This has been an exciting year of change for the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering (MNE). I stepped into the role of department head, the college hired Dean Darren Dawson and the university hired Vice President for Research Karen Burg. Together we are taking a fresh look at MNE’s role in K-State’s 2025 Vision to become a top 50 public research university. Continue reading “Message from the MNE Department Head”
In May, as our spring semester was drawing to a close, Prof. Greg Spaulding hosted the 3rd annual ME101 Design Project “Drill Powered Vehicle” Competition. As the event title indicates the student teams are tasked with designing and building a vehicle that they ride that is powered solely by a cordless electric drill. Continue reading “ME 101 Final Project”
Nine MNE students were inducted into the Order of the Engineer this spring.
Any engineer is eligible for induction if he or she has graduated from an EAC of ABET program or holds a license as a Professional Engineer in the United States. Continue reading “Order of the Engineer”
K-State was a Finalist in the 2015 DOE Collegiate Wind Competition at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) in Boulder, Colorado. Competing teams included the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, Colorado School of Mines, Pennsylvania State University, California Maritime Academy, Boise State University, Northern Arizona University, and Kansas State University. Continue reading “DOE Collegiate Wind Competition”
Two MNE students once again demonstrated excellence in research as winners of the spring 2015 Engineering Undergraduate Research Poster Forum. Seventy-three students participated in the event, which featured 49 poster presentations from eight different engineering departments. Continue reading “Spring 2015 College of Engineering Undergraduate Research Poster”
Well, we broke another record this fall—reaching an undergraduate enrollment of 870 students in the mechanical and nuclear engineering (MNE) department! The trend over the last five years in undergraduate enrollment is shown in the chart below. In addition, we now have 63 graduate students, a number we are working to increase significantly over the coming years. To help us deal with this growth, we have active searches ongoing for three new faculty members and we will soon advertise two new staff positions. I am delighted to say that our search committees have done great jobs and we are interviewing eight very promising candidates to fill these new faculty positions. I expect to introduce some new faculty members to you in our next newsletter. Continue reading “Greetings from the Department Head”
Segbot
A Kansas State University professor and a group of students designed and built a Segway Style Balancing Robot (Segbot). A two-wheeled, balancing robot, it is an example of an underactuated, nonlinear, nonholonomic dynamic system.
Warren White, MNE associate professor, led the development team. The microcontroller is called the myRIO and is manufactured by National Instruments. The K-State team is the first to develop an application of the myRIO to the Segbot. Continue reading “Segbot”
Hosni named International Educator of the Year
Mo Hosni, MNE profosser, was honored as the International Educator of the Year by Kansas State University in a ceremony on Nov. 18, 2014.
The award recognizes Hosni not only for his distinguished record, but also for his key involvement in the Gujurat University (India) summer exchange program; his mentoring of students from Austria, Hong Kong, and many other countries; and his dedicated efforts at distance education that allow students from around the world to experience classes taught by K-State faculty members. Continue reading “Special Recognitions”
The first Engineering Undergraduate Research Poster Forum on April 22 in the College of Engineering Atrium included 22 poster presentations from five different engineering departments. Research topics included advanced manufacturing and materials, energy, nuclear engineering and sensors, and systems and networks, among other topics. Twenty-six faculty, staff and graduate students were involved in judging the posters, and many others stopped by to view the research posters.
Continue reading “Spring 2014 Undergraduate Research Poster Forum”
Where are our MNEs?
We would like to hear from you. Email Mitzi Farmer at mwfarmer@k-state.edu with information about your career, family or other post-graduation updates. When you send news be sure to include your name, graduation year, a photo if available and your location.
Employer’s matching gift helps grad’s giving go further
Emily Jones has built a racecar’s suspension, led research and development, coordinated public relations events and recruited corporate sponsors — all before completing her bachelor’s degree.
The mechanical engineering graduate is quick to point out that her involvement with Powercat Motorsports Formula SAE Team transformed her K-State education from textbook information to “a physical representation of what I’d learned.”
Now employed as a Facilities Engineer for ConocoPhillips, Jones has given back to the team that gave so much to her. Her employer matches her charitable giving, doubling the support for today’s team members. Continue reading “Noteworthy News”