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Sample 2-A Concentrations

The Course 2-A concentration consists of 60 units of upper level subjects that have a coherent focus. Students choose these subjects in consultation with the 2-A Coordinator, Professor Sang-Gook Kim (sangkim@mit.edu). A proposed course of study is developed and submitted to the ME Undergraduate Office for review and approval. Certain restrictions do apply, as described on the page Concentration Rules in this web site.

 

Many different concentrations are possible, and a student's particular program may be unique. To aid students in choosing their concentrations, the faculty have developed specific program recommendations in the following areas.

1. Biomedical engineering and Pre-medicine
2. Energy Conversion Engineering
   
3. Engineering Management
4. Nano/Micro Engineering
5. Sustainable Development
   
6. Precision Engineering
7. Product Development
8. Control, Instrumentation, and Robotics
9. Mechanics

Descriptions of these tracks are given below.

 

In early 2006, our students' 2-A concentrations were distributed approximately as follows.

• 35% -- Bioengineering/Biomedical engineering
• 20% -- Engineering Management
• 9% -- Product Development
• 18% -- Other engineering disciplines
• 4% -- Architecture/Building Technology
• 4% -- Neuroscience
• 10% -- Miscellaneous

Biotrack

Track Advisor: Prof. Peter T. C. So, ptso@mit.edu

 

Biotrack is the bioengineering curriculum offered by the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering. The students pursuing this curriculum will be educated in bioengineering subjects with a strong mechanical engineering disciplinary background. The mission of the Biotrack is to prepare future leaders in biomedicine, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industry. The Biotrack curriculum is available to students enrolled in Course 2-A which will award the degree "Bachelor of Science in Engineering as recommended by the Department of Mechanical Engineering."

 

The Biotrack curriculum is designed to be flexible so that the students can explore the different aspects of bioengineering. Major areas covered by the Biotrack include biomechanics, biomaterials, bioinstrumentation, and bio-inspired manufacturing. Further, the Biotrack curriculum is structured such that it is complementary to the popular interdepartmental Biomedical Engineering (BME) minor. Students selecting Course 2-A Biotrack will be guided by the Biotrack curriculum and their assigned advisors toward electives designed to provide fundamental and applied knowledge in bioengineering.

 

Details of the Biotrack are given in this pdf file: http://web.mit.edu/me-ugoffice/2abiotracksv321.pdf

 

Energy Conversion Engineering Track

Track Advisor: Prof. John G. Brisson, brisson@mit.edu

 

The Energy Conversion Engineering Track is designed for students who wish to gain strong foundation in mechanical engineering with greater depth in energy conversion and utilization technologies. Graduates of this track will be prepared to analyze, design and build efficient and sustainable energy systems that exploit the rapid pace of progress in the field. Conversion from different fossil, renewable and nuclear sources, utilization in transportation, residential and industrial applications, and the integration of systems while addressing the constraints, form the essence and contents of many of the courses offered in this track. The course offering is constantly being updated, especially at the senior and graduate levels.

 

Graduates of this track have a wide range of opportunities in industry, graduate study, non-profit organizations, and the government. Automotive, aerospace, and energy companies are just a few examples of potential employers.

 

Details are given in the following pdf file: http://web.mit.edu/me-ugoffice/energytrack.pdf

 

Engineering Management Track

Track Advisor: Professor Jung-Hoon Chun, jchun@mit.edu

 

Engineering Management deals with the engineering relationships between the management tasks of planning, organization, leadership, control, and the human element in production, research, and service organizations; and it also deals with the stochastic nature of management systems. Engineering management involves the integration of management systems into different technological environments.

 

Subjects chosen for an engineering management concentration should be consistent with the above description.

 

Nano/ Micro Engineering Track

Track Advisor: Prof. Carol Livermore, livermor@mit.edu

 

The 2-A Nanotrack is designed to bring students into the rapidly growing field of micro and nanotechnology while providing a strong foundation in mechanical engineering. Micro and nanotechnology have had and will continue to have a tremendous impact on a wide range of mechanical systems. Examples are microelectromechanical devices and systems that are already deployed as automobile airbag sensors and for drug delivery, stronger and lighter nanostructured materials now used in automobiles, nanostructured energy conversion devices that significantly improve the efficiency of macroscale energy systems, etc. Many faculty members in our department pursue research in micro and nano science and technology; this research cuts across mechanical engineering disciplines and other disciplines. Examples are sensors and actuators; fluidics, heat transfer, and energy conversion at the micro- and nanoscale; optical and biological micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS); engineered three-dimensional nanomaterials; ultra-precision engineering; and the application of optics in measurement, sensing, and systems design. Courses offered in this track cover both fundamental theories and hands-on experience.

