Florida Institute of Technology - Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department - Overview
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Offer All Levels of Degrees in a Broad Range of Specializations and Disciplines
The mission of the mechanical and aerospace engineering department is to prepare our students to be successful professionals in the global industrial, research and/or academic environment. This is achieved via developing curricula that enable students to attain four education objectives: academic fundamentals, engineering practices, teamwork and communication, and professional development. Graduates of the mechanical and aerospace engineering department are equipped with the knowledge and capabilities to solve real-world engineering problems and to advance the state-of-the-art in their selected fields.
The graduate program in mechanical engineering has four areas of specialization: dynamic systems, robotics, and controls; structures, solid mechanics, and materials; automotive engineering and biomedical engineering; and thermal-fluid sciences. The graduate program in aerospace engineering has three areas of specialization, which include aerodynamics and fluid dynamics, aerospace structures and materials, and combustion and propulsion. The master's degree requires 30 semester credit hours of course work, which may include 6 semester credit hours of thesis. The PhD degree is offered in the same areas of specialization for each program for students who wish to carry out advanced research. The PhD is conferred primarily in recognition of creative accomplishments and ability to independently investigate scientific or engineering problems. The work should consist of advanced studies and research leading to a significant contribution to the knowledge in a particular subject.
From Robotics to Clean Energy and Rocket Science to Aerospace Structures, the MAE Department Surges Toward the Future
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) is the largest department at Florida Tech, offering BSc, MSc, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering as well as Aerospace Engineering. In the past five years, mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering have been the top three majors as far as student enrollment. The department focuses on robotics and spatial systems, dynamic systems and control, structures and solid mechanics, fluids and aerodynamics, laser, optics, and instrumentation, computational modeling, thermal systems and clean energy, and propulsion. The department is headed by Dr. Pei-feng Hsu, and there are 15 full-time faculty members, as well as several part-time/adjunct professors.
In the mechanical engineering field, students research in different fields of mechanical engineering, including automotive design (SAE), robotics, machinery design, automated manufacturing, mechanisms, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, mechanics of materials, solids modeling, heat transfer, computer aided engineering, and others.
In the aerospace engineering field, student research in rocket design, aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, aerospace structures, propulsion, and others. Freshmen students work on a freshman design project annually. Aerospace engineering students start a junior design course to prepare for their senior design projects, along with the mechanical engineering students.
MAE Students Progress through a Challenging, Diverse Environment of Learning, Research, and Design to Fulfilling Careers
The Florida Tech Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is the place to pursue an academic, industry or research career. In preparing to go to college, students embark on one of the most challenging and rewarding journeys they will ever experience. College is a place to learn about the world, expand horizons, and discover passions. The MAE faculty and staff recognize that choosing the right university is very important and will do what they can to help students make the right decision. Prospective students should take some time to look over what the MAE Department can offer to help them reach all their academic and career goals.
MAE students at Florida Tech have the opportunity to be part of a diverse environment of learning, research, and design projects. Proximity to the NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida Solar Energy Center, and several other high-tech companies gives the department the ability to stay abreast of and be involved with the latest advances in science and engineering. In addition, the FIT community has numerous collaborative relations with leaders in the engineering community because of the faculty's highly respected reputation for excellence in research.
Graduate and undergraduate students are encouraged to develop their interests and enhance their academic studies by becoming members of one of MAE's research or design teams. It is an objective of both the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering programs to graduate students that are well prepared for an engineering career through their understanding of engineering science fundamentals. The programs have been designed to expose students to the broad range of topics that form the basis of these disciplines, including thermal-fluid sciences, structural mechanics, and dynamical systems. There is a balanced mix of theory, experiment, computation, and design during these studies that will prepare graduates for any number of employment opportunities and continuing education. This is an exciting time in students' lives and FIT wants to help them make the most of it now and prepare you for your future.