Option: Applied Mechanics
The imperative of energy efficiency continues to be the driving force behind numerous developments in mechanical engineering, from new materials to airplane rotor blade design. The Applied Mechanics option in Mathematics and Engineering blends elements of traditional Mechanical Engineering with the strong mathematics foundation that all students in the program receive.
Students take engineering courses in subjects such as classical mechanics, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics, and specialized courses in engineering systems, control theory, and analytical mechanics. Graduates of this option are exceptionally well-prepared for careers in the traditional Mechanical Engineering fields as well as for careers in any field requiring strong analytical skills.
Option: Computing & Communications
There is an increasing demand for graduates with expertise both in communications engineering and certain areas of software engineering, as well as in emerging areas such as data science and machine learning. With the proliferation of communications networks, cloud computing, big data, and machine learning has come the demand for mathematically sophisticated data processing algorithms. The Computing and Communications option combines basic communication and signal processing content with a package of courses in protocols, algorithm analysis, and software engineering methods.
Apart from their core engineering and mathematics courses, students take high level program specific courses in engineering systems, communications and information theory, stochastic processes and systems, cryptography, and coding theory. Graduates of the program are exceptionally well-prepared for careers in telecommunications, software engineering, and machine learning, as well as careers in any field requiring strong analytical skills.
Option: Systems & Robotics
The interface between engineering systems and robotics is an area that demands sophisticated mathematical abilities. This area is characterized by the use of sophisticated control methods with electronic/digital implementations, active structural materials, and other topics from classical mechanical design. The Systems and Robotics option blends mathematics, electrical engineering, and mechanics into one cohesive program.
In addition to the common core of mathematics courses, students in Systems and Robotics take courses in electronics, microprocessor systems, and electric machines from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, dynamics and mechanics from Physics, and advanced systems engineering and control courses offered by the Mathematics and Statistics Department. Graduates of the program are exceptionally well-prepared for careers in systems engineering, mechatronics, and robotics, as well as careers in any field requiring strong analytical skills.