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Programs leading to the Master’s,
Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Applied Mathematics
are offered by the faculty of applied mathematics and other faculty
from throughout the School of Engineering and Applied Science. The Master
of Science degree requires a thesis, while the Master of Applied Mathematics
degree requires a project.
General areas of research are
in continuum mechanics and numerical analysis/scientific computing,
and a network of SUN workstations is available to all graduate students.
Information, Technology, and Communication (ITC) operates nine IBM RS/6000
Model 540 computers, while supercomputers are available at certain government
laboratories for use on sponsored research projects.
A suitable background for admission
to the graduate program is a bachelor’s degree in mathematics,
engineering, physical science, or another discipline with a strong mathematical
emphasis. Applicants should have at least a B average in their undergraduate
work and should take the Graduate Record Examination.
A one-course minor for the master’s
degree and a two-course minor for the Ph.D. are required. Suitable minor
areas are computer science, applied mechanics, or other engineering or scientific disciplines.
Biomedical engineering deals
with the interface between technology, biology, and medicine. It draws
on the life sciences and medicine, as well as all the physical, mathematical,
and engineering fields. Students from a variety of undergraduate disciplines,
including biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering,
electrical engineering, and computer science, enter this graduate program
and work toward its goals of better health care and enhanced understanding
of biological systems.
The Department of Biomedical
Engineering offers an undergraduate minor degree with courses in physiology,
biomedical image analysis, cell and molecular biology, biomedical instrumentation,
biomechanics, medical imaging, biomaterials, and bioelectricity. These
students come from any undergraduate engineering field or from the physical
or life sciences. Appropriate background preparation includes calculus,
differential equations, circuit analysis, physics, chemistry, computer
programming, and biology. We also plan to introduce a new Major in biomedical
engineering, stating in Fall 2002.
The Biomedical Engineering Graduate
Program encompasses a core curriculum of engineering with an emphasis
on instrumentation, mathematics, and life sciences with an emphasis
on physiology, cell and molecular biology that reinforces and extends
the diverse undergraduate bases of entering students.
Students seeking the Master
of Engineering degree develop competence in a field of direct application
of engineering to health care. Instrumentation, computer applications,
biomechanics, cellular engineering, and image processing, are the chief
areas of such specialization. Each M.E. student develops a practical
project in his or her area of specialization. The project is a departmental
requirement for the M.E. degree, applying beyond the 30-credit minimum
course requirement. The M.E. degree requires from two to four academic
semesters plus one summer.
Students planning careers in
development and design, or teaching, usually pursue the Master of Science
degree that requires a thesis based on an independent research project.
Substantial emphasis is placed on the research project that will be
the basis of their master’s thesis, which is expected to be of
publishable caliber. The final M.S. exam (oral) focuses on the master’s
thesis as well as on areas covered by the student’s program of
study. The M.S. degree is designed to prepare students for careers in
teaching, industry, and government organizations, and for entry into
the Doctoral Program in Biomedical Engineering. Course work in the life
sciences and engineering disciplines, completion of a research project
under the guidance of a faculty advisor, and documentation of the research
in a written thesis are required. Interaction with both the academic
and professional scientific and engineering community is also encouraged
through participation in seminars, scientific meetings, and publication
of research results in scientific journals. Areas of research specialization
include molecular bioengineering, magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy;
image processing; ultrasound imaging; instrumentation; genetic engineering;
theoretical and experimental study of cellular biomechanics, mechanotransduction,
the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and neurological systems, leukocyte adhesion,
and vascular remodeling. Twenty-four credits of graduate courses and
a defense of the submitted thesis describing the student’s research
are required.
The Ph.D. program is geared
to students planning careers in research in either industry or academic
institutions. Advanced courses are followed by dissertation research
in biotechnology, molecular and cell engineering, imaging, bioelectricity,
biotransport, or biomechanics. Doctoral students extend the core program
with courses in advanced physiology, cell and molecular biology, mathematics,
and engineering. The Ph.D. normally requires three years beyond the
master’s, or five beyond the baccalaureate, to achieve the necessary
interdisciplinary competence. Exceptional students may choose a double-degree
program that, after a minimum of six years, leads to a simultaneous
Ph.D. and M.D. For this option, students must be formally admitted to
both the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of
Medicine (M.D./Ph.D. program, MSTP). In addition, a specialized and
accelerated program is available for medical doctors who want to acquire
a Ph.D. degree (M.D. to Ph.D. program).
M.S. and Ph.D. students may
choose from a variety of laboratories to conduct their research. Active
research projects in the department include engineering of blood vessel
assembly and vascular pattern formation; in vivo leukocyte mechanics
and molecular mechanisms; biophysics of cell adhesion; T-cell trafficking
in chronic inflammation; atherosclerosis research, microvascular indicator
transport for assessing exchange characteristics of endothelium; electron
microprobe and patch clamp techniques for molecular and cellular transport;
neuromuscular transmission in disease states; blood density measurements
for blood volume distribution; fluorescence microscopic assessment of
the effect of mechanical stresses on living cells; cellular mechanotransduction;
tissue characterization by high-resolution ultrasound imaging and evaluation
of ultrasonic contract agents; multidimensional visualization; rapid
imaging of tissue metabolism and blood flow by magnetic resonance imaging
techniques; magnetic resonance imaging for noninvasive characterization
of atherosclerosis and cancer; development of hyperpolarized helium-3
and xenon-129 gas imaging for assessment of pulmonary ventilation and
perfusion by magnetic resonance imaging; tissue characterization of
neurological diseases by magnetic resonance spectroscopy; neurosurgical
planning; mechanics of soft tissue trauma; and gait analysis. Students
benefit from the facilities and collaborators in the Schools of Medicine,
Engineering and Applied Science, and Graduate Arts and Sciences. These
activities and resources bring the student into contact with the problems
and methods typical of such diverse fields to achieve the breadth and
judgment that are the goals of the Ph.D. program. A University-wide
medical imaging program supports studies on picture archiving and communication
systems, rapid MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) acquisition, image perception,
MRI of atherosclerosis, image segmentation, MRI microscopy, high resolution
ultrasound imaging, and ultrasound contrast agents.
