The Mason Mechanical Engineer
By Leigh McCue
The Mason Mechanical EngineerSep 18, 2023
Get Involved: Student Engineering Organizations
Student leaders Kevin and Morgan Rose join me in this episode to talk about how their academic paths have been shaped by involvement in professional societies like the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). If you're a current Mason student, learn more at: https://mason360.gmu.edu/home_login.
Physics is physics: A conversation with Brian Fitzpatrick on the present, and future, of naval engineering
Brian Fitzpatrick, Chief Technology Officer of Maritime Applied Physics Corporation, joins us to talk about careers in naval engineering, what the industry looks like today, where it's going, and what he looks for when recruiting new engineers. To learn more about MAPC and see their current openings, visit: https://mapcorp.com/careers/.
Meet Flappy - the blimp-fish hybrid taking on robotics competition
Ningshi Yao and Daigo Shishika came on the show to talk about blimps, lighter than air robots, including the biologically-inspired blimp known as "Flappy" which their students use for what is essentially a robotic version of quidditch. To see Flappy in action, check out their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@blimpsquad6747. And to learn more about swarming, check out https://blimp-robotics.org/curriculum/a-day-in-the-life/collective-behaviors-computer-simulation/.
Engineering for occupational health and safety
Julie Sorensen, Director of the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing joins me for this episode to talk about the role of engineers on multidisciplinary teams developing solutions to make farming, logging, and fishing safer. To learn about the funding opportunity mentioned, visit: https://necenter.org/portfolio/r2p_incubator/.
AI talent development
In this episode I chat with Kammy Sanghera, Executive Director of Mason's Institute for Digital InnovAtion, and Tolga Soyata, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, to learn about their work supporting high school students eager to learn more about artificial intelligence. Their program is an excellent model for high school STEM engagement and is nurturing the roboticists of the future. Listen to learn more!
Semiconductor manufacturing: making the chips that power the digital revolution
They're in your phone, in your car, and in your computer; semiconductors are everywhere. In this episode, Mason's Department of Mechanical Engineering Advisory Board chair Kevin Hicks walks us through a day in the life of a semiconductor manufacturing engineer.
2023 Capstone Day
Welcome to the Mason Department of Mechanical Engineering's 2023 capstone day! Today I sat down with members of Team Hiss II, Team Buoy, and Green Stack, to learn more about their college experience. To read about their projects and those of their classmates, check out the Department of Mechanical Engineering's Annual Report and Capstone Brochure at: https://mechanical.gmu.edu/connections/senior-design-capstone.
What’s red and brown and costs the Navy millions? Rust.
In this episode of the Mason Mechanical Engineer, Dr. Maureen Foley shares how she and her team are using composite materials and additive manufacturing to save sailors time and the Navy money on ship maintenance.
Entering the mechanical engineering workforce
In this episode, I chat with Ann Garner and Philip Wilkerson from Mason's Career Services. Listen in on their tips for students entering the job hunt, as well as for employers looking to recruit mechanical engineers. Links referred to in this episode include:
- Handshake, https://gmu.joinhandshake.com/login
- LinkedIn Learning, https://www.linkedin.com/learning/ , http://lil.gmu.edu
- Mason Career Services, "Career Readiness Guide," https://go.gmu.edu/careers-guide
- NACE, "What is Career Readiness?" https://www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/competencies/career-readiness-defined/
2021-2022 AY ONR Lecture by Dr. Knox Millsaps
This episode is a recording of the 2021-2022 Academic Year ONR Lecture at George Mason University by Dr. Knox Millsaps.
2022 Capstone Design
To learn more about the projects described here and our capstone design program, check out the Department of Mechanical Engineering's Capstone Brochure and Annual Report at: https://mechanical.gmu.edu/connections/senior-design-capstone.
You are not an atom.
Do you understand what quantum technologies are? Me neither, at least not until I had this conversation with Profs. Pilgyu Kang and Patrick Vora, both members of the leadership team for Mason's Quantum Science and Engineering Center, QSEC. In this episode they give examples of quantum science and engineering applied to materials, sensors, and computing, explain what quantum researchers do, and discuss how to prepare for a career developing quantum technologies.
Race a submarine; launch a career
In this episode, Kariann Vander Pol and Regan Alex describe how their undergraduate experiences competing at the International Submarine Races, a biennial event in which students design, build, and race human-propelled submarines, led them to careers at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division. For more information on programs and places referred to in this episode, check out:
- International Submarine Races: https://internationalsubmarineraces.org
- Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP): https://navalsteminterns.us/nreip/
- Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division: https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NSWC-Carderock/
Mason ties to the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD)
In this episode hear from Jazzmin Robinson, Mason alum and student leader, on her pathway to a Navy civilian career, along with Theresa Shafer for her tips on how to land the job of your dreams with the Navy.
Summer Faculty Research Programs - Bridges Between Academia and the DoD
In this episode, we discuss DoD Summer Faculty Research Programs with Mehdi Amiri from Mason’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, who spent a recent summer in the Air Force Research Laboratory program with their Materials and Manufacturing Division, and Chi Yang from Mason’s Center for Computational Fluid Dynamics, College of Science, who has worked with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division's Center for Innovation in Ship Design over multiple summers.
Engineering is a Team Sport
Interested in a sampling of life as a Mason Mechanical Engineering student? Tune in for capstone day interviews with graduating seniors on teams High Rollers, PIT, and Glide Walkers.