Darren Dawson, Dean
Noel Schulz, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs and Director, Engineering Experiment Station
Craig Wanklyn, Assistant Dean for Recruitment and Leadership Development
Larry V. Satzler, Assistant Dean of Student Services
Bette L. Grauer, Assistant Dean for Retention, Diversity, and Inclusion
LaVerne Bitsie-Baldwin, Director, Multicultural Engineering Program
Current Students
1042 Rathbone Hall
785-532-5592
Fax: 785-532-7810
E-mail: studentservices@engg.k-state.edu
www.engg.k-state.edu/studentservices/
Prospective Students
1056 Rathbone Hall
785-532-5455
Fax: 785-532-7810
E-mail: engineer.career@k-state.edu
www.engg.k-state.edu/rld/
A course of study leading to a degree in the College of Engineering provides a well rounded university education and equips students with a broad theoretical and practical background to meet the new and demanding problems of our technological society.
The College of Engineering offers the bachelor of science degree in the following fields: architectural engineering, biological systems engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, construction science and management, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, and information systems.
The College of Engineering at K-State is the most comprehensive college of engineering in Kansas. In addition to the 11 degree programs, 8 formal options and 59 areas of specialization are offered. All of our degree programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org. Construction science and management is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education, 1717 North Loop 1604 East, Suite 320, San Antonio, TX 78232-1570. The computer science degree is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
Click on any of the following links for information:
Objectives and Design Basis
Our design of engineering education for the future will be based on three fundamental requirements. Engineering education at Kansas State University will be practice oriented while firmly rooted in fundamentals, learning-based, and integrative and holistic.
The curricular objectives for the College of Engineering are consistent with the university’s educational objectives. They also provide the framework for the curricular objectives of each program in the college. Graduates will:
- Be proficient in the use of the basic sciences and engineering sciences, and be able to formulate problems, analyze, synthesize, and develop appropriate engineering solutions.
- Recognize and appreciate the importance of intensive laboratory and experimental environments that focus on problem solving and engineering design.
- Be able to work in a team environment with interdisciplinary (lateral) and disciplinary (vertical) depth.
- Be able to communicate effectively among peers as well as with diverse groups, including non-engineers.
- Be able to integrate engineering practice into the social, economic, and political arenas.
- Possess sensitivity in interpersonal relationships, multicultural understandings, and ability to interact on a professional/ethical basis at the national and international levels.
- Be motivated to continue increasing their knowledge base through career-long learning.
General Requirements
High school graduate admission
Admission to the College of Engineering is granted to any individual who has met the admission requirements of Kansas State University (see the Undergraduate Admission section). Students are expected to have a strong academic rank in class and good ACT scores (or equivalent), but academic support programs are available to help students achieve their goals.
Transfer student admission
Applicants with previous college credit, earned after graduation from high school, must apply as transfer students. All applicants to the college with 12 combined or more transfer hours, must have a 2.75 cumulative GPA or higher. Given extenuating circumstances, exceptions to this policy may be granted with the written recommendation of the pre-engineering advisor at the transfer institution. The advisor’s letter of recommendation must be included with the student application and fee to the Office of Admissions with a copy of the letter to the College of Engineering.
International student admission
Applications for admission of international students are judged by several factors, including, but not limited to: secondary school record, test scores, academic record at the college and university level, trend in grades, and grades in mathematics, physical sciences, and related areas.
Because of a limitation on the number of international students that can be accommodated, the College of Engineering reserves the right to apply more rigorous admissions criteria to applicants who are not U.S. citizens.
Scholarships
All students applying for College of Engineering scholarships must complete the K-State scholarship application. Obtain an application from your high school counselor, community college financial aid office, or the Office of Student Financial Assistance. Inquiries by prospective students for engineering scholarships should be directed to the scholarship coordinator, College of Engineering or 785-532-5590, or visit our website.
Selection of a major
Students must select a curriculum or major when entering the college. They are provided academic advisors by their major departments. Entering students who are undecided as to a major in engineering may enroll in general engineering for one year. These students are advised by the Director of Academic Advising and Counseling in Student Services and are encouraged to choose a major by the beginning of their sophomore year.
