MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Subject abbreviation: ME The Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering

Guillermo Aguilar, Ph.D. Chair Department Office, A342 Bourns Hall

• (951) 827-5830; me.ucr.edu

Professors Reza Abbaschian, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor Guillermo Aguilar, Ph.D. Chris Lynch, Ph.D., Dean, Bourns College of Engineering Cengiz Ozkan, Ph.D. Marko Princevac, Ph.D. Thomas Stahovich, Ph.D. Kambiz Vafai, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor Akula Venkatram, Ph.D. Guanshui Xu, Ph.D.

Associate Professors Heejung Jung, Ph.D. Lorenzo Mangolini, Ph.D. Masaru P. Rao, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors Sinisa Coh, Ph.D. Shane Cybart, Ph.D. Mona Eskandari, Ph.D. Elisa Franco, Ph.D. P. Alex Greaney, Ph.D. Sandeep Kumar, Ph.D. Chen Li, Ph.D. Monica Martinez, Ph.D. Suveen Mathaudhu, Ph.D. Fabio Pasqualetti, Ph.D. Bhargav Rallabandi, Ph.D. Hideaki Tsutsui, Ph.D. Richard Wilson, Ph.D. Luat Vuong, Ph.D.

** Adjunct Professors Chris Dames, Ph.D. Santiago Camacho-Lopez, Ph.D. Javier Garay, Ph.D.

Cooperating Faculty Bahman Anvari, Ph.D. (Bioengineering) Matthew Barth, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer Engineering) Kostas Karydis, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer Engineering) Mihri Ozkan, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer Engineering) Wei Ren, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

The design and production of machines requires a broad-based education. The Mechanical Engi- neering degree program has been structured to provide the necessary background in chemistry, physics, and advanced math to achieve success in the advanced engineering subjects. In addi- tion, students are taught the basics of Mechan- ical Engineering while learning about the latest developments and experimental techniques.

The Mechanical Engineering program objectives are to produce mechanical engineers who:

• • have the knowledge and skills to adapt to

the changing engineering environment in industry

• • are able to pursue and succeed in graduate

studies

• • have the educational breadth and the intel-

lectual discipline required to enter profes- sional careers outside engineering, such as business and law

• • have an ability to work in multi-disciplinary

teams

• • engage in a lifetime of learning

The Mechanical Engineering B.S. degree pro- gram at UCR is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, abet.org. For more details see me.ucr.edu.

All undergraduates in the College of Engineer- ing must see an advisor at least annually. Visit student.engr.ucr.edu for details.

See Undergraduate Studies section.

See The Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering, Colleges and Programs section.

The Mechanical Engineering major uses the fol- lowing major requirements to satisfy the college’s Natural Sciences and Mathematics breadth requirement.

• 1. BIOL 005A, BIOL 05LA

• 2. MATH 008B or MATH 009A

• 3. PHYS 040A, PHYS 040B, PHYS 040C

• 1. Lower-division requirements (75 units)

• a) BIOL 005A, BIOL 05LA

• b) CHEM 001A, CHEM 001B, CHEM 01LA,

CHEM 01LB

• c) EE 001A, EE 01LA

• d) MATH 008B or MATH 009A, MATH 009B, MATH 009C, MATH 010A, MATH 010B, MATH 046

• e) ME 002, ME 009, ME 010, ME 018A,

ME 018B

• f) PHYS 040A, PHYS 040B, PHYS 040C

• 2. Upper-division requirements (77 units)

• a) ME 100A, ME 103, ME 110, ME 113,

ME 114, ME 116A, ME 118, ME 120, ME 135, ME 170A, ME 170B, ME 174, ME 175A, ME 175B, ME 175C

• b) STAT 100A

• c) Choose one Focus Area:

• (1) Materials and Structures

Sixteen (16) units of technical electives chosen from ME 100B, ME 116B, ME 121, ME 122, ME 153, ME 156, ME 180, ME 197

• (2) Energy and Environment

Sixteen (16) units of technical electives chosen from ME 100B, ME 116B, ME 117, ME 136, ME 137, ME 138, ME 197

• (3) Design and Manufacturing

Sixteen (16) units of technical electives chosen from ME 121, ME 122, ME 130, ME 131, ME 133, ME 140, ME 144/EE 144, ME 145, ME 153, ME 156, ME 175D, ME 176, ME 180, ME 197

• (4) General Mechanical Engineering

Sixteen (16) units of technical electives chosen from the following list, in con- sultation with an advisor: ME 100B, ME 116B, ME 117, ME 121, ME 122, ME 130, ME 131, ME 133, ME 136, ME 137, ME 138, ME 140, ME 144/ EE 144, ME 145, ME 153, ME 156, ME 175D, ME 176, ME 180, ME 197

