Department of Mechanical Engineering (Carnegie Mellon University)
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| Department of Mechanical Engineering (Carnegie Mellon University) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| Parent | Carnegie Mellon University |
| Established | 1900s |
| Head label | Department Head |
| Head | Mehran Kardar |
| City | Pittsburgh |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Country | United States |
Department of Mechanical Engineering (Carnegie Mellon University) is an academic unit within Carnegie Mellon University located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, offering undergraduate and graduate programs in mechanical engineering, robotics, and related fields. The department integrates teaching, research, and industry partnerships, collaborating with institutions and companies across the United States, Europe, and Asia. It emphasizes interdisciplinary work with engineering, computer science, and policy organizations while maintaining connections to national laboratories and professional societies.
History
The department traces roots to early technical instruction at Carnegie Institute of Technology and expansion during the era of industrialization in Pittsburgh, aligning with regional industries like US Steel and the Alcoa aluminum operations. During the mid-20th century it expanded graduate education influenced by national initiatives from the National Science Foundation and collaborations with Bell Labs and the National Academy of Engineering. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries the department evolved alongside mergers with the School of Computer Science and joint programs with the Heinz College and the Tepper School of Business, increasing interdisciplinary research in robotics, materials, and energy. Faculty sabbaticals, visiting scholars from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University, and postdoctoral exchanges with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory helped internationalize the program.
Academic Programs
The department awards Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees, coordinating curricula with Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science and the College of Engineering. Undergraduate tracks include design, dynamics, and controls with capstone projects supported by partners such as Boeing, General Motors, and NASA. Graduate offerings include focused programs in robotics, fluid mechanics, and solid mechanics with dual-degree options tied to the Heinz School of Public Policy and executive programs connected to the Tepper School of Business. Certificate programs and professional master's pathways engage with Accenture and Microsoft for industry-relevant coursework and internships. Accreditation aligns with standards set by ABET and professional preparation for licensure involving state boards in Pennsylvania and national examinations administered in collaboration with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying.
Research and Centers
Research spans computational mechanics, thermofluids, robotics, and materials science, with centers such as the Robotics Institute, the Institute for Complex Engineered Systems, and collaborations with the Software Engineering Institute. Projects receive funding from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and partner with industrial research labs like Ford Research Laboratory and Siemens. Faculty lead initiatives in additive manufacturing, microelectromechanical systems with ties to Sandia National Laboratories, and multi-scale modeling connected to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Cross-disciplinary centers include partnerships with the Biomedical Engineering Department, Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon, and external collaborations with MIT Media Lab and Caltech on bioinspired systems.
Facilities and Laboratories
Laboratories occupy buildings on the Pittsburgh campus including facilities adjacent to the Robotics Institute and shared spaces with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Core labs include wind tunnels used for aerodynamics research with instrumentation comparable to facilities at NASA Glenn Research Center, microfabrication cleanrooms linked to Penn State Nanofabrication Facility standards, and thermal systems labs equipped for heat transfer experiments in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory. Prototyping shops, rapid prototyping centers with industrial 3D printers supplied by Stratasys, and control systems labs support student projects and sponsored research with companies such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies.
Faculty and Administration
The department’s faculty include professors, associate professors, and assistant professors with joint appointments across Carnegie Mellon units such as the Robotics Institute, the College of Engineering, and the School of Computer Science. Leadership has included scholars with backgrounds at Princeton University, Harvard University, and University of California, Berkeley. Faculty have received awards from organizations including the National Academy of Engineering, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American Physical Society, and hold editorial positions at journals published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Elsevier. Administrative coordination involves offices liaising with the university provost, the dean of engineering, and external relations teams working with foundations like the Gates Foundation and corporate partners such as Google.
Student Life and Organizations
Student organizations include chapters of national societies such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Automotive Engineers, as well as student teams that compete in Formula SAE, RoboCup, and ASME Human Powered Vehicle Challenge. Graduate student associations collaborate with the Office of Graduate Studies and participate in exchange programs with ETH Zurich and University of Cambridge. Career services coordinate recruitment events with firms like Tesla, IBM, and Amazon Robotics, while student-led entrepreneurship groups work with the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship and incubators linked to Pittsburgh Technology Council. Student life is enriched by interdisciplinary hackathons, symposia featuring speakers from DARPA and NIH, and outreach programs with local schools and museums such as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.