When you think about it, virtually everything around you was either designed, developed, produced or delivered by an engineer. To be sure, engineering is an extremely important profession. Mechanical engineers constitute approximately one fourth of all engineers in the United States and represent probably the largest field of engineering. Mechanical Engineering is an extremely broad discipline and a precise definition is difficult to construct. It may be more helpful to consider instead what mechanical engineers do. But before doing so, it should be borne in mind that the diversity of the field is a strength in at least two respects. First, mechanical engineeers have the capability and the perspective to address broad problems. In addition, mechanical engineering employment is relatively insensitive to downturns in specific industries since other fields that require mechanical engineers are not in a slump.
Because of the breadth of the field, many career directions are open to mechanical engineers. Graduates practice the profession in industry, business, government, or at a university. In addition, Mechanical Engineering has proved to be effective as a prelaw or premedical degree. Traditional areas of professional employment include manufacturing, design, testing, research, sales and production. Mechanical engineers work on almost every product imaginable-gas turbines, rocket engines, spacecraft, automobiles, high-speed machinery, computers, robots, aircraft, and air-conditioning equipment, to name a few. Mechanical engineers are heavily involved with the use of computers. Computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) techniques were pioneered by mechanical engineers. Robotics, biomechanics, computer graphics and computational methods in fluid dynamics are all "hot" areas of the profession.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering has a strong commitment to provide modern, high quality instruction. Within the past few years, five mechanical engineering faculty members have been recognized for their teaching ability by receiving Outstanding Teaching Awards. Three faculty have been recognized for their research contributions by Outstanding Research Awards. Other department members are equally deserving. Students will find a relaxed, friendly atmosphere in the department where faculty welcome personal contact with students. This atmosphere is conducive to learning; faculty are concerned about the progress of mechanical engineering students. Two mechanical engineering student groups, the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), are among the most active student societies on campus. They regularly conduct tours of local industrial plants, invite interesting speakers, have regular meetings, hold parties, sponsor entries to student project competitions, and participate in various athletic events.
The Mechanical Engineering department has a wide variety of laboratories available for student use: computer graphics, biomechanics, controls, lasers, fluid mechanics, energy, measurements, robotics, finite element, CAD/CAM, automotive, stress-fatigue-vibration, and wind tunnel. Further, the department has several test cells available and maintains its own machine and model shop. Each laboratory is completely equipped and maintained by a full-time laboratory technician. The Mechanical Engineering department is actively engaged in a wide variety of research projects. Present research areas include wind energy, biomechanics, lubrication, computer graphics, helicopter blade deicing, robotic manipulators, finite element modeling, computer-aided design, vibration, computational fluid dynamics, laser anemometry, and combustor modeling.
All faculty members are actively engaged in both teaching and research. The faculty have advanced degrees (master's and doctorates) from the Universities of Califomia, Cincinnati, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Toledo, as well as from Clarkson, Pennsylvania State, Purdue, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Washington State and Rennsselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The employment prospects for mechanical engineering graduates have been consistently favorable. According to recent national studies, Mechanical Engineering has been among the top "in demand" professions since the 1970's. Current employment projections indicate that mechanical engineering graduates should expect a continuation of this demand for the next decade. At The University of Toledo, employment experience agrees with such trends. Typically, mechanical engineering graduates receive several job offers at very attractive salaries from major engineering companies. Starting salaries averaged $40,200 as of summer 1998.