Through a recent Development
and Special Award from the Whitaker Foundation, the Department has moved
into 30,000 square feet of a brand new, state-of-the-art Biomedical
Engineering and Medical Sciences Building in January 2002. The building
is in the heart of the School of Medicine in close proximity to the
hospital and basic medical science departments. This includes modern
teaching facilities, laboratories for student projects, physiological
and biochemical studies, animal surgery, cell culture, molecular biology,
instrument development, and shops for instrument maintenance and fabrication.
Equipment includes a variety of sensors and recorders, a cluster of
IBM RS/6000 computers, UNIX-based systems, PCs, and MACs, some with
A/D and D/A conversion facilities; video equipment; lasers, equipment
for static and dynamic characterization of transducers; patch-clamp
and intracellular recording facilities. The image-processing facility
includes a microscope with a digital CCD camera, high-frequency and
clinical ultrasound systems, and SGI and Sun Workstations. Electron
microscopes, optical and mass spectrometers, flow cytometry, plasmon
resonance, confocal and restoration microscopy systems, proteomics,
gene array, ultrasonic, and magnetic resonance imaging equipment are
available, as are other specialized equipment and consultation from
collaborating departments.
The graduate programs in chemical
engineering prepare men and women for advanced careers in the chemical,
energy, environmental, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries
as well as for careers in university teaching. Graduate study, which
may lead to the Master of Science, Master of Engineering, and Doctor
of Philosophy degrees, requires course work extending the fundamentals
of chemical reactions, mass transfer, mathematics, thermodynamics and
transport processes. Additional courses taken can include applied surface
chemistry; biochemical engineering, polymer chemistry and engineering
and process control and dynamics. The department also offers advanced
graduate courses in selected areas. Study is encouraged in related disciplines
such as applied mathematics, chemistry, materials science, mechanical
engineering, systems engineering, environmental sciences, and life sciences.
The department’s research
areas cover bioengineering/biotechnology; computer and molecular simulation;
electrochemical engineering; environmental engineering; heterogenous
catalysis and reaction engineering; materials and interfacial phenomena;
separations technology; and thermodynamic properties and phase equilibria.
Collaborative research currently involves faculty in the Departments
of Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemistry, Environmental
Sciences, and Materials Science and Engineering, as well as in the School
of Medicine. Students entering the graduate program are invited to discuss
research projects with all faculty.
The chemical engineering research
laboratories are located in a renovated wing of Thornton Hall and in
Phase I of the Chemical Engineering Building. Laboratories are grouped
by specialty, but are open to all graduate students in order to encourage
cooperation and the exchange of ideas and experiences among students.
The University and the department provide extensive computing facilities
in support of education and research.
In addition to the standard
full-time programs designed for students entering with chemical engineering
degrees, individualized programs can be developed for persons with prior
degrees in other disciplines, such as chemistry, or in engineering fields
other than chemical engineering.
The Master of Engineering degree
can be obtained through part-time, off-grounds study of graduate courses
offered in the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program (CGEP).
After completing the basic courses,
passing the preliminary examination, beginning research and passing
the research examination usually within 12 months of entrance, qualified
doctoral students are admitted to doctoral study. Doctoral candidates
in chemical engineering serve as teaching assistants for at least two
semesters. Doctoral dissertations are proposed in a proposal examination
and defended in a final examination.
The Department of Civil Engineering
offers graduate degree programs in civil engineering and administers
the interdepartmental graduate degree program in applied mechanics.
Civil engineering is one of
the broadest engineering professions, encompassing such diverse areas
as aerospace; construction; environmental, geotechnical, structural,
and transportation engineering. Civil engineers are the fabricators
of modern society and the protectors of our environment. They deal with
people and their management, materials and their use, designs and their
application, and the problems of interweaving these factors to serve
society.
Applied mechanics provides the
fundamental underpinning for a number of engineering disciplines, bringing
together the classical disciplines of solid and fluid mechanics and
dynamics, and using the basic principles of physics and applied mathematics
as building blocks. Within this framework, applied mechanics attempts
to describe the gross response of materials and systems to mechanical
and environmental loads.
Graduate study provides opportunities
for the development of professional engineering competence and scholarly
achievement. Students are prepared for careers leading to management
positions in research, development, and design that require creative
abilities in solving engineering problems.
A variety of fellowships and
assistantships provides financial assistance to qualified graduate students
in civil engineering. Research assistantships are available through
grants or contracts that support research projects conducted by the
faculty. A number of research assistantships are also available through
the Virginia Transportation Research Council, a research division of
the Virginia Department of Transportation, located on the University
Grounds. A limited number of teaching assistantships are available each
year to provide tutorial assistance to faculty in several lecture and
laboratory courses. In addition, a number of graduate engineering fellowships
and tuition scholarships are sponsored by the School of Engineering
and Applied Science. Students are also encouraged to apply for various
national fellowship awards, including those offered through NSF, NASA,
AFOSR, ONR, and DOT, among others.
