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About us

Brief History
Mechanical Engineering was started as a program in the early 1970s and later as a formal department in 1983 offering BS, MS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering.   The Department started offering a specialization in aerospace engineering in 1990 and accordingly changed its name to Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.  In 1993, a new undergraduate major in Aerospace Engineering was implemented.  The MS and PhD graduate degrees were changed in 1994 to degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.  More on the history of the department and the development of the aerospace engineering program can be found in this document.

Today
Since its inception in the early 1970s the department has grown tremendously in numbers, infrastructure, and reputation. We have 25 faculty who are world-recognized experts in their fields and have achieved top honors and distinctions.  We are proud to offer ABET-accredited Bachelors of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering.  Our undergraduate programs blend fundamentals with hands-on design experience and include research experience in our faculty's laboratories.  Our graduate programs are recognized nationally and internationally for their impacts and scholarship in areas such as energy and environment, systems and design, aerospace engineering, nanotechnology, and continuum mechanics.    In the 2009-10 US News and World Report, the graduate program in mechanical engineering was ranked #30 and the graduate program in aerospace engineering was ranked #29.

MAE by the numbers
Faculty: 25 Professorial Faculty, 3 Adjunct, and 2 Emeriti
Staff: 8
Graduate Students: 145
Undergraduate Students: 600

Administration
Derek Dunn-Rankin, Chair
Kenneth Mease,  Associate Chair for Academic Affairs
Faryar Jabbari,  Associate Chair for External Relations
James Bobrow, Graduate Admissions Advisor
Roger Rangel, Graduate Studies Advisor
David Reinkensmeyer,   Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Advisor
Manuel Gamero, Aerospace Engineering Undergraduate Advisor
Marcia Aguirre,  Assistant to the Chair

Employment
Various employment opportunities can be found on the School's employment page.

Contact us
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Henry Samueli School of Engineering
4200 Engineering Gateway Building
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA 92697-3975
Tel: (949) 824-5406
Fax: (949) 824-8585

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(c) 2010 Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
4200 Engineering Gateway
Irvine, CA 92697-3975