Extracurricular activities
Leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills are essential for today’s engineering graduate. The College of Engineering provides courses supporting technical leadership development (a leadership in undergraduate technical studies certificate may be earned) and offers many opportunities to become involved on campus through departmental student chapters, K-State Open House, student government, competition teams, and much more. Each contributes to greater personal and professional development. For additional information, contact the assistant dean for recruitment and leadership development.
Engineering fees
Students enrolling in engineering courses are assessed an equipment fee of $19 per student credit hour plus a $20 per student credit hour tuition surcharge (Fees are subject to change.). For further information see the Tuition and Fees section of this catalog. Questions should be referred to the College of Engineering Student Services Office.
Grade requirements
In addition to the university standards and policies for grades, the College of Engineering has the following standards:
Curricula grades
See the individual engineering department sections of this catalog for the grade requirements for their curriculum and degree. Some require C or higher grades for all courses listed in the curriculum, and some require C grades for all courses that are prerequisite for department courses. Some degrees require a specified cumulative K-State grade point average.
Some companies will hire only graduates that have earned a 3.5 or higher GPA.
Conditional-admitted transfer student K-State grades
Transfer students admitted on a conditional basis are required to obtain a 2.5 GPA for the first 12 credit hours after their transfer in order to continue their studies in the College of Engineering.
Transferability of courses
Many of the fundamental courses required for a degree in engineering may be obtained through pre-engineering programs at other four-year institutions or at community colleges. In general, two years of course work will be transferable. However, there are differences among the curricula; students electing this route should work closely with their pre-engineering advisors and the College of Engineering assistant dean of student services. Students should also consult the engineering dual degree section.
To determine which courses at a particular college or university will substitute for courses at K-State, access the Office of Admissions web page.
The Cr and D grades are not acceptable for transfer into College of Engineering programs.
Summer school
Many of the courses appearing in the engineering curricula, not only those which are offered in the College of Engineering but also those in the College of Arts and Sciences, may be taken during the summer semester.
Engineering subjects that normally are offered during the summer include:
| Course |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
| ARE 537 |
Acoustic Systems |
2 |
| CE 212 |
Elementary Surveying Engineering |
3 |
| CE 333 |
Statics |
3 |
| CE 530 |
Statics and Dynamics |
3 |
| CIS 209 |
C Programming for Engineers |
3 |
| ECE 519 |
Electric Circuits and Controls |
4 |
| ME 512 |
Dynamics |
3 |
| ME 513 |
Thermodynamics I |
3 |
| ME 571 |
Fluid Mechanics |
3 |
High school seniors who have had insufficient mathematics to enroll in MATH 220 Analytical Geometry and Calculus I are urged to investigate the possibility of summer school to remove this mathematics deficiency. (See the Department of Mathematics section of this catalog for the MATH 220 prerequisite requirements.)
General Education: K-State 8
IMPORTANT NOTES: Students who first enroll in Summer 2011 or later must meet the requirements of the K-State 8 General Education Program.
Students who began their programs of study in earlier terms under the University General Education (UGE) program may complete their degrees with UGE requirements or may choose to move to the K-State 8. Students should check with their academic advisors to determine which choice would be better. To switch, students must consult with their academic advisors.
Students who are readmitted in Summer 2011 and later will be designated as meeting the K-State 8 by the Office of Admissions. Deans’ offices can make an exception for the readmitted student who has completed UGE or who would prefer to complete UGE requirements.
Objective of the K-State 8
The K-State 8 General Education Program encourages students to be intellectual explorers. Students and advisors will plan programs of study to promote exposure to a breadth of learning that includes the eight areas below. The emphasis and the amount of study in each area will vary for each student, depending upon his/her choice of major and other interests.
The K-State 8 Areas:
Aesthetic Interpretation
Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning
Ethical Reasoning and Responsibility
Global Issues and Perspectives
Historical Perspectives
Human Diversity within the U.S.
Natural and Physical Sciences
Social Sciences
The K-State 8 icons shown above are also used in Kansas State University’s student information system (iSIS).
