Mechanical Engineering

Click on any of the following to go right to that information:

Mission Statement
Program Objectives
Graduate Program
- Concurrent Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees
- Engineering and Applied Science PhD

Chair: Samuel W. J. Welch
Office: North Classroom 2024
Telephone: 303-315-7500
Fax: 303-315-7501
Website: ucdenver.edu/mechanical

Faculty

Professor:

Peter E. Jenkins, PhD, Purdue, MBA, Pepperdine, PE-Texas

Associate Professors:

Ronald A. L. Rorrer, PhD, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, PE-Colorado
L. Rafael Sanchez, PhD, Michigan Technological University, PE-Colorado
Mohsen Tadi, PhD, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Samuel W. J. Welch, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
Christopher M. Yakacki, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder

Assistant Professors:

R. Dana Carpenter, PhD, Stanford University
Kannan N. Premnath, PhD, Purdue University
Kai Yu, PhD Georgia Tech

Assistant Professor (Clinical Teaching Track):

Maryam Darbeheshti, PhD, University of Denver

Senior Instructor:

Joseph F. Cullen Jr., MS, University of Colorado

Professor Emeritus:

James Gerdeen, PhD, Stanford University
J. Kenneth Ortega, PhD, University of Colorado at Boulder

Associate Professor Emeritus:

B. Thomas Arnberg, MS, University of Colorado

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Mechanical Engineering is to contribute to the economic development of the state of Colorado and the Denver metropolitan area by providing high-quality bachelor’s, master’s (BS, MS and MEng) and PhD programs in mechanical engineering for a diverse group of working students.

Program Objectives

The programs offered by the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Colorado Denver can be completed in the afternoon and evening hours to accommodate both working and traditional students. The department seeks to graduate a diverse population of students with bachelor’s and master’s degrees, who within a few years of graduation are able to:

be employed by a diverse group of industries, research laboratories and educational institutions
pursue careers in engineering, interdisciplinary areas, research and education
pursue postgraduate education and advanced degrees

Graduate

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers graduate courses, a master of science (MS) degree program and a master of engineering (MEng) program. In addition, the multidisciplinary engineering and applied science doctor of philosophy degree is available through the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The areas of research interest in which a student may undertake studies at the Denver campus include manufacturing processes, fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, bioengineering, energy thermodynamics and composite materials.

As a student in the MS or MEng program, you must meet with your graduate advisor before or during your first semester and design a sequence of elective courses that form a coherent program plan.

All applicants should apply online at: https://soa.prod.cu.edu/degreeprog/applyDEGREEPROG_CUDEN/login.action

Inquiries about graduate study in mechanical engineering should be addressed to:

CU Denver Department of Mechanical Engineering
Campus Box 112
P.O. Box 173364
Denver, CO 80217-3364

Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States should make application through the Office of International Admissions, Campus Box 185, P.O. Box 173364, Denver, CO 80217- 3364. (See the International Students section of the catalog.) All applicants for admission must submit complete credentials as outlined in the instructions that accompany the application materials.

Concurrent Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees

Students wishing to obtain a BS degree with a major in mechanical engineering and either the MS or the MEng degree in mechanical engineering may do so with up to 6 semester hours of 5000-level or above courses applying to both degrees. The 5000-level courses must meet the degree requirements for the graduate degree sought and must be suitable technical electives for the undergraduate degree. This option is open only for students seeking both degrees at CU Denver. Students must meet admission requirements to be accepted into the graduate program. Completion of two 5000-level courses does not guarantee admission into the graduate program. Please see an advisor for restrictions and guidelines.

Engineering and Applied Science PhD Program

The engineering and applied science doctor of philosophy program consists of studies in engineering and engineering-related disciplines. It is a multidisciplinary program in keeping with the interdisciplinary nature of modern research. The degree is conferred by the College of Engineering and Applied Science. However, applicants to the degree program apply to and enter the program through one of four departments, called the host department, of the college. The applicant chooses his/her host department based on his/her intended primary concentration of study. The four departments of the college that serve as host departments are Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. Each host department offers several concentrations. The secondary concentration can be chosen from any remaining department of the college, including Bioengineering. The secondary concentration may also be chosen from another college/school at CU Denver. The course work in the primary and secondary areas must consist of ten courses (30 semester hours). In addition to other courses, a student must take at least five courses in his/her primary area of concentration and at least three courses in a secondary area of concentration. Other courses may be recommended by the student’s advisor. Research that spans across two or more of the five college departments is strongly encouraged and is a major strength of the program.