Central Offers New Mechanical Engineering Program
Alfred A. Gates, Ph.D., P.E., is an Associate Professor of Engineering at CCSU

Starting this fall, the School of Technology at CCSU will offer a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering, adding a new dimension to the three programs we offer in engineering technology.

What will the new program look like? Well, you can get some idea from the current engineering technology programs. For one, it will be a very hands-on program. In our mechanical engineering technology (MET) program students use a range of Computer Aided Drafting tools to solve real-world problems dealing with, for example, the manufacture of jet engines, the reduction of manufacturing cycle times, or even the design of submarine components.

Senior students in the mechanical engineering technology program are working on exciting senior projects such as the development of a human-powered helicopter. They are using a CNC-guided machine to manufacture helicopter rotor blades. As you may have read in the Herald, they have also constructed a torpedo-shaped bicycle to participate in the Human Powered Vehicle speed competition. And they have developed a special sensor for the nosecone of rocket that will be launched in New Mexico in June and will reach an altitude of approximately 160 miles.

Students in the mechanical engineering (ME) program will have similar hands-on projects to pursue. But most notably different will be their focus on creating innovative concepts and designs requiring a greater use of analytical skills and understanding of research methods.  While ME and MET students could be involved in a similar field—aerospace, for example—ME students would tend to be more engaged in the design development of new aircraft or satellites rather than in the improvement of existing components or in the manufacture of existing airframes.

Both groups of students, however, would have exceptional opportunities for internships, co-op work, and, ultimately, full-time employment. In Connecticut the demand for qualified engineers and technology graduates far surpasses the number prepared by all of the state’s colleges. We have established strong ties with area industry leaders such as TRUMPF Inc., Loctite, Pratt & Whitney, Hamilton Standard, and Sikorsky, so our students can learn first hand about real-world engineering and technology operations at the same time as they contribute to the industry’s competitiveness.

Both programs may also enroll students through the College of Technology Pathway program, which enables students in the state’s community colleges to transfer into a four-year program at the School of Technology at CCSU.

What will make CCSU’s mechanical engineering programs different from other engineering programs are the “hands-on” learning opportunities and the ways we will educate our students to incorporate manufacturing into the design process. Beyond the real-world opportunities of internships and co-ops, the University will also provide excellent laboratories for experimentation, testing, and prototype development. Committed to offering state-of-the-art engineering education, we will introduce our students to the latest design and analysis software tools and experimentation instruments.  Our students will graduate prepared to lead in the industry, and since some 85 percent of them will remain in Connecticut, we believe they will make an immediate contribution to improving the state’s economic competitiveness.

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