Degrees offered in civil engineering
include the Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering, the Master of
Science in Civil Engineering, the Master of Applied Mechanics, the Master
of Science in Applied Mechanics, and the Doctor of Philosophy. The department
also participates in the Virginia Cooperative Graduate Engineering Program
and provides televised graduate-level courses leading to the Master
of Engineering or the Master of Science degrees. These courses are broadcast
via satellite to a variety of locations within Virginia and to selected
sites throughout the country.
The requirements for the conferring
of the degrees of Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering, Master
of Science in Civil Engineering, Master of Applied Mechanics and Master
of Science of Applied Mechanics are the same as those for the School
of Engineering and Applied Science given under ‘Degree Requirements.’
The requirements for the conferring
of the Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering include the requirements
stipulated for the School of Engineering and Applied Science as indicated
under ‘Degree Requirements’ with the following additional
requirement:
• The program must include
a minimum of 12 credits of formal course work beyond the minimum of
24 credits required for the M.S. degree by the School of Engineering
and Applied Science.
Within the Department of Civil
Engineering, the principal programs of graduate study are environmental
engineering, structures and mechanics, transportation engineering, and
applied mechanics.
Environmental Engineering emphasizes
environmental hydraulics, surface and ground water hydrology, water
quality control, and water quality modeling. Research areas include
storm water management, urban hydrology, fate and transport modeling
of contaminants in estuaries and coastal waters, sediment-water interactions
of contaminants, remediation of contaminated ground water, and sorption
of organic pollutants to soil.
Structures and Mechanics
The educational program in structural engineering is based on the fundamental
principles of structural mechanics, analysis and design of structural
systems, properties and uses of basic civil engineering materials, and
soil mechanics and foundation engineering. Research activities include
dynamic response of structures, field testing of highway bridges, mechanics
of composite materials, soil-structure interaction, hysteretic random
vibration, and structural reliability.
Transportation Engineering and
Planning Transportation interests in the department are concerned
with the management and planning of urban, rural, and intercity facilities,
and the need to improve the mobility and safety of existing systems
and develop new projects. Research areas include decision support systems
for intelligent vehicle highway systems, highway safety, geographic
information systems, applications of artificial intelligence, public
transportation operations, and transportation demand management.
Applied Mechanics
In addition to study within the Department of Civil Engineering, students
may also pursue a Ph.D. degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
or Applied Mathematics with a concentration in applied mechanics. Students
interested in applied mechanics should contact the Office of the Director
of Applied Mechanics Program or the Office of the Dean.
The faculty of the Applied Mechanics
Program possess an outstanding record of scholarly achievements. As
a group, they have been very active in the publication of books and
journal papers, and quite successful in attracting financial support
for their research. Among the faculty are chaired professors, editors,
associate editors and board members of leading mechanics journals, and
active participants in national and international affairs of the mechanics
community. Many are recognized for their outstanding teaching ability.
Students from a wide variety
of backgrounds in engineering, mathematics, or physical sciences are
considered for admission in the applied mechanics program. It is desirable
for students to have had some undergraduate exposure to mechanics courses
and applied mathematics beyond standard calculus. Only those students
with superior academic records can anticipate admission to graduate
studies in applied mechanics.
Areas of study include mechanics
of composite materials; shell theory; nonlinear elasticity; fracture
mechanics; structural mechanics; random vibrations; continuum mechanics;
high temperature test methods; thermal structures; fluid mechanics;
nonlinear dynamical systems and chaos; biomechanics; optimization; finite
elements; anisotropic elasticity; vibrations; galactic dynamics; planetary
systems; fatigue; and micromechanics.
Computer science is that body
of knowledge and research associated with the development and utilization
of digital computers. It includes material associated with pure and
applied mathematics as well as the more technological areas typical
of engineering subjects. However, the existence and proliferation of
computer systems has led to the development of programming languages,
operating systems, and other areas of study that have no counterpart
in more classical disciplines. For this reason, the department’s
instructional and research programs are kept flexible in order to accommodate
new areas of importance as they develop.
Programs of study and research
through the doctoral level are offered by the department. A suitable
background for admission to the graduate program is a bachelor’s
degree in computer science or a minor in computer science with a major
in physics, engineering, or mathematics. Applicants for this program
should have a strong interest in empirical research.
Research in computer science
includes algorithms, parallel processing, computer vision, operating
systems, system security, performance evaluation, programming languages
and environments, software engineering, distributed computing, real-time
systems, critical systems and survivability, computer networks and electronic
commerce, computer graphics and human-computer interfaces, and databases.
A major emphasis is in the development of parallel and distributed computing
systems.
The department’s computer
facilities are primarily UNIX- and Windows 2000-based. The department
has many centralized services connected by a 100 Gigabit switched ethernet
infrastructure. The central file servers offer over a terabyte of storage,
much of which is RAID storage. For large computational jobs, the department
runs many multiprocessor Sun UltraSPARC servers each with 1.5 Gbytes
of memory and 2 Gbytes of virtual memory. The department also offers
high-quality software engineering tools, including commercial development,
debugging, and version control software. Support for parallel computation
and research is provided by 256 500Mhz DEC Alpha workstations and dozens
of fast multiprocessor Pentium-class machines connected by 1.3 Gbit
bidirectional Myrinet. Several Silicon Graphics systems are available
for virtual reality and graphics research. The department’s state-of-the-art
network has as much internal bandwidth as the rest of the School of
Engineering combined. It uses ATM at its edge, including a LightStream
1010 switch connected to a Cisco Catalyst 5000. For networks research,
the department maintains an IBM 8260 and six LightStream 2020 ATM switches
and Cisco 7000 routers. The department runs 100 Mbit switched ethernet
to each desktop and provides 155 Mbit (OC3) connectivity to the outside
world.
