Mechanical Engineering Honors Program

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There will be an Honors Program Information Session on Monday, March 2nd from 5 - 6:00pm.

If you are interested in the ME Honors Program and cannot attend the information session, please contact Prof. Guezennec (guezennec.1@osu.edu) as soon as possible.  ____________________________________________________________________________________

 

Are you interested in...

  • completing engineering research as an undergradute?
  • incorporating research into your technical elective program?
  • preparing for graduate school?
  • graduating "With Distinction in Mechanical Engineering"?
  • earning points towards the "Investigational Studies" component of your Graduation with Honors in Engineering plan?

Through the Mechanical Engineering Honors Program, students have the opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty member to develop an individual research project reflecting their area of interest. Students in the program earn 9 credit hours of technical elective credit and successful completion and oral defense of their theses earns them the designation of "With Distinction in Mechanical Engineering" on their diplomas. Past students have found this program to be one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of their educational experience.

Scholarship money is available through the College of Engineering for students who wish to participate in the research proposal competition.  Past students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering have fared very well in this competition. 

If you would like to learn more about the ME Honors Program, we invite you to explore the links below, which provide an introduction to all aspects of the program, including finding a research advisor and topic, and applying for scholarship funds through the College of Engineering. 

 If you have further questions about the ME Honors Program, you are encouraged to contact your undergraduate advisor (meadvisor@osu.edu), your faculty advisor, or the ME Department Honors Advisor, Prof. Yann Guezennec (guezennec.1@osu.edu). 

Requirements for Participation in the ME Honors Program

 

Participation in the ME Honors Program requires the following:

  1. CPHR of 3.4 or above*.
  2. Be three or more quarters from graduation.
  3. Submission of a research proposal the quarter before starting research.
  4. Enrollment in the following technical elective courses under the concentration "Research & Advanced Studies in Mechanical Engineering":
    • ME H680 "Signal Processing" (3 credit hours, Sp. Qtr.) ** ME H680 will not be offered SP09.  Students who planned to take ME H680 SP09 may instead substitute any 700-level mechanical engineering technical elective in its place.**
    • ME H783 "Honors Research" for a total of 6 credit hours over three quarters.

* In order to graduate "with Distinction in Mechanical Engineering", a final CPHR of 3.4 must be maintained at the time of graduation.

How to Enroll in the ME Honors Program: A Step by Step Guide

  1. Read "College of Engineering Graduating With Distinction Information." 
  2. Schedule a meeting with Prof. Guezennec (guezennec.1@osu.edu), who coordinates the ME Honors Program for our department. 
  3. Find a research topic and advisor.  For suggestions, see "How to Find a Research Advisor and Topic."
  4. Develop a proposal for your research with guidance from your research advisor. 
  5. Submit application, letters of recommendation from your research advisor, and research proposal to the College of Engineering. 
  6. Enroll in ME H680 during a spring quarter as close to the start of your research as possible*.   ** ME H680 will not be offered SP09.  Students who planned to take ME H680 SP09 may instead substitute any 700-level mechanical engineering technical elective in its place.**
  7. Enroll in ME H783 for a total of 6 credit hours over three quarters following the submission of your proposal. 

* Technically, you can enroll in this course any time during your research, but typically it will benefit you the most if you take it before or during your first quarter of research. 

SOME NOTES:

  • Students can begin their participation in the ME Honors Program AU, WI, or SP quarters.  Submission of application materials and a proposal to the College of Engineering ideally occurs before the start of the quarter in which a student wishes to begin his/her research.
  • If students wish to be eligible for scholarship funds based on their proposal, then they are encouraged to use the proposed timeline.
  • Students are encouraged to take the time to develop a strong, thorough proposal.  Good research starts with a good proposal.
  • See your advisor if you need help developing a timeline for your research! 

How to Find a Research Advisor and Topic

 

Perhaps the least clear part of the process is the initial step of finding a research advisor and topic.  Here are some suggestions to help you get started:

  1. Speak with your faculty advisor about your interest in this program and undergraduate research!
  2. What instructors did you enjoy learning from?  What classes did you find interesting?  These instructors may already have research projects defined that would be appropriate for undergraduate work.
  3. Check the "2009 - 2010 Potential Honors Project List" (below).  This pre-developed list of potential research projects and advisors is a way to identify some topics that are of interest to you and some faculty who have opportunities available for undergraduates. 
  4. Is there a topic in which you've developed your own interest?  If so, you could propose a research idea to a faculty member associated with your area of interest.   

Past Research Topics and Sample Proposals

 

Some past research topics have included:

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Analysis of Parallel Vibration Paths with Potential Application to Vehicle Noise Reduction

Design of a Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Design of an X-Y Table for Investigating and Rehabilitating Human Motor Contro

The Dynamics of Bipedal Skipping Gaits

Estimation of Internal Cylinder Pressure in a Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engine Through Torque Estimation

Modeling Brain Motion Due to Impacts to the Skull

Predicting Change in Transmission Pipeline Corrosion from Ultrasonic and Magnetic Flux Leakage In-Line Inspection Instrument Data

A System Analysis and Design Tool for Product Design

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Attached are some past proposals that have faired well in the College of Engineering research scholarship competition.

Timeline for College of Engineering Research Scholarship Competition

 

The College of Engineering has an annual competition for research scholarships.  In order to be eligible to receive these scholarships, all application materials must be submitted to the College of Engineering by the 2nd Friday of Spring quarter.  Below is a suggested timeline for participation in the ME Honors Program based on application for these funds:

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Jan/Early Feb: Identify possible research advisors and topics; enroll in ME H680 for spring quarter

Mid-Feb: Select research advisor and finalize topic of research

Mid-Feb - End of Winter Quarter: Work on proposal with help of research advisor

Spring Quarter: Take ME H680**; submit proposal and application materials to College of Engineering; enroll in ME H783 for autumn quarter

Autumn / Winter / Spring Quarters*: Enroll in ME H783, do research, write and defend undergraduate thesis!

* If you wish to start your research in a winter or spring quarter but still wish to compete for these funds, then you should follow the first part of this timeline - in essence, you will be completing your research proposal almost a year in advance of when you start your research. 

** ME H680 will not be offered SP09.  Students who planned to take ME H680 SP09 may instead substitute any 700-level mechanical engineering technical elective in its place.

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As you can see, in order to complete your proposal by the application deadline, you need to be planning ahead!