Visit the Student Affairs Office in the College of Engineering or student.engr.ucr.edu for a sample program.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers graduate educational programs leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineer- ing. Broad areas of research include

• 1) mechanics and materials, 2) fluids and thermal

sciences and 3) information computation and design. Specific research focus areas include the following:

• • Air quality, small and large-scale pollutant

dispersion in urban flows, turbulent com- bustion and wildland fire behavior, engine emissions and nanoparticle science, thermal and electrical properties of nanowires and nanotubes, direct energy conversion, porous media and multiphase transport, bioheat transfer, biomedical optics, and medical laser applications

• • Wafer fab processing, thin film mechanics

and nanotechnology, bio-inspired materials, mechanical behavior of thin films and other small-featured structures, mechanics of interfaces and surfaces, mechanical proper- ties of carbon nanotubes and ferroelectric/ piezoelectric materials, sensing and imag- ing, mechanics of geophysical materials, advanced material synthesis, composites, MEME, BioMEMS, biomedical devices, and processing of nanocrystalline materials

• • Artificial intelligence, computer-aided design

or manufacturing, process planning, sensor networks, and distributed computing and control

Visit me.ucr.edu/programs/gradindex.html, for detailed information on the research pro- grams of individual faculty members.

Combined B.S. + M.S. Five-Year Program The college offers a combined B.S. + M.S. program in Mechanical Engineering designed to lead to a Bachelor of Science degree as well as a Master of Science degree in five years. Appli- cants for this program must have a high school GPA above 3.6, a combined SAT Reasoning score above 1950 (or ACT plus Writing equiva- lent), complete the Entry Level Writing Require- ment before matriculation, and have sufficient mathematics preparation to enroll in calculus in their first quarter as freshmen. Eight units of technical electives will count in both programs, reducing the total number of units required for the MS degree.

Interested students who are entering their junior year should check with their academic advisor for information on eligibility and other details.

Admission In addition to the following requirements, all applicants must meet the general requirements of the Riverside Division of the Academic Senate and the UCR Graduate Council as set forth in this catalog under the Graduate Studies section.

Language Requirement All international students whose first language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in spoken English by securing at least a “condition- al pass” score on the TAST or SPEAK test be- fore they can be appointed as a TA. However, to be considered for subsequent TA appointments, they must secure a “clear pass” on the TAST or SPEAK. The fee associated with this test is paid by the department for the first attempt only. The TAST or SPEAK requirement is, however, waived for international students who are appointed as GSRs or are self-supported throughout their studies at UCR.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering of- fers the M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Admission Applicants should have an undergraduate degree in engineering, physical sciences, or mathematics; a satisfactory GPA for the last two years of their undergraduate studies; and high scores on the GRE General Test. All official transcripts, official GRE reports and three letters of recommendation must be submitted for evalu- ation. Foreign students and permanent residents whose first language is not English must also submit an acceptable TOEFL test score prior to admittance; the minimum TOEFL exam score is 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 80 (Internet-based).

The M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering can be earned by either completing a thesis (Plan I), which reports a creative investigation of a de- fined problem, or passing a comprehensive ex- amination (Plan II). A minimum of three quarters of residency is required. Students should enroll in 12 units each quarter unless the graduate advisor grants an exception.

Course work used to satisfy the student’s undergraduate degree requirements may not be applied toward the 36-unit M.S. requirement.

Plan I (Thesis) Requires completion of a minimum of 36 units of upper-division and graduate-level approved course work and submission of an acceptable thesis. At least 24 of these units must be in graduate courses (200-series courses), a mini- mum of sixteen of these units being Mechanical Engineering graduate courses (ME 200 or higher, excluding ME 250, ME 290, ME 297, ME 298I, and ME 299). The student must take at least 3 units of seminar (ME 250) and at least 7 but no more than 11 units of directed or thesis research credits (ME 297 or ME 299). No more than 8 units of course work may be satisfied with directed studies (ME 290) or individual internship (ME 298I). Students must defend the thesis.

An acceptable M.S. thesis must be submitted. The M.S. thesis may be based on:

• 1. A research or advanced design project,

either analytical, computational or experi- mental;

• 2. An extensive report consisting of theoreti-

cal, computational or experimental contri- bution to mechanical engineering.

The student’s M.S. Thesis Committee is respon- sible for approving the thesis. The thesis com- mittee is composed of three members (including the research advisor).