The department has a number
of highly visible research projects that are building innovative, cutting-edge
systems. ISOTACH, a way of implementing concurrency control without
locks or barriers, is one research project that has been taken from
paper conception through software implementation to a final embodiment
in silicon through the Systems Integration Lab. Other major projects
with national exposure include LEGION, a world-wide virtual computer
linking major super-computer centers across the country; POP, or package-oriented
programming for large-scale software reuse and integration; BEEHIVE,
a global, virtual, real-time database; and ZEPHYR, a major component
of the National Compiler Infrastructure that is primarily located at
UVa.
The department offers the Bachelor
of Science, Master of Science, Master of Computer Science, and Doctor
of Philosophy degrees. Regardless of the degree track all graduate students
are expected to engage in serious research. To this end, the department
keeps its graduate classes small and fosters a one-to-one relationship
with the faculty.
All graduate students are expected
to demonstrate breadth of knowledge equivalent to that found in the
department’s core courses: Computer Organization (CS 654), Building
Complex Software (CS 650), and Theory of Computation (CS 660). In addition,
they must demonstrate competence in at least one of the following: Programming
Languages (CS 655), Operating Systems (CS 656), Analysis of Algorithms
(CS 661), Computer Networks (CS 757), or Compilers (CS 771).
Graduate students are also expected
to master one area of computer science in depth. To this end, each new
student must choose a research advisor within the first semester, take
at least one advanced seminar each semester, and should submit at least
one academic publication during their tenure here. Participation
in professional conferences is expected.
Although specific course requirements
are minimal for the Ph.D. degree, students in the program are expected
to develop the mathematical skills necessary for serious scientific
research and to participate in the ongoing intellectual life of the
department by regular attendance at colloquia and seminars.
Electrical Engineering offers
the Master of Engineering, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy
degrees. Programs of study and research opportunities are available
in the areas of automatic controls, digital systems, design automation,
solid state devices, communications, network analysis and synthesis,
microwave systems, computer engineering, signal processing, and reliable
system design and analysis. The selection of a degree program depends
upon the interest and background of each individual. The EE Graduate
Handbook, describing requirements of the graduate program, is available
from the department or online at http://www.ee.virginia.edu.
Financial aid is available to qualified graduate students in the form
of graduate research or teaching assistantships and fellowships.
The department also offers a
part-time program in which an employed engineer is able to work toward
a masters degree with a minimum of absence from work. It is designed
so that over a three-year period, a minimum of two-thirds (and possibly
all), of the master's degree requirements can be completed through course
work taken in the late afternoon. These courses are also available to
those who wish to increase their knowledge of electrical engineering
but do not wish to enroll in a formal degree program.
Research within the Department
of Electrical Engineering is conducted primarily in the areas of applied
electrophysics; communications; controls; signal processing; and computer
engineering.
Research in computer engineering
within the department is being conducted primarily within the Center
for Semicustom Integrated Systems (CSIS). The CSIS is a collection of
faculty and professional staff conducting research on the design and
implementation of complex electronic systems. The center is interdisciplinary
and includes expertise in the areas of analog and digital integrated
circuit design, fault tolerance, reliability engineering, test technology,
distributed processing, computer architecture, simulation, design automation,
and expert systems. The disciplines currently represented in the center
include electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science,
and systems engineering. The center was established as a Technology
Development Center by the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology
(VCIT), which is providing long-term support. The center furnishes a
variety of hardware environments and software systems to support its
research.
Available dedicated equipment
includes Sun, Sparc, and HP workstations, and special purpose hardware
for designing and testing full-custom integrated circuits as well as
programmable logic devices and field programmable gate arrays. State-of-the-art
bench equipment is also available for printed circuit board evaluation,
including high-speed (>100 MHz) logic analysis, signal analysis (>12
GHz), and microprocessor development. An HP 82000 D100 tester is available
for testing the ICs. Numerous software systems are available for design
description, simulation, test pattern generation, reliability analysis,
and system analysis. Examples of such software include the Cadence and
Mentor Graphics EDA software, Vantage VHDL, and the CARE-III reliability
analysis system. Faculty includes: Professors Aylor, Blalock, Dugan,
Giras, Johnson (director), Lach, Stan, and Williams. The laboratory
also has several postdocs and research associates.
Under the direction of Professor
Barry Johnson and Principal Scientist and former Vice President of Research
for Union Switch and Signal, Ted Giras, Ph.D., a new multidisciplinary
center called the Center for Safety-Critical Systems has been formed.
The overall goal of the center is to create new knowledge that can be
used by industry to create safer systems, by regulators to write regulations,
and by labor to educate the workforce. Although the center grew
out of the needs of the railway industry, the general area of systems
where safety is a matter of life and death will be addressed. The Center
currently receives generous support from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Federal Railroad Administration, New York City Transit System, Mag Lev,
Inc., and Lockheed-Martin. In addition, the results of the work conducted
for the Federal Railroad Administration was a part of the FRA report
to Congress on safety. Finally, representation on the center's
advisory board consists of most of the significant players in the safety
field, including the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal
Railroad Administration, the Federal Transit Authority, the American
Association of Railroads, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the
Intermodal Passenger Transportation Institute.
