Demitris A. Kouris, Department Head
2052 Engineering Building
Phone: (307) 766-2122 FAX: (307) 766-2695

Email: me.info@uwyo.edu
Website: http://wwweng.uwyo.edu/mechanical

Professors
DENNIS N. COON, B.S. Alfred University-New York; M.S. 1984; Ph.D. Pennsylvania State University 1986; Professor of Mechanical Engineering 1999, 1988.
ANDREW C. HANSEN, B.S. Montana State University 1980; M.S. University of Washington 1982; Ph.D. Montana State University 1985; Professor of Mechanical Engineering 1996, 1986.
DEMITRIS A. KOURIS, Diploma National Technical University of Athens 1982; M.S. Illinois Institute of Technology 1984; Ph.D. Northwestern University 1987; Professor Mechanical Engineering 2001; Head of Mechanical Engineering 2001.
DMITRI J. MAVRIPLIS, B.A. McGill University 1982; M.Eng. 1982; Ph.D. Princeton University 1987; Professor of Mechanical Engineering 2003.

OVID A. PLUMB, B.S. Colorado State University 1967; M.S. 1972; Ph.D. State University of New York-Buffalo 1976; Professor of Mechanical Engineering 1999.
DAVID E. WALRATH, B.S. University of Wyoming 1974; M.S. 1975; Ph.D. University of Delaware 1986; Professor of Mechanical Engineering 1998, 1986.

Associate Professors
PAUL A. DELLENBACK, B.S. Texas Tech University 1978; M.S. 1980; Ph.D. Arizona State University 1986; Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering 1994, 1990.
MARK R. GARNICH, B.S. Michigan Technological University 1981; M.S. 1983; Ph.D. University of Wyoming 1996; Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering 2001.

JONATHAN W. NAUGHTON, B.S. Cornell University 1986; Ph.D. Pennsylvania State University 1993; Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering 1997.

DOUGLAS R. SMITH, Sc.B. Brown University 1987; M.A. Princeton University 1990; Ph.D. 1993; Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering 2004, 1998.

Assistant Professors
SUKKY JUN, B.S. Yonsei University Korea 1988; M.S. Michigan State University 1992; Ph.D. Northwestern University 1996; Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering 2006.

CARL P. FRICK, B.S. University of Colorado at Boulder 1999; M.S. 2003; Ph.D. 2005; Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering 2008.

Associate Lecturer
ANN NANCY PECK, B.S. Lehigh University 1984; M.S. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1987; Ph.D. 1992; Associate Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering 2000, 1997.

Senior Research Scientist
SCOTT A. MORTON, B.S. University of Wyoming 1972; M.S. 1978; Research Scientist in Mechanical Engineering 1999.

Associate Research Scientist

CHANGWEN MI, B.S. Nanjing University, China 2001; M.S. UTSC, China 2003; Ph.D. University of Wyoming 2006; Research Scientist in Mechanical Engineering 2007.

Professors Emeriti
Donald F. Adams, Bruce R. Dewey, William R. Lindberg, John E. Nydahl, Kynric M. Pell, Donald A. Smith,  Robert A. Wheasler

Adjunct Faculty
Mark J. Balas, Michael L. Kmetz, Dan Stanescu, Stephan Heinz

The spectrum of activities in which mechanical engineers are engaged continues to expand. The curriculum has in turn become flexible to allow for the education of mechanical engineering students in many diverse and allied areas, or for graduate school preparation.

The educational objectives of the Department of Mechanical Engineering are as follows:

• Prepare graduates to solve open-ended problems and effectively communicate the solutions.
• Prepare graduates for the professional practice of mechanical engineering.
• Prepare graduates for independent learning.
• Instill in our graduates an understanding of professional ethics and the relationship between the engineering profession and society.

The undergraduate program includes a foundation in mathematics, science, and engineering sciences. The two key elements of the mechanical engineering undergraduate program are laboratory experience and design experience. The program is directed toward developing the student’s design skill and experience, culminating in the senior design course sequence.

The mechanical engineering curriculum affords the student the flexibility to pursue specific professional goals within the discipline.  Such an opportunity needs to be carefully considered by each student, so that courses are chosen with these goals in mind.  During the junior and senior years, the student selects courses to make up an 18 semester-hour block of technical electives. Mechanical engineering students can, if they choose, select a curriculum with specific concentrations, such as the example areas listed below:

• Manufacturing and Design
• Materials and Solid Mechanics
• Aerodynamics
• Energy Systems
 

The elective hours also represent the potential for students to consider a cross-college minor or a second (parallel) degree. The selection, however, must be approved by the student’s adviser, and must be in accordance with an overall educational objective.  Mechanical engineering degree candidates must meet the academic requirements of the college and in addition must have an average GPA of 2.0 (C) in mechanical engineering courses attempted at this university.  A grade of (C) or better must be earned in all engineering science and required mathematics courses.

