Welcome from the Chair

Aerospace and mechanical engineers make the world go! From automobiles to airplanes, from rocket ships to robots, aerospace and mechanical engineers are at the heart of how our world is made and moves.

But we also do so much more, developing solutions to grand challenges ranging from energy to health care — all in the name of improving the quality of life for all.

With a history dating back to 1886 (mechanical engineering) and 1933 (aerospace engineering), the Department of Aerospace and Engineering at Notre Dame is building a better world for all as we strive to be a force for good in the world.

Our faculty bring great knowledge and creativity to their research and the classroom, advancing understanding of the world we live in, developing new technologies that shape our lives, and educating undergraduate and graduate students who become innovators and thought leaders across industry and academia.

As a department, we seek excellence in all that we do, we value and support the contributions and perspectives of all, and we celebrate all of our successes as we seek to embody what it means to be a Notre Dame Engineer.

Our undergraduate programs offer two B.S. degree options, one in Aerospace Engineering and one in Mechanical Engineering, each having:

  • Core and elective classes that provide both a foundation in fundamentals and the flexibility to specialize in areas such as energy, bioengineering, design, and computing
  • Study abroad options – both during the school year and in the summer – in locations that include London and Rome that are integrated into the curriculum so they don’t hinder degree progress
  • Experiential and hands-on learning experiences from freshman through senior years that translate knowledge to know-how, culminating in a capstone design project that brings it all together.

We also have a wide variety of co-curricular clubs and activities for students, including Rocketry Team, Design-Build-Fly, Baja Team, Mechantronic Football, IrishSAT, and eNABLE, which provide opportunities to put knowledge to practice in fun, team-oriented environments.

Our graduate program in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering offers a Ph.D. degree that features:

  • Many research opportunities in one of our research pillars of bioengineering; computational engineering; fluid mechanics; materials, energy, and manufacturing; and robotics and control
  • Individual mentorship guiding each student’s development as an independent scholar, with a student-to-faculty ratio less than 5
  • Support for the growth and career for all of our students through Notre Dame Graduate Student Life and Graduate Career Services.

I invite you to learn more about our programs, our faculty, our Department, and our University by exploring our site or connecting with us through Twitter or LinkedIn. We would love to have you join us and support us.

Feel free to contact us at ame@nd.edu or stop by and visit us on the third floor of Fitzpatrick Hall of Engineering.

Go Irish!

Glen Niebur
Professor and Department Chair, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering