The Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science (MEMS) is highly regarded for its teaching and research locally, nationally, and internationally. Our faculty and staff are committed to delivering high quality education and leading research that makes an impact on the world. Our graduates are highly successful in finding rewarding jobs in their fields of interest across many different sectors.
Our undergraduate and graduate students are at the heart of everything we do. They have access to cutting edge laboratory facilities, multi-media teaching environments, and a wealth of experiential learning opportunities. Our curricula are structured to allow students to create their own unique experiences during their time at Pitt to allow them to stand out in the job market.
From hands-on classroom projects, to research experiences, to Makerspace and entrepreneurship programs, to highly ranked club activities like the Formula SAE race car team where students compete internationally, the SOAR club, and Material Advantage, there is no shortage of opportunities for students to explore their interests right inside Benedum Hall. Beyond our walls, many students also participate in the Cooperative Education (Co-op) Program, which allows students to work with industry for three semesters before graduation, and Global Experiences through which students can take classes in many other countries.
We offer a host of undergraduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, and Engineering Science, and certificates in Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Nuclear Engineering, Engineering for Humanities, and Engineering Simulation in Design. At the graduate level, we also offer degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering, as well as in Nuclear Engineering and Computational Modeling & Simulation. Graduate certificates include Physical Metallurgy and Nuclear Engineering.
Many of our faculty are internationally renowned experts in their fields, and they bring that expertise to their classes and to their mentoring of graduate students. With recent annual research expenditures of over $16M, in areas such as advanced manufacturing and design, materials for extreme conditions, soft matter biomechanics, computational and data-enabled engineering, cyber-physical systems and security, and nuclear and sustainable technologies, we offer a broad range of experiences for students in highly relevant fields.
Whether you are a prospective student, alumnus, employer, or potential collaborative researcher or educator, we invite you to explore our department and the opportunities that we have to offer. We are certain that you will find that we are committed to excellence in everything we do, and we would be happy to be part of your journey.
William "Buddy" Clark
Interim Department Chair