Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Head: Richard Thorsen

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is to prepare students for careers in mechanical and related engineering disciplines for professional development, life-long learning and contributions to society. Furthermore, the department adds value to the student’s market and career potential by emphasizing an understanding of the physical world through projects, tools and practice, and by providing the foundation tools for innovation, invention and entrepreneurship.

The Department

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is an ideal destination for U.S. and international students interested in joining a dynamic department that offers educational and research opportunities in traditional and emerging areas of mechanical engineering. The department not only stresses creativity and innovation, but also emphasizes fundamental understanding of the underlying sciences, design methodologies and economic and social impact of engineered products. School of Engineering graduates hold leadership positions worldwide in careers spanning academia, industry and governmental and non-governmental organizations in both the engineering and other professional fields.

The undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum balances fundamental science and engineering principles and engineering practice. Courses emphasize engineering science fundamentals and computer applications that employ modern engineering tools. The program heavily emphasizes laboratory experience, engineering design and student participation in research programs.

Graduate studies provide a broad understanding of the mechanical engineering field combined with a deep understanding of one of its sub-disciplines, while they promote interdisciplinary studies, student professional development and lifelong learning skills. Traditional and emerging mechanical engineering- related areas of study are available. Program flexibility allows students to satisfy intellectual interests and pursue professional goals. Coursework and research opportunities are available in areas that include dynamical and complex systems, controls, composite materials and nano-materials, biomimetics, lasers and optical sensors, fluid mechanics and energy systems and fire research. State-of-the-art laboratory and computational facilities support the educational and research enterprise, while the low faculty-to-student ratio warranties the development of close student-faculty ties. The graduate program’s relatively small size allows students to form close relationships with faculty Adviser, greatly strengthening and enriching the students’ experience and intellectual growth.

Students are encouraged to join Polytechnic’s student chapters of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Engineers Without Borders (EWB), Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), as well as honor societies, Pi Tau Sigma for mechanical engineers and Tau Beta Pi for engineers in general.

Polytechnic students benefit significantly from participation in cutting-edge research (funded by government, industry and not-forprofit organizations), access to state-of-the-art laboratories, collaboration with a faculty that cares greatly for students and devotes its energy to their growth, and living in one of the world’s greatest cities.

The Profession

Mechanical engineers design, build and maintain the products and processes that define industrial and post-industrial societies. In its early days, mechanical engineering emerged as the discipline dedicated to producing power and building the first industrial machines. Mechanical engineering has evolved to the broadest of all engineering disciplines. Today, mechanical engineers are prime movers of innovation and invention in a wide range of dynamic and continually evolving industries. These industries include power production and aerospace, robotics and manufacturing, transportation and communication, electronics and mechatronics, and biotechnology and biomimetics. Mechanical engineers also have a long tradition of leadership in helping to develop and safeguard the natural environment by creating breakthroughs in such areas as resource conservation, improved efficiency of energy-consuming devices, development of codes for a safer technological environment, and new greenenergy sources. The breadth of their training allows some mechanical engineers to apply their training to the diversified fields of computer engineering, nanotechnology, software development, financial engineering, bioengineering, astronautics, systems engineering, corporate management, law and medicine. As Polytechnic graduates mature and realize their abilities, their professional lives may center on engineering research, government, business, education or entrepreneurship.

Contact Information

Polytechnic School of Engineering
Six MetroTech Center
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Tel: (718) 260-3160
Fax: (718) 260-3532
E-mail: MAE@poly.edu
Web: www.poly.edu/academics/departments/mechanical/

Degrees Offered

The department offers degree programs in mechanical engineering at the Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy levels. The undergraduate Bachelor of Science program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (AEC) of the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET).The doctoral degree is approved by the New York State Doctoral Program Review.

The objectives of the undergraduate mechanical-engineering program are for its graduates to: 1) engage in, and advance in, professional careers in mechanical or related engineering, or other career paths that include industry, academia and governmental or nongovernmental organizations, and 2) seek continuous professional development and life-long learning through graduate-school studies, continuing-education credits and professional registration.

The department offers BS, MS and PhD degrees in mechanical engineering. Further information on the programs can be found here .