Communications and signal processing
is one of the fastest growing economic sectors, both in the United States
and around the world. This explosion is fueled by new developments in
communications and signal processing science and engineering, as well
as advances in device technologies. The faculty brings expertise spanning
the full range of communication theory and engineering to the next generation
of communications challenges. Areas of expertise include digital modulation
and error control coding; wireless communication, including smart antenna
technology; statistical signal processing; optical communications, including
fiber and wireless infrared systems; multi-user spread spectrum system
analysis; detection and estimation; and resource-efficient multiuser
communication. Faculty includes Professors Acton, Brandt-Pearce, Guess,
Silverstein, Wilson (director), and Zheng.
Research in control includes
several areas in systems and control theory and their applications.
The theoretical work spans the areas of adaptive control, nonlinear
control, and robust control. Some topics of interest are control design
for systems with nonlinearities, such as backlash, deadzone, failures,
hysteresis and saturation, stabilization of nonlinear systems, feedback
linearization, sliding mode control, and multivariable adaptive control.
Some of the applications of this theoretical work are artificial
heart pump, flight control systems, robotics, high speed rotor suspended
on magnetic bearings, unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV). Faculty
includes Professors Lin and Tao.
The focus of research in Applied
Electrophysics is in novel solid-state electronic materials, devices,
and circuits for microelectronic, optoelectronic, and millimeter-wave
applications. Laboratories include the Semiconductor Device Laboratory,
the Laboratory for Optics and Quantum Electronics, and the Millimeter-Wave
Research Laboratory. These laboratories share major fabrication, test,
and computing resources, including a 3,500 square foot clean room facility
for microelectronic fabrication equipped with molecular beam epitaxy
systems for epitaxial growth of III-V compound semiconductors and Si/Ge,
deep UV lithography with quarter-micron capability, reactive ion etching,
evaporation and sputter deposition of metals, insulators, and superconducting
films. Equipment available for material and device evaluation includes
a field emission scanning electron microscope with one nanometer resolution,
a photoluminescence system, a semiconductor parameter analyzer, a surface
profiler, and a variety of optical microscopes, curve tracers, and other
equipment. The instrumentation in the Laboratory for Optics and Quantum
Electronics includes a tunable (720 to 1100 nm) TI; a sapphire laser
pumped by an argon ion laser for both spectroscopy and testing of photonic
devices; spectrometers; an automated data acquisition system; and sundry
optical equipment. Microwave equipment includes network analyzers, sweep
oscillators, and a variety of waveguide components, sources, and detectors
for millimeter- and submillimeter-wave applications. They have various
dedicated computer workstations for device and process simulation, including
several HP 735 workstations equipped with the HP Microwave Design System,
and a variety of SUN workstations. Faculty includes: Professors Barker,
Bean, Crowe (director), Gelmont, Globus, Harriott, Hesler, Lichtenberger,
Reed, and Weikle, as well as Professor Hull from Materials Science.
The department and the University
provide a wide range of computing facilities that support both research
and education. The Unix Lab provides Sun Solaris workstations, X terminals,
and access to Unix computer-servers, including a high performance parallel
processing cluster of IBM/RS6000's. In addition, our facilities provide
access to the Web, email, printers, and Engineering software packages,
such as Mentor Graphics, Cadence, Labview, Matlab, PSPILE, as well as
advanced circuit and device simulation packages. Various software development
tools and programming languages are also available.
The graduate program in engineering
physics was one of the first Ph.D. granting programs in the School of
Engineering and Applied Science. It is a research-oriented program in
which students apply the principles of physics to the solution of technical
problems. The student prepares for research in a chosen field by selecting
appropriate courses in mathematics, engineering, physics, and other
sciences. Other than the requirement of a minimum of 2 courses in graduate
physics courses, 2 courses in graduate engineering courses, and 1 course
in graduate mathematics, the master’s student has a wide range
of courses from which to select. [the total of 8 courses]. The Ph.D.
student must satisfy these same course requirements, with an additional
2 courses in physics, 2 in engineering and 1 in mathematics. [If the
student by-passes the Master’s degree, then the total course requirement
for the PhD is 4 courses in physics, 4 in engineering and 2 in mathematics].
Thus, the Engineering Physics Program is extremely flexible, offering
students the opportunity to formulate a program of study that [most]
closely corresponds to their research area.
Faculty research advisors for
engineering physics students come from a variety of departments within
the University, depending on the student’s research area. Engineering
physics research has been directed by faculty members from the Departments
of Materials Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Physics, and the
School of Medicine.
Current research areas include
nano-technology; planetary science; atomic collisions; surface science;
electronic devices; medical physics; gravitational and magnetic physics;
computational fluid mechanics; space plasma physics; nonlinear dynamical
systems and chaos; and accelerator design. Students oriented towards
experimental research may work in a number of facilities, such as the
Laboratory for Nano-technology Institute; Laser Interactions Institute;
Atomic and Surface Physics Laboratory, the Semiconductor Device Laboratory,
the Medical Imaging Laboratory, the Aerospace Research Laboratory, and
the Jefferson National Laboratory.
Financial assistance to qualified
engineering physics graduate students is available in several forms.
Numerous graduate research assistantships are available in sponsored
research programs. Furthermore, a number of graduate engineering fellowships
and teaching assistantships are sponsored by the School of Engineering
and Applied Science. Students should also apply for National Science
Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy, and U.S. National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) fellowships.
