2025-2026 Academic Catalog
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
Mechanical engineering is the broadest of the engineering professions. Because of the breadth of the ME discipline, mechanical engineers work in a wide variety of technical areas and are employed in a range of job functions. Specialty areas within the mechanical engineering discipline include, among many others, acoustics, automotive engineering, biomechanics, CAD, controls, energy conversion and energy management, HVAC, materials, mechanical design, mechatronics, nuclear engineering, robotics and automation, and turbomachinery. The actual job functions which mechanical engineers perform vary widely as well. ME's work in design, research and development, manufacturing, service and maintenance, as well as technical sales, in almost every industry. Many are in management and administration. Many mechanical engineering graduates go on to more advanced degrees, or continue their education in other fields, such a law or business.
Because of the diversity and breadth of the mechanical engineering profession, ME graduates find employment in a wide variety of industries, laboratories, and consulting firms. This results in a relatively stable job market that is not dependent on a single industry. The textile, petroleum, chemical, electronic, automotive, aerospace, power generation, HVAC, and manufacturing industries hire large numbers of mechanical engineering graduates and the starting salaries for ME's are very competitive with the other engineering disciplines.
Because of the wide diversity of specialties and job functions any two mechanical engineers might have significantly different day-to-day activities and responsibilities. Some may be concerned with very large engineering systems while others are working with small and even microscale devices and components; some work might call for highly analytical or mathematical approaches while other work might be more amenable to experimental or empirical approaches. Mechanical engineers may be involved in the operation of processing plants, or the design of engines, prosthetic devices, steam and gas turbines or compressors and pumps, alternative fuel devices, and many other devices and systems. At Virginia Tech there is a close association between the ME departments research and design project activities with industry. This enhances the opportunities for student interaction with industry representatives.
The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) degree program at Virginia Tech is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Mechanical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
The goal of the BSME program is to prepare graduates, within a few years of completing their degree, to attain:
Upon completion of the undergraduate program curriculum in Mechanical Engineering, students will attain the following outcomes:
The department is committed to providing students with an exceptional experience in both the theory and practice of mechanical engineering. The ME curriculum provides a strong foundation in the basic physical and chemical sciences and in mathematics. These are followed by courses that provide a background in thermodynamics, numerical methods, solid and fluid mechanics, manufacturing processes, machine design, vibrations, heat and mass transfer, controls, statistics and materials. Courses in English and in the humanities and social sciences are included to broaden the individual. The unifying activity in all aspects of mechanical engineering is the design function. A sequence of engineering design courses builds on the fundamental mechanical engineering courses by introducing a structured approach that connects customer needs to product characteristics. A special emphasis has been placed on the use of computer-aided design methods and applied design project experience as a required part of the curriculum. Instructional laboratories in the junior year provide opportunities for students to learn measurement and instrumentation techniques. Students apply these skills to the acquisition and analysis of data from various engineering systems. Elective courses in the junior and senior years provide students with the opportunity to pursue specialized interests related to career plans or preparation for graduate study.
In the senior capstone sequence students are required to apply classroom knowledge to complex engineering problems requiring teamwork, problem formulation, economic analysis, effective communication, and product realization. These projects are carefully selected and updated to ensure relevancy to contemporary technical issues and needs. Students who are not yet seniors and those outside the department are encouraged to participate in many of these projects. The department also encourages hands-on student involvement by providing dedicated machine and welding shops that exclusively serve the undergraduate program. The required sophomore-level Manufacturing Processes Laboratory course and certification by a professional machinist are required prior to use of either of these shops.
Opportunity for professional development is provided by participation in student professional organizations, such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME, and the American Nuclear Society, ANS.
In addition to the Mechanical Engineering major, there is a Robotics and Mechatronics major which offers additional specialization while still leading to the BS in Mechanical Engineering degree. Two minors are offered through the ME Department which are available to all VT students: Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Science and Mechanics.
In all professional endeavors the mechanical engineer must consider ecological effects as well as the economic and social needs of people. The mechanical engineer must consider the conservation of natural resources and the environmental impact in the design of systems. These considerations are included in a number of ME courses and technical elective classes. Students wishing to further strengthen this area may wish to consider the Green Engineering Option at www.eng.vt.edu/green/index.php.