Overview of K-State 8 requirements
The intent of The K-State 8 is for students to explore the perspectives of disciplines that may be quite different from those of their own majors. For that reason, a minimum of four different course prefixes (e.g., AGEC, MATH, FSHS) must be represented to fulfill K-State 8 requirements.
Each student must successfully complete credit-bearing courses to cover all of the K-State 8 areas. Some of the K-State 8 areas may be covered in the student’s major.
Departments have decided which courses to designate for one or two K-State 8 areas. K-State 8 designations are noted both in the Undergraduate Catalog and in iSIS.
When a course is tagged for two K-State 8 areas, the student may count that course toward both areas. However, students are strongly encouraged to enroll in a variety of courses and experiences that offers them a genuine breadth of perspective.
For more information
K-State 8 policy for changing majors
Changing majors will not affect students’ general education requirements in the K-State 8.
K-State 8 policy for double majors and dual degrees
A student must meet K-State 8 requirements for only one degree/major.
Transfer students
Transfer students are required to cover all eight (8) of the K-State 8 areas and should check with their academic advisors to determine how best to apply transfer credits to the K-State 8.
General Education: UGE
University General Education Requirements
IMPORTANT NOTES: This section does not apply to students who first enroll in Summer 2011 or later. Those students must meet the requirements of The K-State 8 General Education Program.
Students who began their programs of study in earlier terms under the University General Education (UGE) program may complete their degrees with UGE requirements or may choose to move to The K-State 8. Students should check with their academic advisors to determine which choice would be better. To switch, students must consult with their academic advisors.
Students who are readmitted in Summer 2011 and later will be designated as meeting the K-State 8 by the Office of Admissions. Deans’ offices can make an exception for the readmitted student who has completed UGE or who would prefer to complete UGE requirements.
The following information about UGE remains in the Undergraduate Catalog for the benefit of students who choose to continue meeting UGE requirements.
To satisfy university degree requirements, an engineering student must take a minimum of 18 credit hours of approved university general education courses (UGE). These UGE courses must be completed at K-State.
This requirement may be met with required courses in the curriculum and/or with electives, e.g., humanities and social science electives, which have also been designated as UGE courses. In most instances, courses will be used as “overlays,” e.g., to satisfy concurrently a requirement based on accreditation criteria and a UGE requirement.
Students who have acquired academic credits accepted by the university, prior to fall 1997, are not obligated to complete the UGE requirements. Students who pursue and complete their first acceptable credit in fall 1997 or later must meet all aspects of the university general education program.
- The minimum university general education requirements of the college include 18 credit hours from the following areas:
- Natural science: 3 credit hours
- Unrestricted disciplines: 9 credit hours
- Humanities and social science: 6 credit hours must be selected from UGE courses that are also on the engineering approved humanities and social science list. A minimum of three credit hours must be taken in humanities and three credit hours in the social sciences.
At least six of the UGE credit hours must be 300 level or above, and may include one UGE “advanced writing experience” course* required within the student’s major.
No more than 6 credit hours can be from the College of Engineering. One course up to three credit hours may be in the student’s major, if this course meets the UGE “advanced writing experience criteria.” No other course from the student’s major can apply towards UGE credit, unless approved by the Faculty Senate.
All courses must be taken for a letter grade.
*The College of Engineering will allow undergraduates to include as part of their UGE program requirements a maximum of 3 credit hours from designated upper-division courses or experiences that have been approved as UGE equivalent. Such upper-division courses or experiences will be specifically designed for majors, incorporate the three UGE benchmarks and a significant advanced writing experience, and be approved by the UGE Council. (Faculty Senate: 1-18-2005.)
Degree Programs
Engineering is a profession in which knowledge of mathematics and natural science is applied to develop ways to utilize the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of mankind. The curricula for the College of Engineering is designed to meet the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) degree program criteria. The overall curriculum provides an integrated educational experience and includes course work in the following areas:
- Physical sciences and mathematics
- Communications
- Humanities and social sciences
- Engineering sciences
- Discipline-specific courses and technical electives
All K-State ABET programs exceed the minimum, so when coupled with the English, communication studies, and UGE requirements of the university, graduates of these programs have taken at least 60 credit hours outside the College of Engineering.