Areas of study include ion interactions
with applications to planetary science; materials for nano-technology;
material science; solid state electronics; medical imaging; atomic and
molecular physics; particle-surface interactions; laser applications;
and computational methods in fluid mechanics and chaos.
This department offers graduate
education and research programs in the structure, properties, processing,
and performance of materials. The study of materials may be pursued
according to their technical importance, as in ceramic or metallurgical
engineering, or by considering the general principles that govern their
properties. At the University of Virginia, the latter course has been
adopted, leading to an understanding of materials through the study
of both macroscopic and microscopic viewpoints.
The department provides a broad-based
graduate education in materials, one component of which emphasizes the
commonality among the various classes of engineering solids. Thus thermodynamics,
kinetics, structural analysis and crystallography, defect theory, and
principles of the solid state are strong features of the program. In
addition, other courses relative to the application of materials and
the relationships among materials properties, structure, and the manner
in which materials have been processed are also offered. Extensive research
programs complement formal course work. Active recent programs on metallurgy,
environmental effects on material behavior, electronic materials, fatigue
and fracture, tribology, composite materials, and materials processing
reflect the diversity of the faculty’s research interests. In
addition, the department houses the Center for Light Metals, which oversees
a variety of research on A1, Mg, and Ti alloys and composites containing
these metals. The Center for Electrochemical Sciences and Engineering,
a VCIT center, conducts interdisciplinary research involving five departments.
The Surface Science Laboratory conducts fundamental studies of the surfaces
of materials and provides surface analysis services.
The Department of Materials
Science and Engineering (MSE) at UVa offers the degrees of Master of
Materials Science and Engineering (MMSE), Master of Science (MS) and
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The MS and PhD degrees involve extensive-advised
research, leading to a thesis or dissertation, respectively. The MMSE
degree does not include a thesis and is most often achieved by graduate
students enrolled in the SEAS distance-learning program. The program
of study for each of these degrees has been developed consistent with
the principles of academic excellence as a foundation for cutting-edge
research and cross-disciplinary learning. Several courses are considered
fundamental and constitute a required core for all graduate degrees
in MSE. There is, however, great flexibility that enables the graduate
student to adapt his or her choice of classes to particular fields of
interest and specialization. The graduate program is structured to emphasize
acquisition of knowledge and development of critical thinking skills.
MS Degree
The MS degree in MSE intends for the successful student to demonstrate
both academic achievement and the ability to do independent research
in engineering-science, with close faculty guidance. This degree program
requires that the student achieve satisfactorily 25-course credits beyond
the BS level. All entering-MS graduate students are enrolled in a 4-course,
12-credit core that includes:
1. Thermodynamics of Materials
2. Materials Structures and
Defects
3. 1 Prescribed Elective Selected
from:
• Materials Characterization
• Deformation and Fracture
of Materials During Processing and Service
• Chemical and Electrochemical
Properties of Solid Materials
• Electronic, Optical and
Magnetic Properties of Materials
4. Kinetics of Solid-state Reactions
The MS program of study includes
1 credit of MSE seminar, as well as 4 electives beyond the MSE core.
These electives are at the 5XX, 6XX and 7XX levels, approved by the
graduate student’s advisor and the MSE Curriculum Committee, and
selected from all SEAS-course offerings or other UVa Science/Mathematics
courses. Up to 6 credits of 5XX MSE courses, and up to 9 credits of
5XX SEAS or UVa courses are permitted. No more than 6 elective credits
may be earned in faculty-supervised independent study or advanced-topics
courses. One of these 4 electives should be math intensive, consistent
with a list established by the MSE faculty. The MS degree requires at
least 6 credits of research, under the supervision of a faculty advisor,
and culminating in a written thesis that is presented and defended in
a public forum.
MMSE Degree
The MMSE degree in MSE emphasizes classroom and perhaps laboratory learning,
and requires that the student achieve satisfactorily 30 course credits
beyond the BS level. The MMSE program follows the MS degree requirements
except that the 1-credit seminar course is not required for students
enrolled in the distance learning program. This program of study includes
2 additional electives at the 5XX, 6XX and 7XX level, selected from
all SEAS-course offerings or other UVa Science/Mathematics courses and
subject to approval. Up to 6 credits of electives may be earned in faculty-supervised
independent study or advanced topics courses.
PhD Degree
The PhD degree program in MSE aims to produce tangible-intellectual
achievements from independent research at a frontier in the engineering-science
of materials. This degree requires that the student achieve satisfactorily
47 course credits, beyond the BS level and beginning with a required
7-course, 21 credit core that includes:
1. Thermodynamics of Materials
2. Materials Structures and
Defects
3. Materials Characterization
4. Kinetics of Solid-state Reactions
5. Deformation and Fracture
of Materials During Processing and Service
6. Chemical and Electrochemical
Properties of Solid Materials
7. Electronic, Optical and Magnetic
Properties of Materials
The PhD program includes 2 credits
of MSE seminar and eight 3-credit electives beyond the core. These electives
are at the 5XX, 6XX and 7XX levels, approved by the graduate student’s
advisor and PhD-Advisory Committee as well as the MSE Curriculum Committee,
and selected from all SEAS-course offerings or other UVa Science/Mathematics
courses. One of these 8 elective courses must be math intensive, consistent
with a list established by the MSE faculty. At least 15 credits of electives
must be at the 7XX or 8XX level. No more than 6 elective credits may
be earned in faculty-supervised independent study or advanced-topics
courses. Independent study credits will not count as the 15 credits
of electives at the 7XX or 8XX level. A maximum of 24 credits may be
transferred, as approved by the MSE Curriculum Committee, and may be
applied to achieve any part of the core requirement. The PhD candidate’s
advisory committee will tailor the program of courses to reflect the
importance of both depth and breadth in MSE. Breadth may be cross disciplinary.