The department participates in the Cooperative Education Program in which qualified students may alternate semesters of study with semesters of professional employment. Approximately twenty percent of all mechanical engineering students participate in this program.
The department offers graduate programs leading to the M.S., M.Eng., and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering (see the Graduate Catalog).
The Department of Mechanical Engineering actively seeks input on the nature and quality of our program from all interested individuals and organizations, including students, employers and supporting agencies. Our goal is to provide the best possible service to the students who entrust their education to us. Through our continuous improvement efforts, we pledge to continually improve the content of our curriculum, our educational methods and our facilities. Comments to the department head or any member of the faculty are welcomed. Note that because of this continuous improvement process entrance and degree requirements and course content are subject to change. Please consult the department academic advisor for current information.
Head: B. Lattimer
William S. Cross Professor: D. K. Tafti
Nicholas & Rebecca Des Champs Professor: B. Lattimer
George R. Goodson Professor: R. Pitchumani
Lewis A. Hester Professor: R. L. Mahajan
Robert E. Hord, Jr. Professor: A. Haghighat
Robert E. Hord Jr. Professor: C. Sandu
Robert E. Hord Jr. Professor: M. von Spakovsky
Samuel P. Langley Professor: C.R. Fuller
Chris C. Kraft Professor of Engineering: W. F. Ng
Clifton C. Garvin Professor: R.C. Batra
J. Bernard Jones Professor: M. Ahmadian
John R. Jones III Fellow: M. Bartlett
John R. Jones III Fellow: B. Behkam
John R. Jones III Fellow: J. Boreyko
John R. Jones III Fellow: R. Qiao
Mary V. Jones Fellow: S. Shahab
Raymond E. and Shirley B. Lynn Professor: R. Mueller
Rolls Royce Professor: C. Son
L. S. Randolph Professor: C.B. Williams
University Distinguished Professor: R.C. Batra
Adhesive and Sealant Science Professor: D.A. Dillard
Professors: M. Ahmadian, R.C. Batra, B. Behkam, P. Ben-Tzvi, L. Collins, R. De Vita, D.A. Dillard, C.R. Fuller, A. Haghighat, K.B. Kochersberger, A.J. Kurdila, B. Lattimer, R.L. Mahajan, R. Mueller, A.S. Nain, W.F. Ng, M.R. Paul, R. Pitchumani, R. Qiao, B. Raeymaekers, C. Sandu, J.J. Socha, C. Son, M.A. Stremler, D.K. Tafti, S. Taheri, M.R. von Spakovsky, C.B. Williams, and J. Zhang
Associate Professors: P. Acar, K.H. Akbari, A. Asbeck, O. Barry, M. Bartlett, J.H. Bohn, J. Boreyko, J. Cheng, M.W. Ellis, J.B. Ferris, S. Huxtable, S. Li, Z. Li, Y. Liu, S. Shahab, S.C. Southward, A.E. Staples, A. Untaroiu, R.L. West, and A.L. Wicks
Assistant Professors: J. Chen, S. Kale, E. Komendera, D. Losey, J. Meadows, N. Naughton, and Z. Tian
Professor of Practice: J. Sole
Associate Professor of Practice: L. Vick
Collegiate Associate Professor: D. Freeman, D. Gonzales, J.K. Lord, M. Nowinski, and J. Warfford
Professors Emeritus: R. Benson, E. Brown, T. Diller, N. Dowling, C.J. Hurst, M. Kasarda, R.G. Leonard, A. Leonessa, J. Lesko, J. R. Mahan, L.D. Mitchell, D.J. Nelson, and J.R. Thomas
Adjunct Professors: M. Benson (Idaho National Lab), Azim Eskandarian (VCU), Tomonari Furukawa (UVA), Alex Leonessa (NSF), Ling Li (Univ. of Penn.), Chris Long (GE), John Palmore (Univ. of Washington), Hang Ruan (Nanosonic), Luka Snoj (Joszef Stefan Institute), Lei Zuo (Univ. of Michigan)
Advanced Instructors: B. Aidi, J. Bolton, S. Davison, C. Galitz, S. Tahmasian
Instructors: T. Chang, R. Clark, J. Hess, H. Pendar, J. Rule
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