International Engineering Option

In today’s global engineering environment, it is becoming quite clear that in order to compete in the global marketplace for products, services, and careers, one must be technically, culturally, and linguistically literate.

The International Engineering Option offered by the Mechanical Engineering Department provides students with an opportunity to spend one or two semesters abroad. They will have the benefit of studying the language and culture of another country while completing their engineering degree at UW. Students in the program may take classes at a number of foreign institutions or participate in an internship.

An international experience involves more than just international study or an internship. Integration and immersion into another society removes cultural and linguistic barriers. Once these barriers have been breached, engineers and other technical professionals can begin to understand the perspectives and viewpoints held by others around the world. With this understanding, our students will not only benefit from the newly gained knowledge of international issues, practices, and opportunities, but they will also enhance their understanding of domestic issues and challenges.

The study of a foreign language and the study-abroad experience satisfy the cultural context requirements of the University Studies Program. As a result, there is only a slight increase in the total number of required credits for the BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. For students without any prior knowledge of the relevant foreign language, the total number of credit hours is 134.

Graduate Programs

The Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees are offered by the Department of Mechanical Engineering. In addition, the department offers combined programs leading to either a B.S./M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering (BSMS-ME) or B.S. Physics/M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering (PhysME). These programs provide an opportunity for undergraduate students (after fulfilling the Graduate School admission requirements) to enroll in the mechanical engineering M.S. program. This approach will enable them to receive their M.S. graduate degree in mechanical engineering within a minimum of one additional year of study. For more information, please contact the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Students may select one of several areas of specialty in fluid dynamics, thermodynamics and heat transfer, vibrations and dynamics, materials, solid mechanics and mechanical design.

For general regulations concerning graduate degrees, see the Graduate Bulletin.

Mechanical Engineering Curriculum*

Suggested Course Sequence

Sophomore Year: Spring	Hours
MATH 2310	3
ME 2020	2
ENGL 2005	3
ES 2310	3
ES 2330	3
CHEM 1030 or PHYS 2310 or PHYS 2320	3-4
Total Hours	17-18

Junior Year: Fall	Hours
ME 2160	2
ME 3010	3
ME 3020	3
ME 3040	3
Business Elective**	3
Total Hours	14

Junior Year: Spring	Hours
ME 3170	3
ME 3360	3
ME 3450	3
ME 4020	3
Technical Elective***	3
Cultural Context Elective+	3
Total Hours	18

Senior Year: Fall	Hours
ME 4010 or EE 4620	3
ME 4060	3
Math/Science Elective~	3
ME Elective^^	3
Cultural Context Elective+	3
Total Hours	15

Senior Year: Spring	Hours
ME 4070	3
ME Fluids elective^^	3
ME Solids elective##	3
ME elective#	3
Cultural Context Elective+	3
Total Hours	15

International Engineering Option Curriculum*

Suggested Course Sequence

Sophomore Year: Spring	Hours
MATH 2310	3
ES 2310	3
ME 2020	2
ENGL 2005	3
CHEM 1030 or PHYS 2310 or 2320	3-4
Second Year Language II (2040)	3
Total Hours	17-18

Sophomore Year: Summer	Hours
ES 2210	3
ES 2330	3
Total Hours	6

Junior Year: Fall	Hours
ME 2160	2
ME 3010	3
ME 3020	3
ME 3040	3
ME 3360	3
Total Hours	14

Junior Year: Spring	Hours
(Study Abroad Semester)
ME 3170	3
ME 3450	3
Technical Elective***	3
Total Hours	9

Senior Year: Fall	Hours
ME 4010 or EE 4620	3
ME 4060	2
ME Elective#	6
Math/Science Elective*	3
Total Hours	14

Senior Year: Spring	Hours
ME 4020	3
ME 4070	4
ME Solids elective##	3
ME Fluids elective ^^	3
Business elective**	3
Total Hours	16

*A minimum of 128 credit hours graded (A-F) course hours are necessary to satisfy degree requirements. Students selecting the International Studies Option require a minimum of 134 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements. (Credits earned by examination count in these hours).

~Math/Science electives: To be selected from the department-approved list.