Plan II (Comprehensive Examination) Requires completion of a minimum of 36 units of upper-division and graduate-level approved course work and successfully passing a com- prehensive examination. At least 24 of these units must be in graduate courses (200 series courses), a minimum of sixteen of these units being Mechanical Engineering graduate courses (ME 200 or higher, excluding ME 250, ME 290, ME 297, ME 298I, and ME 299). The student must take 1 unit of seminar (ME 250) and no more than 7 units of directed studies (ME 290) or individual internship (ME 298I). The compre- hensive examination covers a broad range of topics chosen from upper-division and graduate courses the student has taken. This examination is prepared and administered by the graduate program committee. It is held during the spring quarter of every year.

Normative Time to Degree Two years

Refer to the department’s graduate program guidelines for further details.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering of- fers the Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Admission An M.S. or equivalent degree in engineering or physical sciences or mathematics is normally required for admission to the Ph.D. program, although applicants with exceptional undergrad- uate or research record may be admitted directly into the Ph.D. program without an M.S. degree. Applicants for the Ph.D. degree must also meet the same requirements as for the master’s programs. Students in the M.S. program of Me- chanical Engineering who desire to pursue the Ph.D. degree must formally apply for admission to the Ph.D. program.

The procedure for satisfying the requirements for the Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering at UCR consists of four principal parts:

• 1. Successful completion of an approved

program of course work below

• 2. Passing a written and oral preliminary

examination

• 3. Successful oral defense of a written disser-

tation proposal

• 4. Defense and approval of the dissertation

Course Work A course work plan should be formulated by the student and his/her faculty advisor within the first quarter after admission to the Ph.D. program and must be approved by the student’s Ph.D. advisor and Ph.D. Examination Committee. It is understood that changes to this may occur as the student’s research progresses. These chang- es should be documented after consultation with the Ph.D. advisor and Ph.D. Examination Committee.

Core Course Work Before the oral defense of the dissertation proposal at least 24 units of course work must be completed. This is excluding seminar and research credits. Of these a minimum of eight graduate units must be in Mechanical Engineer- ing courses (ME 200 or higher, excluding ME 250, ME 290, ME 297, ME 298-I, and ME 299). To meet this requirement by the end of the first year students must take at least eight units of course work per quarter. Typically students also enroll in ME 250 and ME 297 units their first year. The student may be advised to take additional courses prior to advancement to candidacy.

Seminar Requirement The student must also complete 6 units of ME 250 (seminar) prior to graduation. One unit of ME 250 is offered each quarter. These units do not have to be completed before the dissertation proposal defense.

Research Units At least 36 units of directed or thesis research credits (ME 297 or ME 299) must be taken prior to graduation.

Courses taken as part of the Ph.D. requirement in Mechanical Engineering at UCR can be used to satisfy the course requirements for an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at UCR and vice versa.

Normative Time to Degree Five years

Refer to the department’s graduate program guidelines for further details

Written and Oral Preliminary Examination The examination aims to screen candidates for pursuing doctoral studies. It is administered by the graduate program committee and is com- posed of two sessions:

Session 1: Written Examination

Session 2: Oral Examination

Normally, both sessions are completed within a four-week period. The written examination is designed to test understanding of graduate-level mechanical engineering concepts and methods. It covers three subject areas to be selected by the student among the following: materials structure & properties, control systems, engi- neering analysis, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, solid mechanics. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the relevant graduate-level course work for the selected sub- ject areas. For details, consult the departmental guidelines. The oral examination assesses the student’s ability to conduct independent research. Consult departmental guidelines for details. The preliminary examination is normally offered once every year at the beginning of the summer session.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination After successfully completing the preliminary ex- amination, the student, with advice from the ad- visor, recommends a qualifying committee and prepares a dissertation proposal. The disser- tation proposal consists of a written document and an oral presentation or defense. Typically, the student submits a dissertation proposal to the qualifying committee within one year after successfully completing the preliminary examina- tion and completion of the required 24 units of graduate core courses. The qualifying committee chair normally schedules an oral defense within one month of the written proposal submission. The presentation is given only to the qualifying committee members. The student is advanced to candidacy after successfully completing this examination and all coursework.

After completing the dissertation research, a written draft copy of the completed dissertation must be submitted to the dissertation commit- tee for review, evaluation, and determination of whether the draft thesis is ready for oral defense. Once a draft has been approved for defense, an oral defense of the dissertation is scheduled and is open to the entire academic community. This defense consists of a presentation, followed by a question-and-answer period conducted by the dissertation committee and the audience. After successfully defending the dissertation, the candidate must submit final copies of the disser- tation that comply with the format requirements set forth by the Graduate Division. Copies are given to the department and the dissertation advisor, in addition to those required by the Graduate Division.

Consult departmental guidelines for appoint- ments to qualifying and dissertation committees. Refer to the department’s graduate program guidelines for further details.