Current Student Resources

2107 Mechanical Engineering Building
1513 University Ave, Madison, WI 53706
dept@me.engr.wisc.edu
(608) 262-3543

The main Department office is located in room 2107 Mechanical Engineering Building. This is on the second floor of the building, on the Engineering Drive side of the building facing the Lot 17 parking ramp.

The office is open daily from 8:00am – 4:30pm.

All lost and found items for the Mechanical Engineering Building are in room 3107 (the department office for Industrial and Systems Engineering). Phone: (608) 262-2686

All lost and found items for the Engine Research Center are in the mail room. Phone: (608) 263-1624

Key request and building access

• Key Request//Building Access Form (web form) – Mechanical Engineering Building only

Please find all resources on the main ME intranet page under Commonly Used Resources – Purchasing.

Please find all resources on the main ME intranet page under Commonly Used Resources – Travel & Reimbursement. This should be your one stop shop.

A large number of scholarships (100+) are awarded by the Department of Mechanical Engineering each year. Any Mechanical Engineering or Engineering Mechanics student is eligible to apply to the scholarships in variable amounts. Many awards are based on academic merit and not on financial need. Visit Scholarships@UW-Madison to find and apply for scholarships.

Research Positions

• Looking to get involved in undergrad research?
  • Open ME opportunities will be posted on the ME Undergraduate Research Portal.
  • Check out Handshake! ME Faculty will post to Handshake with opportunities to work (hourly rate and/or independent-study credit) in a research lab. More directions on how to sign-up for Handshake can be found at the bottom of the page here.

Fellowships

Undergraduate Students may also be eligible for the campus-wide Hilldale Undergraduate/Faculty Research Fellowship competition.

Faustin-Prinz Research Fellowship

ME & EM Undergraduate Students can apply for a Faustin-Prinz Fellowship to fund their participation in cutting-edge research with ME & EM Faculty.

The Faustin-Prinz Fellowship supports students who want to develop a research project, get access to cutting-edge laboratory equipment, and work closely with a faculty project advisor.

$4000 tuition grant + up to $1000 in project supplies and expenses

Students will enroll in ME 489: Honors in Research or EM 489: Honors Research for two semesters.

For Fall semester start: apply by MAY 10.
For Spring semester start: apply by OCTOBER 31.

To Apply: Visit Scholarships@UW-Madison, search for Faustin Prinz in the search bar, and click apply located on the right side of the screen.

The fellowship committee will announce recipients and notify all applicants within 4-weeks of the application deadline.

Questions? Please contact Prof. Mark Anderson, Associate Chair of Research in Mechanical Engineering: manderson@engr.wisc.edu.

Who is eligible

• Full-time ME & EM BS students. — You must have passed progression requirements into the Mechanical Engineering or Engineering Mechanics major.
• Two semesters or more left. — You must have at least two full semesters on campus remaining before you graduate, so you can enroll in two semesters of honors research (ME 489 or EM 489).
• Will meet the requirements of the Honors in Research Program. — These standard requirements for anyone earning the Honors in Research designation are listed below.

To get started, contact a faculty member with research expertise similar to your interests. If they are able to guide your research project, discuss your ideas with them. [Engineering faculty directory]

Your application will include a short summary of your project, a full project proposal (use this document as a template), your CV/resume, and unofficial UW–Madison transcript. Your faculty advisor will also submit a letter of recommendation. A form will be sent to your faculty advisor once you submit your application on WiSH.

The fellowship includes $4000 applied to tuition, split evenly between the two semesters of your honors research enrollment.

It also provides up to $1000 in eligible supplies and expenses that are directly related to your project. Before you apply, please work with your faculty research advisor to explore costs associated with your project. All purchases will be made through the Mechanical Engineering Department office, and must comply with any other UW–Madison rules or policies related to purchasing.

Requirements

Fellowship recipients must meet the following criteria to be admitted into the Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors in Research Program:

• Majoring in Mechanical Engineering or Engineering Mechanics; and
• Approval of an appropriate professor who will serve as the thesis advisor.

Then students must meet the following criteria in order to earn the “Honors in Research” designation:

• Satisfaction of the requirements for an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering or Engineering Mechanics;
• A cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.3;
• Completion of a total of at least 6 credits of ME/EM 489;
• Receive a final grade of at least a B (≥3.0) in ME/EM 489; and
• Completion of senior thesis.

Your academic advisor can answer questions about the Honors in Research Program.

