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Mechanical Engineering

Holmes 302
2540 Dole Street
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7167
Fax: (808) 956-2373

Faculty

* Graduate Faculty

• *L. H. Hihara, PhD (Chair)--materials, corrosion, mechanical behavior of materials
• *B. H. Chao, PhD--combustion, perturbation methods
• *C. F. M. Coimbra, PhD--applied math in multiphase flows, heat and mass transfer
• *R. M. Fand, PhD--heat transfer, fluid mechanics
• *M. N. M. Ghasemi Nejhad, PhD--thermomechanics, composite materials processing
• *K. M. Htun, PhD--properties of materials, materials processing
• *R. H. Knapp, PhD--solid mechanics, design
• *B. E. Liebert, PhD--materials, corrosion, solid state ionics
• *J. Yuh, PhD--control, robotics, design

Cooperating Graduate Faculty

• M. J. Antal Jr., PhD--alternate energy, combustion
• C. M. Kinoshita, PhD--combustion, energy systems, thermochemical systems
• B. Y. Liaw, PhD--materials, energy conversion, solid-state ionics
• S. M. Masutani, PhD--combustion, turbulent transport phenomena, energy systems
• R. Rocheleau, PhD--thin film ceramic materials

Degrees Offered: BS in mechanical engineering, MS in mechanical engineering, PhD in mechanical engineering

The Academic Program

Mechanical engineering (ME) is concerned with the design of all types of machines, conversion of energy from one form to another, instrumentation and control of all types of physical and chemical processes, the manufacturing and utilization of engineering materials, and control of human and machine environments. Mechanical engineers conceive, plan, design, and direct the manufacture, distribution, and operation of a wide variety of devices, machines, instruments, materials, and systems used for energy conversion, heat and mass transfer, environmental control, control of human and machine environment, physical and chemical process control, materials processing, transportation, manufacture of consumer products, materials handling, and measurements. Mechanical engineers also employ Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM), Computer Aided Testing (CAT), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), computer modeling and simulations, novel materials, robotics, and mechatronics (integration of computers with electromechanical systems) in their day-to-day activities. Mechanical engineers find opportunities for employment in every branch of industry and in a variety of government agencies. Work may involve research, development, design, analysis, manufacture, testing, marketing, or management.

Undergraduate Study

Bachelor's Degree

The BS degree requires completion of at least 124 credit hours of course work. The curriculum consists of a group of required courses chosen to provide the students with the basic tools for the professional practice of mechanical engineering and to assist students in developing a sense of responsibility as professionals. The objectives of the lower division curriculum are to build a foundation in the basic sciences and mathematics, provide an introduction to engineering design and professional ethics, develop communications and computer programming skills, and acquire an appreciation for the humanities and social sciences. The objectives of the upper division program are to provide a sound foundation in the engineering sciences; build on that foundation for applications in the areas of energy conversion, mechanical systems and control, experimentation, and manufacturing; and encourage creativity culminating in a "capstone" design experience. To provide sufficient flexibility, technical elective courses enable students to acquire additional competence in areas compatible with their career objectives.

All electives are subject to the approval of an adviser.

College Requirements
Students must complete the General Education Core courses for engineering (see "Undergraduate Programs" within the College of Engineering).

Departmental Requirements
Students must complete the following coursework:

• ME 113 Introduction to Engineering Design (2)
• CE 270 Applied Mechanics I (3)
• CE 271 Applied Mechanics II (3)
• MATH 197 Basic and Fortran Programming (1)
• MATH 302 Introduction to Differential Equations I (3)
• ME 360 Computer Methods in Engineering (3)
• EE 211 Basic Circuit Analysis I (4)
• ME 213 Introduction to Engineering Design II (2)
• ME 331 Material Science and Engineering (3)
• ME 341 Manufactory Processes/Lab (3/1)
• ME 371 Mechanics of Solids (3)
• ME 372 Component Design (3)
• ME 374 Kinematics/Dynamics Machinery (3)
• ME 375 Dynamics of Machines and Systems (3)
• ME 311 Thermodynamics (3)
• ME 312 Applied Thermodynamics (3)
• ME 322 Mechanics of Fluids (3)
• ME 422 Heat Transfer (3)
• ME 301 Mechanical Engineering Experimentation (2)
• ME 401 Measurements Lab (2)
• ME 481 Design Project I (3)
• ME 482 Design Project II (3)
• Mathematics elective (3), which may include ME 403; MATH 300 or above
• Technical electives (9), which include at least two courses from ME 417, 418, 434, 436, 446, 451, 452, 454, or 455. Remaining course can be any ME elective course except ME 403.

