Throughout this academic year, The Rider will explore the programs of study at UTRGV. This is the third in our second annual series. The Rider interviewed Robert Freeman, professor and interim department chair of mechanical engineering, for information.
Major: Mechanical engineering
School: College of Engineering and Computer Science
Interim Department Chair: Professor Robert Freeman
Prerequisites: None
Total credit hours needed to graduate: 129
What is mechanical engineering? “Mechanical engineering is probably the broadest engineering department or discipline that there is. … Part of the discipline is in the area of thermal fluids, which is the area that would apply most directly to the combustion engines in that process. The other part of the automotive systems, like the suspension system and stirring, are actually on the other side of mechanical engineering, which is mechanism, design and control. So, in the automotive industry, or in a car, you have mechanical engineering being applied throughout the mechanism itself and the engine. In terms of other typical types of applications, you would look into robotics and automation. Mechanical engineering would be the discipline that’s most responsible of making the physical robot itself and the control of the system. There’s a lot of materials that goes in mechanical engineering: robotics, automotive, and heating, air conditioning and ventilation. … Mechanical engineering is fairly broad.”
Which classes can students expect to take? “They can expect to take quite a bit of math. So, there’s calculus, various engineering analysis courses. So, there’s a sequence of five math courses that you take that start with Calculus 1. Then you have physics, some specific applications of physics, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, heat transfer courses, materials courses, manufacturing processes, machine elements, and dynamic systems modeling and controls, and a number of electives. It’s all capped off with a senior design; it’s a two-course sequence where you select a project and then you design a prototype.”
What skills will students learn by the time they graduate? “They’ll learn the basic skills in terms of science and engineering. So, the math that’s involved, physics, chemistry and then specific applications into the different parts of engineering, but primarily, we hope that they learn a way of thinking and behaving and critical thinking and then applying that to the design of products that will assist humanity.”
What are some possible careers? “Automotive industry, aircraft industry, bioengineering, biomechanics, biomedical, and oil and gas careers. … We have a lot of our students end up going to Toyota in San Antonio. We have a number of students that have gone to Procter & Gamble, all over the country and some of those have even come back and are working in the H-E-B manufacturing plant in San Antonio and Corpus. We have students that are working for SpaceX, Boeing and Raytheon up in Dallas. … So, basically, all over the place.”
What salary can a student expect to earn after graduation? “It kind of varies, but I’m not sure exactly what the numbers are right now, but probably $70,000 or more.”
Are there any student organizations related to mechanical engineering? “We have the student chapter of American Society of Mechanical Engineers. We also have a lot of students that are involved in S.H.P.E., Society of Hispanic of Professional Engineers, M.A.E.S., which is Mexican American Engineers and Scientists. Also, we have S.W.E., which is Society of Women Engineers. We also have a group called Materials Advantage. …We also have Society of Automotive Engineers. We have a rocket club, which in a way is connected with SpaceX very loosely.”
–Compiled by Joahana Segundo
