Hi Riena,

Care to tell us your engineering field? You don't go straightaway into the research. You are likely to receive training on how to think like a Scientist and set the Research Goals & Objectives with your academic advisor. Before you carry out your first experiment in the lab, you would be well advised to spend some time in the library and subscribed databases doing a thorough literature search of your research topic. The following courses are commonly provided to graduate students at the beginning of the program.

(1) Research Design and Methodology - How to design experiments or study how things work

(2) A Scientific Approach to Writing for Engineers - How to write and publish research papers

(3) Statistical Methods & Data Analysis - condensing a large number of observations into a summary set of statistics

(4) Computational Modeling & Simulation - conducting experiments on the model of a large-scale or complex system

(5) Engineering Mathematics - refreshing Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Numerical Methods, Optimization

(6) Mechanics of <engineering field of research> - the science of things in your field of research

True, but you are advised to have a desired research topic in mind before you have chosen to work in a particular research group, under the guidance of a particular advisor. This way you can discuss with your advisor if your idea is feasible. You probably won't like it when your advisor forces his/her topic on you, especially if you are uninterested.

Start by searching popular and comprehensive databases such as IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis, and Wiley-Blackwell. Your university library should have a subscription to some of these and other databases that are password protected. Download and copy the articles that are the most pertinent to the Mechanical Engineering field. As you get more involved in your search, you will start to a get a feel for the important researchers in the field.

It depends on whether you are allowed to take more than 15 credit hours, or if the RM course is available on the first term. Anyhow, you should discuss this matter with the program coordinator.

CORE ::
*******
1. Applied Heat Transfer
2. Applied Thermodynamics
3. Computational Mathematics
4. Applied Mechanics
5. Project Management for Engineers
6. Research Methodology

ELECTIVE ::
**********
1. Computer-Aided Design
2. Energy Efficiency
3. HVAC
4. Tribology
5. Control & Automation
6. Internal Combustion Engine
7. Renewable Energy
8. Finite Element Analysis
9. Materials Selection & Fabrication
10. Fatigue and Failure Analysis

From the table, you are required to complete 6 core courses and 4 electives by the second term. If you intend to do Mini Research Project, you should select the electives carefully. From the list, the electives generally are divided into two categories: Product Design and System Design. Control system is the heart of many electromechanical systems and mechatronic devices. Therefore, if you take an interest in System Design, elective priority shall be given to E5, Control & Automation. You should also pick up Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD).

On the other hand, if you like to create new products, elective priority shall be given to E8. Mechanical design is the design of a component for optimum size, shape, etc., against failure under the application of operational loads. A good design should also minimize the cost of material and cost of production. For example, optimum beam design is achieved by analyzing the entire structure which naturally considers finite stiffness of the columns, based on their dimensions and material, at its ends. This approach is followed in the Finite Element Method (FEM).

Product Design ::
***************
E1. Computer-Aided Design
E4. Tribology
E8. Finite Element Analysis
E9. Materials Selection & Fabrication
E10. Fatigue and Failure Analysis

System Design ::
***************
E2. Energy Efficiency
E3. HVAC
E5. Control & Automation
E6. Internal Combustion Engine
E7. Renewable Energy

As you embark on your literature search, you may feel quickly overwhelmed by the pile of papers you accumulate, especially there are many sub-disciplines of Mechanical Engineering. Typically, Mechanical Engineering has 5 major sub-disciplines (ABCDE), which are listed below:

(1) Active Noise & Vibration Control (Acoustics)
(2) Biomechanics & Biosystems
(3) Computational Mechanics (Fluid, Solid, Transport Phenomena)
(4) Design, Manufacturing, & Product Development
(5) Energy Systems Engineering (Thermodynamics)

Other overlapping contemporary fields such as Mechatronics, Aerospace, Robotics, Automotive, and Nanotechnology are sometimes grouped with Mechanical engineering. So, keep in mind that it is impossible to read all the research ever published in the journals. Being selective about what you read is key to getting a thorough overview of a particular field, without drowning in too much information.

Another excellent way to get started with your literature search is to read recent review articles published on your topic of interest. Reviews do not present new and original data, they are compilations of other people’s work, but very often written by a big name scientist in the field. Review articles can be a goldmine of information and will significantly help you with your literature search by cutting down on the amount of time you have to search out individual research articles.

As a Mechanical Engineering student. you must read this article, “The State of Mechanical Engineering: Today and Beyond.” ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) sought to provide an accurate picture of the current attitudes of today’s engineers as well as their expectations on the future of the engineering profession.