Bachelor of Science

Master of Science

Mechanical Engineering with concentrations in mechanics and structural systems , controls and dynamic systems , and fluid dynamics and thermal systems

Doctor of Philosophy

Mechanical Engineering, Ph.D. with concentrations in aerospace engineering, materials engineering, mechanics and structural systems, controls and dynamic systems and fluid dynamics and thermal systems

Faculty

Professors

Kurt H. Becker, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Physics and Associate Provost for Research & Technology Initiatives
PhD, Univeritaet des Saarlandes, Germany
Atomic, molcular and chemical physics, plasma physics

Vikram Kapila, Professor of Mechanical Engineering
PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology
Linear/nonlinear control, distributed spacecraft formation flying and attitude control, mechatronics

Sunil Kumar, Professor of Mechanical Engineering
PhD, University of California at Berkeley
Thermal fluid sciences, applied mathematics

Said Nourbakhsh, Professor of Materials Science
PhD, Leeds University (England)
Phase transformation, electron microscopy, composite and smart materials, ferroelectric thin films

Maurizio Porfiri, Professor of Mechanical Engineering
PhD, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Dynamical systems theory and applications, mechanics of advanced materials, multiphysics modelling, smart materials and structures

Michael J. Shelley, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Lilian and George Lyttle Professor of Applied Mathematics at Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University
PhD, University of Arizona
Fluid dynamics, computational physics, numerical analysis

Katepalli Sreenivasan, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, NYU University Professor, and Dean of Polytechnic School of Engineering
PhD, Indian Institute of Science
Fluid dynamics, turbulence, complex fluids, cryogenic helium, nonlinear dynamics

Associate Professors

Salvatore Grimaldi, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Associate Professor of Applied Hydrology at Universita degli Studi della Tuscia
PhD, Universita di Roma “La Sapienza”
Applied and statistical hydrology, GIS terrain analysis, tracer methods for hydrological applications

Nikhil Gupta, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
PhD, Louisiana State University
Micro- and nano-composite materials/mechanics

Iraj M. Kalkhoran, Associate Provost of Undergraduate Academics and Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering
PhD, University of Texas at Arlington
Gas dynamics, high-speed flows, wind tunnel testing, shock tubes

Richard S. Thorsen, Associate Professor, Vice President Emeritus and Department Head
PhD, New York University
Heat transfer, energy systems, solar and nuclear energy

George Vradis, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
PhD, Polytechnic University
Computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer, energy systems

Assistant Professors

Joo Hyun Kim, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Assistant Professor of Phyrical Therapy at New York University
PhD, The University of Iowa
Multibody system dynamics, optimization control, robotics, bioemechanics

Sean Peterson, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Assistant Professor of Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering at University of Waterloo, Canada
PhD, Purdue University
Fluid mechanics, bio-fluid mechanics, energy harvesting

Industry and Research Professors

Joseph Borowiec, Industry Professor
PhD, Polytechnic Institute of New York
Finite elements method, structural mechanics, design

Paolo Cappa, Research Professor and Professor Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
MS, Sapienza University of Rome
Biomedical Engineering

Sang-Hoon Lee, Industry Assistant Professor
PhD, Polytechnic University
Measurement systems and automatic control

Dung Luong, Industry Assistant Professor
PhD, Polytechnic Institute of NYU
Composite materials

Aristides Patrinos, Distinguished Industry Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Deputy Director of NYU-CUSP
PhD, Northwestern University
Environmental science and engineering, biomolecular science and engineering

Iskender Sahin, Industry Professor
PhD, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Thermal and fluid systems

Peter S. Walker, Research Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Research Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases
PhD, University of Leeds
Orthopedics, minimally invasive surgery

Adjunct Faculty

Anthony Clarke
MS, Binghamton University
Finite Elements Methods

Nicholas Dizinno
MS, Polytechnic University
Computer-Aided Design, Thermal Sciences

Vladimir Kopman
PhD, Polytechnic Institute of NYU
Automatic Control

Kee M. Park
PhD, Stevens Institute of Technology
Machine design

Daniel Speyer
PhD, New York University
Nuclear Power Plant Systems

Paul Sutton
JD, Brooklyn Law School
Intellectual property, intersections of law, engineering and business

Ali Vedavarz
PhD, Polytechnic University
Energy systems, green energy, HVAC

Faculty Emeriti

Vito D. Agosta, Professor Emeritus
PhD, Columbia University

Anthony E. Armenakas, PE, Professor Emeritus
PhD, Columbia University

William B. Blesser, Professor Emeritus
MEE, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn

Irving B. Cadoff, Professor Emeritus
DEngSc, New York University

John R. Curreri, Professor Emeritus
MEE, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn

Carmine D’Antonio, Professor Emeritus
MMetE, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn

Jerome M. Klosner, PE, Professor Emeritus
PhD, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn

Harold Margolin, Professor Emeritus
DEngSc, Yale University

William R. McShane, PE, Professor Emeritus
PhD, Polytechnic Institute of New York

Gino Moretti, Professor Emeritus
PhD, University of Turin (Italy)

Sharad A. Patel, Professor Emeritus
PhD, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn

Bernard W. Shafer, PE, Professor Emeritus
PhD, Brown University

William P. Vafakos, PE, Professor Emeritus
PhD, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn
JD, Brooklyn Law School