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| Welcome Letter from the Department Chair |
A hearty welcome to the Department of Mechanical Engineering!
Established in the early 1900's, our department houses one of
the premier programs in the University. As a significant part of a major
engineering college under Catholic auspices, we are committed to the education
of engineers within the framework of the University's Augustinian humanistic
tradition. The 330 full-time undergraduate students and 90 graduate students
receive the personal attention of 17 full-time professors and four full-time
freshman instructors. All lecture courses are taught by professors, and the
average lecture class size is less than 30. More than 85% of our students obtain
their degrees in four years, and the rest in five years or less.
High-quality research develops the faculty's intellectual skills and benefits
the students in the lecture hall and laboratory. Our full-time faculty are very
active in research and have published over 100 technical papers in the past five
years. They perform research in nanomaterials, robotics and controls, dynamic
systems, biomechanics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, materials science, and
manufacturing. Undergraduate students also perform research and mechanical
engineering seniors have the option of obtaining academic credit for summer
internships. Our Study Abroad program is expanding yearly. Senior elective
courses are flexible and minors and concentrations in areas other than
mechanical engineering are common. The mechanical engineering curriculum
includes more than 24 Liberal Arts credits including public speaking and
engineering ethics.
The department offers graduate programs for full-time study as well as part-time
which is suitable for practicing engineers. Most of our graduate courses are
offered in the evening, and it is possible to obtain an MS degree completely
on-line. Full-time students are required to perform research and write a thesis
for their Master’s degree. The Ph.D. program is offered through the College of Engineering.
All students are strongly encouraged to join one of the professional societies
and to participate in the many volunteer programs sponsored by Villanova. Our
American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ student section is vibrant and has
performed extremely well in regional and national competitions, placing more
than 16 times since 1997.
Our graduates are actively recruited by some of the best companies in the U.S.
including Air Products, Boeing Helicopters, Dupont, Exxon, Lockheed Martin, and
the U.S. Navy.
Thank you for visiting our department on the web. I would also like to invite
you to physically visit the beautiful campus of Villanova.
C. “Nat” Nataraj, Ph.D
Professor and Chairman |
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