Significant program breadth of our ABET-accredited engineering programs is ensured by the many curricular requirements outside of a student’s major and the UGE program requirements of the college.
The construction science and management major is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education. The computer science major is accredited by the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board. These programs also contain significant program breadth.
Requirements for each degree can be obtained from the web page of the department that offers the degree. Go to the college index of department web pages.
Humanities and social science electives
All engineering students are required to take courses in the humanities and social science areas in order to add breadth to their education and to help prepare for a more effective role in society. Students must complete courses in at least two areas and must complete at least two courses at a 300 or higher level.
All humanities and social science courses applied towards degree requirements must be taken for a letter grade and also be selected from the most recent list of humanities and social science electives approved by the engineering faculty. This list is available at the engineering student services office and on the engineering advising web page.
Credit by examination
K-State offers students a variety of quiz-out programs through which a student may earn academic credit in specific courses. Engineering students may earn quiz-out credits in mathematics, modern languages, and speech.
Advanced Placement
Many students earn credits by completing Advanced Placement tests. Students who have completed these tests should have the Educational Testing Service (ETS) forward an official report of their scores to the Office of Admissions at Kansas State University in order to receive credit.
For more information contact:
Office of Admissions
Kansas State University
119 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506–0102
785-532-6250 or 1-800-432-8270 (in Kansas)
E-mail: k-state@k-state.edu
Program Options
University Honors Program
For information about the university honors program, available to all students entering K-State in fall 2006 or later, see the Undergraduate and Certificates Offered section of this catalog. Check the honors program web page for applications, requirements, current classes, and more.
Entering freshmen with a composite ACT score of 2.8 or greater and a high school GPA of 3.75 are eligible to apply to the University Honors Program. Other students with a K-State GPA of 3.50 or greater and at least 12 semester hours are eligible to apply. For students to remain in the honors program, a minimum 3.50 composite GPA must be maintained. The student may be on probation from the honors program for one semester if the GPA falls below 3.50. A student may be reinstated to the program if the composite GPA is raised to 3.50 or above that semester. Students previously in the honors program but dropped because of a low GPA may be reinstated on petition from an engineering faculty member and with the approval of the director of the engineering honors program.
Diplomas and transcripts of students completing the university honors program will be inscribed “University Honors Program.” To complete the university honors program, the student must qualify for an engineering degree with a composite GPA of at least 3.50 and must complete the requirements of the University Honors Program.
University Honors Program Requirements - College of Engineering
The college of engineering honors program welcomes qualified students to join the honors program at any point in their academic career in which they become academically eligible for admission into the university honors program. The Kansas State University Honors Program is intended to recognize high achievements of outstanding students who go beyond the curriculum requirements for a given degree program to meet the challenges of completing advanced study, scholarship, leadership, and citizenship activities.
- University Level - 8 credit hours required
- RETREAT for new students prior to fall semester (optional)
- DEN 020 University Honors Program - 0 credit
Students enroll in program each semester
- DEN 189 Introduction to University Honors Program - 1 credit
- Other Requirements - 6 credits
- These include university honors courses and new courses generated by departments. Such courses can be honors sections of required courses or elective seminars (most are 3 credit hours).
- Alternative opportunities (e.g., study abroad) to generate university-level honor credit hours must be approved by both the director of the University Honors Program and the college coordinator (or appropriate college representative). Students cannot use a given activity for both university- and college-level credit. Under no circumstances will students be allowed to arrange for credit after the experience is completed.
- College Level - 8 credit hours or equivalent required
- Required experiences
- DEN 399 Engineering Honors Colloquium (Required) - 1 credit
Colloquium available in fall and spring semesters.
- Honors Project (Required) - 3-4 credits
Capstone research or creative project, including presentation of findings to faculty and/or students.
Requires supervision by a faculty mentor.
The remaining 3 to 4 credits or equivalent necessary to complete the total of 8 credit required by the College of Engineering may be obtained by completing any combination of the following courses or activities. Activities listed, and a plan to determine satisfactory completion of the activities, must be approved by the College of Engineering Honors Coordinator in consultation with the departmental honors advisor and the University Honors Program Director prior to participating in the activity.