During their fellowship, recipients will make a presentation on their research project at the Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Showcase.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering’s Undergraduate Honors in Research Program offers students the opportunity to contribute to the creation of new knowledge and experience the excitement of the research process. Participants work closely with a faculty advisor and complete a senior thesis based on their research.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the program, students must:

• Have completed at least two semesters at UW-Madison 
• Hold a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher
• Be declared in either Mechanical Engineering or Engineering Mechanics major
• Obtain approval from a faculty member who agrees to serve as the thesis advisor

Graduation Requirements

Students who fulfill the following criteria will receive the “Honors in Research” designation on their transcript and diploma:

• Satisfy all requirements for a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering or Engineering Mechanics
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3
• Complete a total of 6 research credits:
  • Mechanical Engineering Students:
    • 3 credits of ME 491 + 3 credits of ME 489; OR
    • 6 credits of ME 489
  • Engineering Mechanics Students:
    • 3 credits of EMA 599 + 3 credits of EMA 489; OR
    • 6 credits of EMA 489
• Complete and submit a senior thesis
• (Optional) Present the thesis formally, at the discretion of the faculty advisor
• Earn a final grade of B or higher in ME/EMA 489
  • Once your final grade has been submitted in Canvas, the designation will appear on your transcript

To enroll in the Honors in Research program:

• Secure a Faculty Advisor
  • Identify and confirm a faculty member who is willing to serve as your research advisor.
• Faculty Email Confirmation 
  • Ask your faculty advisor to send an email to the appropriate enrollment address (listed below), with you copied (cc’d), confirming they will serve as your advisor for the Honors in Research project.
    • Mechanical Engineering: me-enroll@engr.wisc.edu
    • Engineering Mechanics: ema-enrollment@engr.wisc.edu 
• Receive Enrollment Access
  • Once the faculty research advisor confirmation is received, you will be granted permission to enroll in the appropriate course(s).

Engineering Career Services staff are available for job search assistance: access to job postings, resume referrals, and interviews.

ECS can also provide Co-op and summer internship information.

Students are encouraged to join an engineering professional society. To view all student organizations, including those listed below, please visit the Wisconsin Involvement Network (WIN) page.

Student run chapters of professional societies for mechanical engineers include:

• American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES)
• American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• American Society of Quality Control (ASQC)
• Engineers for Environment and Technology (EET)
• Pi Tau Sigma – ME Honor Society for Juniors & Seniors
• Polygon Engineering Council
• Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
• Society of Manufacturing Engineers
• Students Uniting Business and Engineering (SUBE)
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
• Tau Beta Pi
• National Society of Black Engineers-Wisconsin Black Engineering Student Society (NSBE-WBESS)

Women+ in Mechanical Engineering (WME) is a mentorship and community program offered to marginalized genders including women, women-identifying individuals, and non-binary and gender non-conforming people who are comfortable in a space that centers the experiences of women.

WME connects upper-level Mechanical Engineering students with first- and second-year students admitted to or interested in the Mechanical Engineering bachelor’s degree.  WME is designed to provide undergraduates in Mechanical Engineering with a sense of community, as well as with information for getting the most out of the department and college.

• Through small-group meetings with mentorship squads, you can ask questions, exchange information, and develop connections within the department.
• Events with the entire WME group enable a broader sense of community. Recent events include midterm and finals study nights, meetings with alumnae, and projects in the College of Engineering MakerSpace.

Mentor/Mentee guidelines and requirements can be found here.

If you are interested in joining a mentorship group, please fill out the following google form – Mentorship for Women+ in Mechanical Engineering.

For more information, please contact Professor Corinne Henak (chenak@wisc.edu) or Professor Kate Fu (kate.fu@wisc.edu).

The College of Engineering as a plethora of student organizations students can participate in. Whether you are looking for a professional society or a competition team, find more information here.

College of Engineering & Department Grants 

The Department of Mechanical Engineering participates in the College of Engineering grant process. Student orgs looking for department financial support should apply during one of the three application periods.  Application periods and application link can be found under the Campus Student Org Grants tab here.

Student Org Vehicle Display

To highlight the technical excellence of Mechanical Engineering/Engineering Mechanics student orgs, the department has established the Student Org Vehicle Display Process. Groups interested in displaying a vehicle/rocket/object, should follow the steps outlined in the guidelines. Questions can be directed to dept@me.engr.wisc.edu.

The College of Engineering offers academic support services for mechanical engineering, physics, engineering mechanics, and other courses. Resources are available at the Undergraduate Learning Center for improving study skills and tutoring.

Pi Tau Sigma Honorary Student Society offers free tutoring in physics, chemistry, calculus and all mechanical engineering required courses. Tutoring is located on the 4th floor of the Kurt F. Wendt Library on a first-come, first-served basis. One-on-one sessions can be arranged between tutors and students as necessary. One-on-one sessions can also be arranged by filling out a Tutoring Request form which can be obtained outside of the Student Services Office, 2107 Mechanical Engineering Building, and dropped off in the Pi Tau Sigma mailbox located in the ME lobby. Typical tutoring hours are from 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Sunday – Thursday and 9:00 – 10:00 pm, by appointment only. For further information on Pi Tau Sigma, tutoring or other Pi Tau Sigma activities, please visit their website at www.engr.wisc.edu/studentorgs/pitau.