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Welcome

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alaska Fairbanks offers an ABET-accredited Bachelor's of Science degree with sub-specialties that may include an emphasis in aerospace or petroleum engineering. The curriculum provides the student with the necessary tools for a career as a professional mechanical engineer, an engineering consultant, or for a career in advanced studies and research (see Departmental Mission and Objectives).

A mechanical engineering education incorporates studies in the areas of thermodynamics, computer aided design (CAD), finite element analysis (FEA), nanotechnology, statics, dynamics, mathematics, fluid mechanics, and the environment. This knowledge leads to careers in aerospace, resource extraction, energy and power, building design, chemical and processing plant operation, design and manufacturing, building maintenance, Heating Ventilating and Air-conditioning (HVAC), and just about all forms of product development.

Announcing New Degree 5 Year Program for B.S./M.S. Students

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a new integrated Mechanical Engineering B.S./M.S. degree program for qualified undergraduate students to complete B.S. and M.S. degrees in a shorter time than traditional B.S. plus M.S. degrees. The combined accelerated degree for Mechanical Engineering undergraduate students is designed for students to complete both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in five years.

A summary of the five year combined degree program is now available as a PDF.

Frequently Asked Questions are available as a PDF.

Study Engineering

What is Mechanical Engineering?

Mechanical engineering is broadly concerned with energy--its transformation from one form to another, its transmission, use and conservation.
Mechanical engineers conceive, plan, design and direct the production, distribution and operation of a wide variety of devices, machines and systems for energy conservation, environmental control, materials processing, transportation and materials handling.
Virtually every product you touch from morning to night bears the imprint of a mechanical engineer.

Who Makes a Good Mechanical Engineer?

Mechanical engineers are curious about how things are made and work; they have a desire to solve problems and a talent for understanding the operation of mechanical devices.
They enjoy mathematics, chemistry and physics; these are some of the tools used in the mechanical engineering profession.

Studies in the North

Why Attend the University of Alaska Fairbanks?

Alaska is a really cool place.
UAF places special emphasis on mechanical engineering problems encountered in cold regions (such as the brittle fracture of steel at low temperatures, water vapor migration through building walls, efficient use of energy, and automotive emissions at cold temperatures).
The Mechanical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org, the national accrediting agency for engineering programs.
Class sizes are small.
Our students have a pass rate on the Fundamentals of Engineering examination of over 90%.
Our students have ready access to modern computer facilities.
The department has access to a number of unique research facilities where ME professors and students conduct research.

Standards

The B. S. degree program in mechanical engineering has been accredited since 1980 by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

The Duckering building at UAF in the smoke of a summer forest fire. Photo by Michael Wilson

Zero Emission Snowmachine Team

News and Events

The UAF Nanook EV Zero Emission Snowmachine and team were featured on the front page of the Fairbanks News-Miner Newspaper. The story details the construction of the sled, the teams participation, and their entry in the SAE Clean Snowmachine Challenge. Full Story...

The UAF Mechanical Engineering department sent a team of students to compete in the SAE Clean Snowmachine Challenge. The students created a snowmachine that would operate completely from electrical power supplied by batteries, as opposed to a combustion engine. This SAE competition was designed to challenge students to create lower pollution snow machines that also explored the concept of alternative propulsion methods. The team took second place overall in the standings and a number of other awards. Full Story...

University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Engineering and Mine's students successfully fire off a research rocket at the Poker Flats Research Range. This is an Ionospheric Science and Inertial Sensing rocket launched in partnership with NASA.

Tess Caswell, an undergraduate student in Mechanical Engineering was featured in the local Fairbanks Daily News-Miner newspaper for her work in the Student Rocket Project at UAF. Full Story...

Professor Doug Goering's work to make permafrost resistant roadways has been featured in the local Fairbanks Daily News-Miner newspaper. These article discuss how the Thermosyphons in the roadway interact with very cold temperatures in the air.

ME Student Michael Golub has won the Global Change Student Grant Competition Award. Full Story...

The Alaska Microgravity Team has been selected to participate in NASA's Reduced Gravity Student Flight Program, and the team has released a student video showing their experiences on the mission. Full Story...

Dr. Jing Zhang, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering received the 2008 Alaska EPSCoR Early Career Award. Full Story.

Mechanical Engineering professor Zhang and Colleagues Receive Major Research Instrumentation Grant from NSF. Full Story.

ME Undergraduate Students Win Flint Hills Resources Undergraduate Research Competition with projects that study power generation from waste heat, as well as the the effects of electric cars on pollution Full Story...

more news...