The PhD candidate must pass
written and oral examinations that include both general and comprehensive
elements. These examinations are taken concurrently and within 8-12
months after achieving the MS degree. The PhD candidate must write and
defend publicly a proposed research plan that is the foundation for
his/her dissertation. This proposal must be completed 12 months or more
before the defense of the PhD dissertation. The PhD degree requires
at least 24 credits of research, under the supervision of a faculty
advisor, culminating in a written dissertation that is presented and
defended in a public forum. The exceptional graduate student may petition
the MSE faculty to bypass the MS degree and to follow this PhD program
of study. This petition may only be submitted after the core courses
for the PhD degree are completed.
The Department of Materials
Science and Engineering also participates in the Virginia Cooperative
Graduate Engineering Program by presenting televised graduate-level
courses that lead to the Master of Materials Science and Engineering
degree. These courses are broadcast via satellite to locations both
in- and out- of-state in the late afternoon and early evening hours.
In addition, the department participates in the Virginia Consortium
of Engineering and Science universities program which can lead to the
Ph.D. degree.
Department laboratories are
well equipped with extensive instrumentation for the investigation of
all aspects of materials structure and properties. A modern electron
microscope facility includes a 200 kV field-emission gun (FEG) high-resolution
transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) equipped with a Gatan imaging
filter (GIF) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDXS); a 400
kV dedicated HRTEM with a point-to-point resolution of 0.17 nm; a 200
kV scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) with EDXS and heating,
cooling, and straining specimen holders; two scanning electron microscopes
with EDXS, a wavelength-dispersive spectrometer (WDS) and electron backscattered
pattern (EBSP) apparatus; and a focused ion beam (FIB) microscope equipped
with a secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS). All microscopes are connected
to computers for digital imaging and analysis. X-ray diffraction units
provide facilities for a wide variety of single crystal and powder techniques.
The polymer science laboratory offers facilities for infrared spectroscopy,
viscosity, differential thermal analysis, automatic osmometry, and for
the measurement of thermal, electrical, and optical properties of polymers
and other macromolecules. Chemical vapor deposition facilities include
equipment for the preparation of electronic materials from metal-organic
compounds. The ion beam laboratory has a 110 kV heavy ion accelerator
and a 300 kV ion implanter with multiple ultrahigh vacuum experimental
chambers. Additional research is conducted in the area of advanced laser
processing for nano-scale materials. The facilities include high-power
pulsed ultra violet excimer and solid state lasers, time resolved mass
spectroscopy and imaging, and in-situ diagnostics. Material research
areas range from deposition of thin films (electronic, metallic, polymer)
and surface modification to biological thin film processing and particulate
coatings.
Other laboratories are equipped
for research in physical metallurgy, fatigue and fracture, electrochemistry,
surface studies, thin film properties, and materials processing. Their
facilities include mass spectrometers; ultra-high vacuum deposition
units; electron beam and vacuum furnaces; heat treating equipment; a
rolling mill; numerous mechanical testing machines; a hot isostatic
press; an X-ray texture gonimeter; optical metallographs; interference,
polarizing, and hot stage microscopes; and sophisticated image analysis
and processing facilities. A fully equipped machine shop and instrument
shop are adjacent to the research laboratories.
Computational facilities within
the department include a variety of workstations (SUN, DEC, SGI, and
IBM) and personal computers. High performance computing is available
through the University’s affiliations with National Computing
Centers, and on the University’s 14-node IBM SP2 system housed
in the Department of Information Technology and Communication (ITC).
Areas of study include metallic,
polymeric, ceramic, and composite materials; electronic materials; electrochemical
sciences and engineering; materials processing; light metals; structural
analysis, and ion-solid interactions.
The department offers graduate
programs in mechanical and aerospace engineering. In addition to approximately
80 part-time students, about 65 full-time graduate students are currently
enrolled in the department, with approximately 50 percent pursuing the
Ph.D.
Financial assistance to qualified
mechanical and aerospace engineering graduate students is available
in several forms. Graduate research assistantships are available for
work on specific sponsored research programs. In addition, a number
of graduate engineering fellowships and teaching assistantships are
sponsored by the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Research
and teaching assistantships may be supplemented by department or school
fellowship awards.
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering This combined graduate program offers the degrees of Master
of Science, Master of Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering.
Graduate students in this program
may specialize in either (1) continuum and fluid mechanics, (2) thermomechanics,
or (3) dynamics and controls. The particular focus areas range in scales
from macro to micro and nano, and in scope from highly theoretical to
quite applied, and utilize state-of-the-art analytical, computational,
and experimental tools. A large selection of courses is offered covering
the above areas. These courses deal with fundamental principles, analytical
methods, computational techniques, design methodologies, and practical
applications.
Research in the continuum mechanics
area includes studies in fluid mechanics and nano mechanics. Current
research in fluid mechanics addresses low speed unsteady aerodynamic
flows, atmospheric re-entry flows, supersonic mixing, flows in liquid
centrifuges, flow in centrifugal pumps, turbomachinery flows, bio-fluid
mechanics, hydrodynamic stability, microgravity fluid mechanics, multi
free-surface flows, non-Newtonian fluid mechanics, flow/structure interactions,
flows transporting fibers, compressional behavior of fiber assemblies,
and free and forced convection. Current research in nano mechanics involves
nano-scale mechanical properties measurements and applications of atomic
force microscopy in metrology and mechanical evaluation of MEMS and
thin films.
