Dr. Jeffrey Allen teaches Advanced Thermodynamics (MEEM 5200) and Principles of Energy Conversion (MEEM 4200/5290). Principles of Energy Conversion introduces the basic background, terminology, and fundamentals of energy conversion. Students develop project posters for current and emerging technologies for production of thermal, mechanical, and electrical energy. Topics include fossil and nuclear fuels, solar energy, wind turbines, fuel and solar cells.
by Jenn Donovan, public relations director
Mercury Marine, a longtime corporate partner of Michigan Tech, has donated a laser interferometer to Michigan Tech’s Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics. The piece of equipment, valued at approximately $125,000 when new, uses a laser to produce digital images of the amount of strain that parts undergo as they are stressed in various ways.
The Fall 2012 Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics Department PACE competition was held on 14th November 14th.
The First Place team was Team 8: “Lego Fire Command Craft” with Drew Brennan, Robert Cooper, Michael Ponte and Matthew Verbiscus.
The PACE Design Competition will judge five critical areas of your design project:
1. Form: Design Concept, Creativity, Perceived Value, Safety
2. Fit: Physical Model (realism, aesthetics, detail, supporting design)
3. Function: Design Parameters and Performance (math models, simulations, spreadsheets, etc.)
4. Presentation: Effective, Professional, Credible
5. Teamwork and Collaboration.
PACE – Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education – is a university and industry partnership to support strategically-selected academic institutions worldwide, to develop the automotive product life cycle management team of the future. PACE partners include General Motors (GM), Electronic Data System (EDS), UGS and Sun Microsystems, with contributing companies such as Hewlett Packard, Altair Engineering and MSC Software. PACE has already provided over $10M in CAD/CAM/CAE hardware and software to the ME-EM department.
Michigan Technological University won two more national championships and they didn’t happen on the ice or in the classroom. Paul Mayes won the dual slalom and downhill events at the 2012 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike Championships, held Oct. 20-21 in Angel Fire, N.M.
From a Tech Today article October 26, 2012
Andrea Walvatne, a fifth-year mechanical engineering student at Michigan Tech, is the national grand prize winner in the annual Stilettos to Steel Toes essay contest, sponsored by Schlumberger and endorsed by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Schlumberger is a leading international oilfield services provider.
Associate Professor Reza Shahbazian-Yasser (ME-EM/MuSTI) has received $416,809 from the National Science Foundation for, “Revealing the Inside of a Nanoscale Na-Ion Battery: New Understanding on Sodium Intercalation in Cathodes.”
Associate Professor William Endres (ME-EM) and Co-PIs Associate Professor Chuck Van Karsen (ME-EM) and Senior Researcher Robert DeJonge (ME-EM) have received $45,980 from the US Department of Defense, Air Force Research Lab for “ME-EM Senior Design Team 57–Jackhammer Test Rig.”
Michigan Tech’s involvement with the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans began when Linda Stouffer called Terry Woychowski on behalf of the General Motors Military Discount Program and asked for advice.
Michigan Tech ME-EM Video of Hand Crank Cycle Team
ASME.org, a website published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, has posted an article about Michigan Tech’s efforts to raise endowed scholarship funds for women students and another article citing Associate Professor Fernando Ponta (ME-EM) discussing his work on innovative new wind turbine technologies. See Raising Money for Financial Aid and Small Wind Turbine Fulfill Their Promises.
This Fall Semester the new class of engineering students assembled in the Rozsa Center Performance Hall to hear a speech by Michigan Tech alumnus David House on September 4th, first day of classes. He shared his engineering experiences from a 47 year career.