Overview
Worked closely with key collaborator Prof. P. Brodsky to build Colorado School of Mines’ automotive engineering track from inception in Fall 2022 to 252 declared students today. Developed MEGN 417/527 Vehicle Dynamics as a core track course, established industry partnerships, and created the experiential curriculum framework connecting classroom instruction to competition-based and employer-sponsored projects. The program ranks 2nd within ME by enrollment (behind only Aerospace) with a 126:1 student-to-faculty ratio and only two core faculty.
Key Accomplishments
- 252 declared students in the automotive engineering track launched in Fall 2022 (17% of ME track-declared students)
- Developed MEGN 417/527 Vehicle Dynamics and stabilized MEGN 391 Introduction to Automotive Design as the track’s required courses, with curated electives covering vibrations, controls, EVs, fuel cells, combustion, and CFD
- Established partnerships with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and DOE national laboratories
- Created experiential curriculum framework connecting coursework to real-world projects
- Designed the program to be self-sustaining through industry sponsorship and competition funding
Approach
The program was designed around three pillars: technical depth through rigorous coursework, hands-on experience through competition teams and industry projects, and professional development through mentorship and career preparation. Every course in the track includes an experiential component where students work on real systems with real constraints.
Competition Teams
The program supports flagship student competition teams including Formula SAE, Shell Eco-marathon, the DOE Battery Workforce Challenge, and the DOE EcoCAR Innovation Challenge. These teams give students authentic end-to-end engineering experience from requirements through design, build, test, and competition.