Research in dynamics and controls
covers a wide range of problems of practical interest including control
of machining chatter and thermoacoustic instability, analysis and control
of systems with time delay, neurodynamic control mechanisms of animal
locomotion as applied to autonomous mobile robots and biological information
processing, and use of periodicity to enhance the achievable performance
of controlled systems. Further, there is substantial work in development
and application of modern synthesis techniques to control of industrial
machinery, especially rotating machines with magnetic bearings. Work
on transportation safety includes studies of collision/injury mechanics,
complex nonlinear simulation, and restraint optimization. This work
is primarily applied to injury mitigation/prevention in automobiles
and light aircraft as well as specific work directed at the transportation
needs of the disabled. Finally, the department hosts a strong activity
in rotordynamics research which includes interest in hydrodynamic bearings
and seals, model identification techniques, and experimental stability
margin assessment. This work is primarily directed at flywheels, industrial
turbomachinery, and artificial heart pumps.
Research in the thermomechanics
includes topics from supersonic combustion, micro-scale and non-Fourier
heat transfer, combustion, reduced-order chemical kinetics, thermoacoustics,
aerogels, remote chemical-agents sensing, remote biological-agents sensing.
The department’s mechanical
and aerospace research facilities include a rotating machinery and control
industrial laboratory; a turbomachinery flows laboratory; several subsonic
wind tunnel laboratories; a supersonic combustion laboratory; a supersonic
wind tunnel laboratory; a structural dynamics laboratory, including
an auto crash worthiness laboratory; a nano-scale mechanics and materials
characterization laboratory; an atomic-force-microscopy laboratory;
a mathematical-computational modeling laboratory; a bio thermo fluids
laboratory; a micro-scale heat-transfer laboratory; a control systems
laboratory; and an aerogel laboratory. Several of these laboratories
are unique among all universities in the world. For more detailed,
up-to-date information about the department’s research programs,
and degree requirements, visit the Web site at www.mae.virginia.edu.
Systems engineers design and
implement process, product, and operational improvements in large-scale,
complex collections of humans and machines. These collections are
systems organized around a central
purpose, such as communication, transportation, manufacturing, and environmental
protection. The improvements to these systems can target any phase of
the life-cycle, from requirements analysis through forecasting, design,
development, testing, operation, maintenance, to retirement or replacement.
The central insight in systems
engineering is that the analytical techniques for process and product
improvement extend across applications. For example, the techniques
used to improve communications routing also apply to transportation
routing and material handling in manufacturing. The formal disciplines
that underlie these techniques constitute the basis for education and
training in systems engineering.
The Department of Systems and
Information Engineering provides instruction and conducts research in
two domains: methodologies for systems analysis, design, and integration;
and analytical techniques for making decisions and turning data into
information.
Degree Programs The
department offers three graduate degrees: Master of Engineering, Master
of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy. The plan of study is always tailored
to the individual needs and interests of the student; however, each
student must gain the knowledge of the fundamental methodologies and
techniques of systems engineering.
The M.E. student first learns
the fundamentals of systems analysis, design, and integration, and next
studies either additional techniques or an application area.
The M.S. student first learns
the fundamentals of systems, decision, and information sciences, and
next applies this knowledge to a more focused research project leading
to a master’s thesis.
Both the M.E. and M.S. students
have opportunities for specializing in one of several areas: intelligent
decision systems, communication systems, control systems, manufacturing
systems, transportation systems, environmental systems, urban systems,
health care systems, economic systems, financial systems, management
systems, risk assessment and management, and information technology.
The Ph.D. student first acquires
the advanced knowledge in one area of systems, decision, and information
sciences, and next contributes to knowledge through research leading
to a doctoral dissertation.
Current basic research in the
department explores theoretical and methodological issues in the following
areas: systems performance evaluation, capacity assurance, and
resource allocation; multivariate systems monitoring, discrete event
simulation; probabilistic modeling, empirical model building, data fusion,
and data mining; risk assessment and management; financial engineering;
learning algorithms and dynamic games; optimization, dynamic programming,
and Markov decision processes; Bayesian forecasting and decision theories;
cognitive systems engineering, human-computer interaction and decision
support.
Research Projects Both
M.S. and Ph.D. students typically associate with an ongoing research
project in the department. These projects involve both theoretical and
applied elements and allow students to work closely with faculty on
challenging, contemporary problems. Examples of current research projects
include complex networks optimization, intelligent transportation system,
air traffic prediction system, probabilistic forecasting of weather,
flood warning system, semiconductor operational modeling, spatial knowledge
discovery, regional crime data analysis, clinical and biological data
integration, critical safety data analysis, mitigation of risk to cyber
and physical infrastructure, credit scoring and credit portfolio management,
valuation of intellectual property.
Televised M.E. Program A part-time degree program is available through the Commonwealth
Graduate Engineering Program. Regular courses are televised, which offers
employed engineers the opportunity to earn credits toward the M.E. degree
while requiring a minimum of absence from work. The program is
designed so that over a three-year period all of the M.E. degree requirements
may be completed through courses taken in the late afternoon or early
evening. These courses are also available to those who wish to
increase their knowledge of systems engineering but do not wish to enroll
in a degree program.
For more detailed information
about the department, degree programs, and research areas, visit the
website at www.sys.virginia.edu.
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