**Business elective: ACCT 1010, BADM 1040, ES 4910, DSCI 3210, DSCI 4260, FIN 3250 or others as approved by adviser.

***Technical elective: Must have prior approval of the advisor. May be chosen from any engineering discipline, mathematics, science or business. 2 of the 4 elective courses must be at the 3000+ level.

#ME Elective. Any ME course.

##ME Solids Electives: ME 4040, 4100, 4210, 4215.

^^ME Fluids Electives: ME 3400, 4240, 4340, 4350, 4430, 4470.

+The Cultural Context Electives must be chosen to earn one each of the following credits: CH (Humanities); CS (Social Sciences); CA (Arts) with embedded G (Global Awareness); and D (Cultural Diversity in the US).

++Offered S/U only. Need not be taken during freshman year, but must be completed prior to graduation.

Mechanical Engineering (ME) Courses

Energy Systems Engineering

Energy Systems Engineering is a new undergraduate degree offering by the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. The ESE program was designed to train engineers to address one of this country’s foremost challenges: to achieve energy independence and yet meet the growing demand for energy, while at the same time addressing critical environmental concerns. The program is intended to help meet these challenges by preparing students to be:

• technology leaders in energy conversion and environmental protection systems

• capable managers in the energy industry

• versatile overseers of energy development by the governmental sector

• technically-trained and environmentally-sensitive liaisons between the energy industry and the public.

ESE engineers will be trained in alternative and environmentally-friendly energy conversion systems, as well as more traditional technologies that will continue to play an important role for the foreseeable future.

Although the discipline of mechanical engineering has historically been responsible for the design of energy conversion cycles and equipment, issues outside the conventional realms of engineering are increasingly important to address as new and improved energy conversion systems are implemented. The engineer trained in Energy Systems will be better equipped than traditional Mechanical Engineers to deal with the environmental, legal, political, economic, and ethical aspects of new energy projects.

The ESE degree has many course work requirements in common with the Mechanical Engineering degree, particularly in the thermal, fluids, and energy conversion sciences. However, the ESE program emphasizes energy conversion aspects of Mechanical Engineering and requires course work from UW’s School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR), course work in environmental ethics and environmental law, and two electives picked from a list of classes that focus attention on energy and the environment. The SENR courses will expose students to issues related to permitting such as preparation of environmental impact studies, and regulations such as the Endangered Species Act. In addition, there are five technical electives that allow the student to choose more detailed study in personal areas of interest, including for example, courses in environmental engineering, wind engineering, solar engineering, nuclear engineering, and petroleum engineering.

It should be emphasized that ESE is a rigorous engineering program that requires dedicated preparation in high school, including four years of math, science, and language arts. In fact, technical writing skills are emphasized throughout the ESE curriculum so that the program has more extensive writing requirements (including two “WC” courses) than most other programs at UW.

The ESE program will likely not be ABET-accredited before 2016. This is due to the nature of the engineering accreditation process that requires a new engineering program to have at least one graduate before an application to the accreditation agency can be made. The ME program has been continuously accredited since 1941 so that there is a high degree of confidence that the ME faculty will similarly guide the ESE program to a successful accreditation review once the program is eligible. Once accredited, state engineering licensure boards typically apply the accreditation retroactively to past graduates of the program.

The educational objectives of the ESE program are the same as those listed for the ME program. Energy Systems Engineering degree candidates must meet the academic requirements of the college, obtain a grade of (C) or better in all Engineering Science and required mathematics courses, and must have an average GPA of 2.0 (C) in ESE and ME course work. An International Engineering Option similar to that in ME is also available. No graduate degree program in ESE is anticipated at this time, but an interdisciplinary Masters Degree in Wind Energy is under development for the fall 2010.

Energy Systems Engineering Option Curriculum*

Suggested Course Sequence

* A minimum of 128 credit hours graded (A-F) course hours are necessary to satisfy degree requirements.

*Math/Science electives: To be selected from the department-approved list.

**Business elective: ACCT 1010, BADM 1040, ES 4910, DSCI 3210, DSCI 4260, FIN 3250 or others as approved by advisor.

***Technical elective: Must have prior approval of the advisor. May be chosen from any engineering discipline, mathematics, science, or business. 2 of the 4 elective courses (from among Math/Science, Business or Technical electives) must be at the 3000+ level.

#ME Elective. Any ME Course.

##ME Solids Electives: ME 4040, 4100, 4210, 4215.

###ME Fluids Electives: ME 3400, 4240, 4340, 4350, 4430, 4470.

top of page

Please send comments or questions to registrar@uwyo.edu

Last Change: 03/06/09