Graduate Study

The department offers graduate programs leading to MS and PhD degrees in mechanical engineering, with areas of concentration in thermal and fluid sciences conversion (heat and mass transfer, thermodynamics, combustion, thermal environmental engineering), in materials/manufacturing (composite and smart materials, mechanical properties, electrochemistry and corrosion, solid-state ionics, processing, marine materials), and in mechanics, systems, and controls (robotics, dynamics, control, continuum mechanics). For qualified graduate students, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and scholarships are available. 

Students may elect to participate in the Renewable Energy Engineering Graduate Certificate Program. This program offers fellowship support and unique laboratory facilities to students interested in renewable energy (see "Certificate Programs" within the College of Engineering).

Master's Degree

Applicants for admission to the MS program must have completed a BS degree in engineering or its equivalent from a reputable institution.

Requirements
Students are required to follow the Plan A (thesis) program. However, under special circumstances, a petition to follow Plan B (non-thesis) may be granted by the graduate faculty. A minimum of 30 credit hours is required for graduation, including 1 credit hour for seminar. Plan A students must take 8 credit hours for thesis, 12 credit hours in the ME 600 course series, and 9 credit hours in technical electives. Technical elective courses must be at the 400 level or above, selected from engineering, mathematics, or physical sciences approved by the student's thesis committee. For those students completing the Renewable Energy Engineering Graduate Certificate, 3 credit hours of the electives may be in any area approved by the advising committee.

For graduation, each candidate must present an acceptable thesis (research report for Plan B) and must pass a final oral examination based on the thesis for Plan A or on the course work and the research report for Plan B.

Doctoral Degree

Applicants for admission to the PhD program must have completed the requirements for the MS in mechanical engineering at UH Manoa or an equivalent degree from a reputable institution. 

Requirements
Intended candidates for the PhD are required to pass an oral qualifying examination within the prescribed period of time. The purpose of the qualifying examination is to judge students' ability to pursue research. After passing the qualifying examination, the student will be admitted to the status of "candidate" in the PhD program. At the discretion of the qualifying examination committee, students who fail the qualifying examination will be dropped from the program.

Students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 50 credit hours in course work beyond the BS level. They are required to select one major and one minor field of study within the following three areas of concentration: materials/manufacturing, mechanics/systems/controls, or thermal/fluid sciences.

Students who enter the program may, with the approval of the graduate chair, be credited with up to 30 credits for equivalent work to be counted toward their PhD-credit-hour requirement. Up to 8 of these 30 credit hours may be assigned for prior MS thesis work. Students who possess a second MS degree may be credited with up to 9 additional credit hours for equivalent work. Up to 6 credit hours may be assigned for course work taken as an unclassified graduate student. All courses shall be selected by students but must be approved in writing by their committees. These courses must form an integrated education plan. A minimum of 2 credit hours in ME 691 or its equivalent must be included in every PhD program.

Students who desire teaching experience may, with the approval of the PhD committee chair, request that the department chair assign them teaching responsibility for a particular undergraduate course. The department chair will determine whether students are qualified to teach the course in question, and, if they are deemed qualified, they may be given the teaching assignment. Students who teach a course or courses will be assigned a maximum of 3 credit hours toward their PhD course work requirements.

Comprehensive Examination
PhD candidates must pass an oral comprehensive examination to demonstrate their comprehension of the chosen areas of study relevant to their dissertation proposals and basic knowledge of courses taken in their major and minor fields. Students who fail the comprehensive examination may, at the discretion of the graduate faculty concerned, repeat it once after at least six months. Students who fail the examination a second time will be dropped from the program.

Final Examination
Students are required to complete a satisfactory doctoral dissertation and to pass an oral final examination based primarily upon the dissertation. The final examination will be administered by the respective PhD committee. A student passes the final examination upon the favorable recommendation of a majority of the PhD committee.

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