CARNEGIE MELLON DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICA L E NGINEERING


MechE Launches New Dual Ph.D. Program D


octoral students enrolled in the Depart- ment of Mechanical Engineering can now earn two Ph.D. degrees—one from


Carnegie Mellon and one from Nanyang Techno- logical University (NTU) in Singapore—through a new dual Ph.D. program the Department will launch this August.


While the selection process for the “debut” class is ongoing, work is being conducted on initially enrolling 10 students in the NTU-CMU Dual Ph.D. Degree Program in Engineering. The program will take four years to complete, with students spending at least two academic years at NTU and two years at Carnegie Mellon. Students will have two co-advisors, one from each university, to assist them in their research and coursework. Upon completing the academic and other requirements of both universities, students will be awarded a doctorate degree from each institution. “This program offers an excellent educational experience that will


prepare Ph.D. students for the global engineering market,” says Profes- sor Nadine Aubry, Department Head of Mechanical Engineering. In March, Carnegie Mellon President Jared L. Cohon and


NTU President Su Guaning signed a memorandum of understanding to officially establish the program. In his remarks, Cohon said, “Carnegie Mellon has a longstanding tradition of collaborating with top universi- ties around the world to provide opportunities for our students to learn in competitive and entrepreneurial environments. This agreement will enable Ph.D. candidates, both in Pittsburgh and Singapore, to work


MechE Welcomes Prospective Students


The Department of Mechanical Engineering hosted its annual Open House for prospective


graduate students on March 26–27. Twenty-three attendees, from as far away as California, were able to meet with faculty and current students, tour Carnegie Mellon and Pittsburgh, and join the MechE community for the weekend.


“The Open House helps students make their decision about


enrolling in our Department,” says Chris Hertz, Graduate Program Coordinator at MechE. “Visiting the campus, touring the Depart- ment, and meeting people gives prospective students the opportu- nity to see what it’s like to be a MechE grad student. They can start to visualize themselves here.” Students followed a full schedule, including lab tours, individual


faculty meetings, campus and city tours, and dinner at Dave & Buster’s in Pittsburgh’s Waterfront district. By making personal connections with faculty, students were able to learn about research


with some of our top minds in a variety of academic disciplines.” NTU is a research-intensive university with globally acknowledged strengths in science and engineering. Ranked among the top 20 technol- ogy universities in the world, NTU has more than 2,500 teaching and research staff from more than 40 countries, bringing together dynamic international perspectives and years of industry experience. NTU’s College of Engineering is one of the largest in the world. The new NTU-CMU Dual Ph.D. Degree


Program in Engineering is only one of MechE’s many efforts to connect with the broader global engineering community.


The Department also continues to explore partnership


opportunities with A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology, and Research), a Singapore government organization, and its institutes. MechE is also participating in collaborative research ventures with such global leaders as the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).


“The new dual Ph.D. degree, and our other international partner-


ships, are exposing every member of our Department—from our undergraduates to our most experienced faculty—to a new world of engineering and research opportunities,” says Aubry. “These outreach efforts only reinforce MechE’s leadership position in the international engineering community.”•


opportunities from the individuals who know these areas best. The MechE gradu-


ate program received more than 600 applica- tions for Fall 2010 admission—a signifi- cant increase over previous years. A larger application pool ensures that the Department can maintain its high standards in making selective student admissions. “By receiving more applications, we can benefit from a more diverse group of students and increase our competitiveness in the field,” Hertz says. Evident from this year’s Open House participants, the Department


At the Open House held in March, prospective grad students made a personal connection with the Department.


continues to draw intelligent, motivated, and creative applicants who ensure that MechE continues to be a dynamic and innovative place to learn and work. •


C ARNEGIE M ECH I 7


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20