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| Home : Volume 31 : Fall 2004 : | |
| Start your engines! On-campus coursework fuels distance students | |
Engine
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More than two dozen engineers are assembled in the Tong Auditorium of the Engineering Centers Building, reviewing a summer project conducted by a group of their colleagues from the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. The presentation, focused in part on engine emissions, draws questions from the engineers gathered in the auditorium, who compare it to some of their work experiences.
For engineers like Leah Bober, the presentation is part of a program debuted by the College of Engineering last year called the Master of Engineering in Engine Systems (MEES). The program, which involves on-line education and the weeklong summer seminar on the engineering campus, aims to provide working engineers with the latest technologies in combustion engines and vehicle mechanics. "It's a great program," says Bober, a calibration engineer who works in Harley-Davidson's product development center and was part of the first class of MEES students. "It's very flexible time-wise. You can fit it into your work schedule and your personal time."
The MEES program has proven extremely popular in a state that's known for its high concentration of engine manufacturers. Engineering Professional Development Assistant Faculty Associate Kevin Hoag, who helped organize the degree program, says enrolled engineers come from companies such as Mercury Marine and Briggs & Stratton.
The program debuted with 11 students last year, and added 16 more this year, according to Hoag. "The response from industry has been very positive," said Hoag, who also serves as associate director of the College of Engineering's Engine Research Center. "We're getting a good cross-section of engineers."
During the week spent on campus, students heard from speakers such as Bill Hancock, president of Arrow Racing Engines, who explained the cost and time differences in developing racing engines compared with regular automotive engines. Students also exchange information on projects they've worked on, according to Hoag, and tour engine companies in the state. This year's trip took the students to Fond du Lac and Mercury Marine's engine casting plant.
Bober said the MEES program provides her with a chance to meet engineering colleagues in the profession as well as keep up with emerging technologies. "I was always interested in learning more about the technical side of engine development," she said. "And I was looking for a high-quality program that was on-line. This fit."
Content by perspective@engr.wisc.edu
Date last modified: Friday, 10-Jun-2005 15:29:43 CDT
Date created: 29-Nov-2004
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