About the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
What is Special About Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Clarkson?
Our Programs
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering offers innovative majors, minors and concentrations for undergraduate students, as well as in-depth master’s and PhD programs. Students have many opportunities to start experiencing the major from their first day through SPEED (Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design) teams, clubs, company tours and joining faculty-led research projects.
Our Faculty
Our faculty are committed to teaching, scholarship and research. Our faculty are experts in what they do, and they engage our students in the pursuit of interdisciplinary research and scholarship.
Our Students
Our students engage in hands-on learning and research through exciting student and faculty startups, which get off the ground with help from the Shipley Center for Innovation.
Students at all levels actively participate in research projects. Undergraduates can contact faculty who have projects that are of interest to them in order to get involved. Many of our undergraduates present their work at local, national and even international conferences; some receive co-authorship on peer-reviewed publications.
Kim Gomez '25 BS in Mechanical EngineeringI attended an SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) regional conference in spring 2022 and then a President's Summit this past August. I highly recommend taking any opportunity to attend a conference for any organization, because my experiences and the knowledge I gained from these events were invaluable. I’ve never experienced anything like it, and the professional and individual development will definitely help me improve as a student and a professional as I seek out internships and co-ops in the near future.
Key Facts
- 25 Faculty Members
- 665 Undergraduate Students
- 53 Graduate Students
Facilities
We have several mechanical and aerospace research facilities and labs, including our small wind Blade Test Facility (one of only three in the nation), a flight simulator and a wind tunnel, where the U.S. luge team tested their sled aerodynamics before the last Winter Olympics. Learn more about all Department facilities.
Student Success
The Class of 2022 had an average starting salary of $64,384.
- 97-percent total undergraduate placement.
- 75 percent are employed.
- 17 percent are continuing their education.
- 5 percent are pursuing alternative opportunities, such as military service (Air Force, Army) or the Peace Corps.
These companies are only a small fraction of the list of employers where our graduates find positions after completion of their MS or PhD studies:
- Amazon
- Apple
- BAE Systems
- BASF
- Boeing
- Exxon
- Fiat Chrysler
- GE Aviation and Global Research
- General Dynamics
- General Electric
- Lockheed Martin
- Naval Nuclear Laboratory
- Northrup Grumman
- Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
- Pratt & Whitney
- Raytheon Missile Systems
- Siemens Energy
- SpaceX
- Tesla
- Toyota
Top Grad Schools
Our undergraduates are accepted by top graduate programs, including Clarkson University and others:
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Michigan State University
- Northwestern University
- Pennsylvania State University
- University of Michigan
- University of Virginia