Department of Mechanical Engineering

Companies: Cargill, John Deere, Vermeer

Relevant Courses: ME 413, ME 414, EM 425, EM 544, TSM 335, AE 342, Other relevant courses can be found at the Tech Elective lists under "Agricultural Engineering"

Companies: Boston Scientific, CIMA Labs, Stryker

Relevant Courses: Chem 331, Chem 331L, Chem 332, Chem 332L; Other relevant courses can be found under courses for a minor in Non-Destructive Evaluation

"How Artificial Hearts Work"

Companies: Algor, Parametric Technology, Solid Edge, Solidworks

Relevant Courses: ME 415, ME 417, ME 419, ME 475, ME 625, EM 425

Relevant Topics to Computer Aided Design:
Rapid Prototyping

The skill of solid modeling is required in rapid prototyping.  Do you know who on the ME faculty is an expert in solid modeling and various applications of solid modeling?

What is virtual reality?

Finite Element Analysis is widely used in industry.  To learn more about FEA follow these links and take EM 425 in the Spring term.

Algor, ANSYS, CosmosWorks, IDEAS, Nastran

Companies: Altec, Bobcat, Caterpillar, EFCO Corp, Kiewit

Relevant Courses: ME 414, ME 449, ME 549, EM 425, TSM 335, AE 342

"How Hydraulic Machines Work"

"How Caterpillar Skid Steer Loaders Work"

Companies: Emerson Process Management-Fisher Controls International LLC, GARMIN International Inc., Rockwell Collins, Sauer-Danfoss

Relevant Courses: ME 411, ME 413, ME 414, ME 511, ME 574, ME 575; EE 475; Cpr E 308

What is control theory?

People interested in dynamic stability, robotics, avionics, or correcting mechanical error should consider courses involving control theory.

Professors Kelkar, Luecke, and Zou are experts in the area of control theory.

Professor Bernard is an expert in dynamic stability and teaches ME 549.

What is a dynamical system?

Dr. Bernard discusses  this dynamical system in ME 549.

Companies: Alliant Energy, Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell, Halliburton, MidAmerican Energy, Omaha Public Power District, Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Relevant Courses: ME 433, ME 443, ME 444, ME 446, ME 475, ME 484, ME 530, ME 540; Any Biorenewable Resources Technology (BRT) courses

What is Biomass?

Who on the ME faculty is an expert in biomass research?

Professor Ron Nelson is the faculty advisor for PrISUm.

What Professor on the ME faculty is an expert at modeling thermal phenomena using Virtual Reality?

In ME 433 - Alternative Energy Conversion, you will learn about alternatives such as geothermal resources, wind energy, and other alternative energies.

Professor Ted Heindel is an expert in the area of multiphase flow. 

"How Hydropower Plants Work"

"How Solar Cells Work"

Companies: Black & Veatch, BP, Exxon, Shell

Relevant Courses: ME 433, ME 484; Con E 380; Any Biorenewable Resources Technology (BRT) courses; Any 300-400 level Environmental Science (EnSci) courses

"How Oil Refining Works"

• Military/Defense
  • Companies: ATK Thiolok, CIA, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
• Public Policy
  • Companies: Dept. of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Agency, U.S. Dept. of Transportation
  • Relevant Courses: ME 466, ME 484, ME 486x; Con E 380
• Space
  • Companies: NASA
  • Relevant courses can be found at the Tech Elective lists

Federal Initiatives in Engineering

Interested in Public Policy?

"How Submarines Work" 

"How Rocket Engines Work"

"How a U.S. Spy-plane Works"

• Iowa State University
• M.I.T.
• Stanford University-CA
• Georgia Tech
• University of llinois-Urbana
• University of Michigan
• University of California-Berkeley
• Purdue

Do you know who the Director of Graduate Education is for the Mechanical Engineering Dept?

What is the GRE?

Are you considering a career as an engineering professor?

Companies: Amana, Carrier, Lennox, Maytag, Trane

Relevant Courses: ME 441, ME 442

American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)

What is the name of the ME faculty member that teaches both HVAC elective courses?  

"How Air-Conditioners Work" 

• Columbia University-NY
• University of Chicago
• Drake University
• Harvard
• University of Iowa
• Stanford University-CA
• Yale

Relevant Courses: ME 412; Con E 380

Patent Law

Companies: 3M, Alcoa, Andersen Corporation, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., General Mills, Novellus Corporation, Pella Corporation, Rhodia, Inc.

Relevant Courses: ME 418, ME 466, ME 520, ME 521, ME 528; EM 362, EM 362L; IE 348, IE 361, IE 419, IE 439, IE 448, IE 545X

Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)

Who is the ME faculty member with an expertise in tribology?

Laser processing and nano-fabrication are areas of expertise for Professor Molian.

Professor Chandra is interested in nano-scale fabrication.

Companies: Goodrich Corp, Micron Technology, Genesis Systems Group

Relevant Courses: ME 410, ME 411, ME 418, ME 511; TSM 465

"How Robots Work"

"How FIRST Works"

Do you know what  a neural net is?

What is mechatronics?

Professor Luecke teaches ME 410

• Des Moines University
• Duke University
• Harvard
• University of Iowa
• Johns Hopkins
• Washington University in St. Louis
• University of Washington

Do you see applications of mechanical engineering at this web site?

Companies: BinOptics, Bioscale, Capella Photonics, Boston Scientific, SRI International, Zyvex Corporation

Relevant Courses: ME 528

What is nanotechnology?

What are MEMs?

Want to see some MEMs in action?

Professors Olsen, Shrotriya, and Sundararajan are experts in MEMs and nanotechnology.

Nano Science and Technology Institute

"How Nanotechnology Will Work"

Companies: Caterpillar, Timken, Trane

Relevant Courses: IE 305; MIS 330; OSCM 320

What do you need to know to be a sales engineer?

"Successful candidates will possess a bachelor's degree in mechanical or industrial engineering or technical degree and two years of engineering experience. Sales and/or Marketing experience preferred. An expert in market knowledge and competitors is desirable. Must be computer literate. Excellent interpersonal communication and presentation skills required."

• Aircraft
  • Companies: Boeing, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce, Woodward
• Automotive
  • Companies: General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Toyota, Honda
• Motorcycles/Recreation Vehicles
  • Companies: Harley-Davidson, Mercury Marine, Polaris
• Railroads
• Companies: Burlington Northern, Union Pacific

• Relevant Courses for the above Transportation areas:
  • ME 417, ME 449, ME 549; EM 425, EM 544; TSM 335; A E 342
  • Any courses for a minor in Non-Destructive Evaluation
  • Other relevant courses for Aircraft can be found at the Tech Elective lists

Solar Car Organization

Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

What is Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)?

NASA needs experts that understand CFD.

Professor Subranamian has expertise in the area of CFD.

Take a look at these CFD simulations.

"How Airplanes Work"   

"How Diesel Locomotives Work"

"How Car Engines Work"

"How Auto Stuff Works"

ME 425, ME 443, ME 466, ME 484; EM 425; IE 305; any courses for a minor in Non-Destructive Evaluation

Professor Elliot Winer is an expert in the area of optimization; he teaches ME 425.

"How Engineering Stuff Works"