 

Details of this track are given in the following pdf file: http://web.mit.edu/me-ugoffice/nanomicrotrack.pdf

 

Sustainable Development Track

Track Advisor: Amy B. Smith, abs@mit.edu

 

Two tracks are possible in this program. One track, in Engineering for Sustainability, is intended for students interested in work on sustainability in the context of US industry or in other industrialized settings. The other track, in Engineering for International Development, is intended for students interested in applications of technology for the developing world.

 

This track can be complemented by appropriate an HASS concentration. It can also be coupled to the minor programs in Environmental Engineering Science or Applied International Studies, as well as several HASS minors.

 

Details of this track are given in the following pdf file: http://web.mit.edu/me-ugoffice/2-asustainable-dev.pdf

 

Precision Engineering Track

Track Advisor: Prof. Martin Culpepper, mculpepp@mit.edu

 

The Precision Engineering Track was formed for students who wish to augment a mechanical engineering foundation with deep knowledge of (1) mechanical system design and (2) the principles and practice of precision engineering. Precision engineers utilize the principles of precision machine design, applied physics, mechatronics and manufacturing to help transfer new technologies, discoveries, and inventions into machines and products that satisfy demanding accuracy, repeatability and speed requirements. For example, emerging technologies are starting to require (a) nano-/picometer tolerances during manufacturing or (b) the ability to measure and apply nano-/picoNewton forces. Medical devices often need high precision within confined packages. In addition, the transfer of these technologies, discoveries, and inventions into commercial products requires precision engineering of both the products and the equipment that is used to make them. Graduates of this track will be able to synthesize new concepts for precision machines and products, and then model, design, fabricate and control them. This track was created to allow students to select a series of related elective courses that provide deep knowledge in a discipline (e.g. optics, controls, nanomanufacturing, etc…) wherein the principles and practice of precision engineering are critical for advancing the state-of-the-art.

 

A steady supply of engineers is required to (1) do research on new concepts, methods and tools for precision engineering and (2) transfer new technologies, discoveries, and inventions into machines and products. Graduates of this track will be prepared for entry into post-graduate education or practicing engineer positions within classical and emerging fields. Some examples of potential career paths include research or engineering in the following:

• Classical fields: Mechatronics, Manufacturing Equipment, Optics, Automotive, Aerospace, Semiconductor, Medical Devices
• Emerging fields: Micro/Nanomanufacturing Equipment, Atomic/Molecular Metrology, Micro/Nano-scale Machine & Instrument Design, Nanopositioning Robots, Bioinstrumentation

Details are given in the following pdf file: http://web.mit.edu/me-ugoffice/2a_precision_engineering.pdf

 

Product Development Track

Track Advisors: Profs. Warren Seering (seering@mit.edu) and Dan Frey (danfrey@mit.edu)

 

The mission of the Product Development Track (PDtrack) in Course 2-A is to prepare future leaders in engineering of new products. The PDtrack includes many subjects from the school of management and is a good option for students interested in management careers or entrepreneurship.The PDtrack curriculum is designed to be flexible so that the students can explore the different aspects of engineering and management. Major areas covered by the PDtrack include design, manufacturing, economics, marketing, organizational behavior, accounting, and intellectual property law.

 

Details of the PDtrack are given in this pdf file: http://web.mit.edu/me-ugoffice/product_development_track.pdf

 

Controls, Instrumentation, and Robotics Track

Track advisor: Professor John J. Leonard (jleonard@mit.edu)

 

Details of this track are given in the following pdf file: http://web.mit.edu/me-ugoffice/control_instrumentation_robotics.pdf

 

Mechanics Track

Details of this track are given in the following pdf file: http://web.mit.edu/me-ugoffice/mechanics.pdf