Research with Faculty

Many undergraduates in the department assist faculty members in research projects during the academic year and the summer. This work can lead to publication in the professional archival literature. There is a wide range of opportunities for undergraduate involvement in research projects. A few recent projects are briefly described below. Research areas include Biomechanics, Materials Science, Dynamics and Chaos, and Optical Manufacturing. Each full-time faculty member in the Mechanical Engineering Department directs a variety of research programs.

As one example, students have learned how to operate state of the art optical grinding and finishing equipment and to use precision metrology equipment to quantify the ground optical surfaces. These students have assisted in experiments to investigate the effects of process parameters on the resulting optical surface quality. Some have used finite element analysis to model machine components to understand how the dynamic characteristics of the grinding machines can lead to tool marks and chatter on the ground surfaces.

For more details, please visit the Faculty Research page.