SWE provides a means of increasing awareness of issues associated with being part of a minority body within the field of engineering. SWE encourages participation of all students in several extra-curricular activities, including seminars, workshops, and regional meetings. UB has been selected as the site for regional meetings of the SWE, with participation of hundreds of students.
Tau Beta Pi (TBP)
Tau Beta Pi is the National Honorary Society for Engineering in the United States. This organization was established to recognize and honor those men and women in all fields of engineering who have, through scholarship, integrity, and outstanding achievement, been a credit to their profession. Outstanding students are selected from among the juniors and seniors in the engineering programs. A formal initiation coupled with a dinner takes place every spring.
See the UB Student Association.
Complementary Programs and Courses
Majors that Complement Mechanical Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering
- Biology
- Physics
Minors that Complement Mechanical Engineering
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
Courses outside Mechanical Engineering that Could Improve Employment Opportunities
- Computer Engineering
- Management
- Mathematics
Advising Information
Students are normally assigned an engineering advisor when they enter their freshman year and a departmental faculty advisor for the ME program during their sophomore year. Students are expected to see their ME advisor prior to registration each semester. All engineering students are also encouraged to take advantage of advisement offered by the SEAS Office of Student Services in 410 Bonner Hall. Entering freshmen are offered a wide range of special advisement opportunities and academic help sessions by the Office of Student Services.
Career Information
Mechanical engineers typically work in industry, business, government service, and universities. Most students find employment opportunities at the B.S. level. Master’s degrees in mechanical engineering are particularly helpful in seeking positions in research and development. Mechanical engineering graduates may also continue their studies in management, law or medicine. While many students enter industry directly after completing the B.S. program, about 25 percent of our mechanical graduates elect to pursue graduate work in engineering or other fields.
A mechanical engineer helps create products and systems that benefit society. Mechanical engineers design and develop tools, engines, machines, and other mechanical equipment. They are involved with power-producing machines such as internal combustion engines, steam and gas turbines, and jet and rocket engines.
Alumni in mechanical engineering have found employment in the following fields:
- Computer-aided design and manufacturing
- Robotics
- Power plants
- Engines
- Machine tools
- Construction equipment
- Materials
- Agricultural implements
- Automotive vehicles and systems of transportation
- Domestic and industrial appliances
- Control and measurement devices
- Instrumentation
- Biomedical devices
- Apparatus for the control of air
- Water, noise, refuse, and other types of pollution
- Underwater technology
- Space flight equipment
- Safety devices
- Food processing machinery
Salary Information
Salaries range greatly from one occupation, position, and work setting to another. However, according to the September 2003 NACE national salary survey for bachelor's degree graduates, mechanical engineering graduates' salaries were typically in the range of $45,000 to $53,000.