About the Program
About Us
The department of Mechanical Engineering at BYU consists of more than 30 faculty members, 12 staff, over 1200 undergraduate students, and over 130 graduate students. It is a collaborative community where we strive for excellence in teaching, learning, and discovery. Faculty and students work together to learn the fundamental principles of mechanical engineering through classroom and laboratory settings. They also work together to conduct leading research where we aim to discover new knowledge and processes and to design new devices that will lead to improvements in the world in which we live. Mechanical engineers learn how to solve real world problems that involve forces and dynamical motion, materials and their strength, common manufacturing methods, design principles and computer design tools, fluid physics, thermodynamics and the transfer of heat, how to use instrumentation to conduct experiments, and how to use computational tools to solve complex problems.
Our goal is to help mechanical engineering students develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become truly influential engineers in their chosen areas of expertise. Influential engineers affect the world in a variety of ways. Some may influence a large number of people in highly visible ways, while others will quietly lead and inspire those within their sphere of influence. To be influential, engineers must understand their strengths and apply them in ways that lead to a positive impact on people, problems, and their profession. Since each person is unique, each individual’s influence is also distinct, and their influence will typically change over time as opportunities arise and skills are developed. Regardless of where engineers find themselves, they will become influential as they develop character, resilience, technical excellence, communication skills, leadership, and a commitment to lifelong learning and service.
BYU Mechanical Engineering Department Goals
What is Mechanical Engineering?
Mechanical engineering is a very broad subject that deals with essentially anything that moves (including the human body), machines that range from simple to complex systems, and devices with embedded sensors and actuators. It is the broadest of the engineering disciplines and mechanical engineers work in many different industries, including:
- Materials
- Dynamics
- Vibrations
- Controls
- Computer Aided Engineering
- Design
- Manufacturing
- Biomechanics
- Thermal Sciences
- Fluid Sciences
As a mechanical engineer you can design and produce products that could change the world. In fact, most products you see in your life were developed by a mechanical engineer. A great strength of mechanical engineering education is the flexibility for future employment.