Review
Our program has been reviewed by ABET [for Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology] every 3 to six years for the past several decades. At the last review conducted in 1999 - 2000, we received continuing accreditation for the maximum period of 6 years. ABET's program criteria for Mechanical Engineering are:
- Curriculum - The program must demonstrate that graduates have:
- Knowledge of chemistry and calculus-based physics with depth in at least one
- The ability to apply advanced mathematics through multivariate calculus and differential equations
- Familiarity with statistics and linear algebra
- The ability to work professionally in both thermal and mechanical systems areas including the design and realization of such systems.
- Faculty - The program must demonstrate that faculty members responsible for the upper-level professional program are maintaining currency in their specialty area.
Mechanical Engineering Program Outcomes
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates achieved a certain set of outcomes. The Mechanical Engineering department at UAF has adopted many of the standard ABET outcomes, but they have been supplemented with an outcome that relates to our northern climate. Graduates from our program must demonstrate that they have a:
- an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
- an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
- an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
- an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
- an understanding of professional ethical responsibility
- an ability to communicate effectively
- the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context
- a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
- a knowledge of contemporary issues
- an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice
- an appreciation of significant engineering issues in the north.
We measure these requirements by a variety of means, including surveying our graduating seniors, alumni, employers, assessing the success of our students in taking the FE [Fundamentals of Engineering] Exam, conducting surveys in individual classes, and working in teams as faculty to improve our program delivery using information gained from the above surveys. As one example of our program success, the UAF/ME pass rate on the FE exam has been consistently higher than the national average, year after year.
Student Involvement
The students also gain valuable insights into the mechanical engineering profession by participating in the ASME student chapter. Activities included in the monthly meetings are (1) listening to guest speakers, (2) visits to local industrial sites (3) participation in student paper contests and (4) preparation for displaying mechanical engineering projects to the general public in Fairbanks during National Engineers Week.
During academic years 2002-2005, the guest speakers included:
- Daniel Hughes of Williams Refinery (now Flint Hills Resources refinery) discussing ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel codes for power and process plant equipment and piping design;
- Chris Miller, senior engineer from Design Alaska discussing about the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system design of buildings in cold climate;
- Steve Gilbert of Chugach Electric presenting information regarding wind turbine deployment on Fire Island;
- ASME Distinguished Lecturer Charles Aman on developments of automobiles up to fuel cell driven cars;
- Amber McDonough of Siemens on Building Automation Technology;
- Dennis Armstrong, VP ASME Region VIII on introduction to an engineering career.
In 2004-2005, our ASME student section wrote an internal UAF proposal and was the only engineering club at UAF to receive travel grants for two invited speakers. Each year, for the past nine years, one or two undergraduate students have presented papers at the Old Guard Oral Competition of the ASME Western Region Student Conference held at various universities in the north-west region of the US. Two students have won prizes for papers having the best technical content. The ASME student officers attend a leadership seminar in Washington each fall. In the past years, the students have visited:
Many of our graduates eventually become professional engineers. As of November, 2004, 18 of our graduates had received their PE licenses in ME between 1999 and 2004.
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