- University Honors Courses - up to 4 credits
These are in addition to any courses taken for the university-level requirements listed in the University Honors Program.
- *Leadership/Other Honors Activities - up to 4 PDUs*
(*PDU: Professional Development Units)
Activities for earning professional development units (PDUs) and the number of PDUs to be earned for each activity must be agreed to by the departmental honors advisor (DHA) prior to participation by the student. An activities plan and a method to determine satisfactory completion of the activity must be presented to and approved by the DHA prior to participation by the honors student.
- Activities shown in the following list are intended only as examples of ways by which PDUs may be earned. PDUs listed for each example are not intended to be absolute. Note that no one activity can be repeated for additional PDUs.
- International study abroad or National Student Exchange (3 PDUs).
- Faculty led study tour (1 PDU).
- Summer professional internship (2 PDUs).
- Term COOP experience (3 PDUs).
- Community service including activities organized by Engineers Without Borders, Kansas State University, etc (1 to 2 PDUs).
- Submission of a design or written paper or poster for regional and/or national student competition (2 PDUs). Personally presenting the paper or poster at a national meeting, add (1) point. Placing in the top 3 at the national level, add (1) point.
- Participation on an engineering-sponsored student competition team at the regional or national level (2 PDUs). If serving as a team leader, add (1) point.
- Student organization leadership position (local chapter president or vice president or equivalent) (1 PDU).
- Engineering Ambassador Executive (1 PDU).
- Application for Nationally Competitive Scholarship Awards (Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, Udall, or equivalent) (2 PDUs).
- Graduate coursework (1 PDU for each credit hour of 700 level or higher taken for graduate credit).
- Modern Languages (1 PDU for each credit of 200 level or higher of spoken modern language course or other as approved. Does not include literature or history courses).
- Participation in a College of Engineering-supported Learning Community (1 PDU).
- Steel Ring (1 PDU).
- Total UHP Requirements - 15 credit hours or equivalent required
Professional experience
Professional experiences include cooperative (co-op) educational programs, industrial internships, and summer employment in an engineering/industrial setting.The engineering co-op program is a joint work/academic program, sponsored by Kansas State University and industry, where students alternate between work assignments in industry and academic study on campus.
Industrial internships and summer employment opportunities are not as formalized as a co-op experience and vary depending upon the industries’ expectations. Students apply and register for a professional experience with Career and Employment Services in Holtz Hall. Students may attend workshops conducted by CES staff to improve job search skills. Opportunities exist for students to interview on campus, review Jobs On-Line listings for employment, or find their own position.
International programs
With the impact of new technologies and global communications on world markets, students are encouraged to gain valuable international experiences by participating in international internships, exchange programs, study abroad, and student societies that emphasize international activities such as the engineering student society, Mentors for International Experiences (MIE). The members of MIE provide assistance to local engineering students to enhance their opportunities and experiences abroad. The organization also assists engineering students who are visiting and studying at Kansas State University.
Minors
Programs
Interdisciplinary Studies
Although engineering curricula are structured programs, it is possible to pursue a secondary field of interest through the judicious selection of electives. If added flexibility is needed to pursue specific goals, students may petition the advisor and department head for the substitution of required courses. Some of the more popular secondary areas are:
Bioengineering
Bioengineering is a broad field overlapping the life sciences and many engineering disciplines. Some of the subareas are biomechanics, ergonomics, bioinstrumentation, biomaterials, bioenergetics, bioinformatics, water and waste treatment, food engineering, and environmental engineering.
Business administration
Increasing numbers of engineers are assuming managerial positions in all phases of industrial operations. Students with goals in management should contact the College of Engineering assistant dean of student services.
Energy systems engineering
The increasing demand for energy is one of the major problems confronting all nations. New energy sources are needed in addition to more effective use of present resources. Interested students should select courses from the following areas: thermodynamics, energy conversion, nuclear reactor technology, electric energy systems, and engineering economics.
Premedicine
Many recent advances in medical research techniques, patient monitoring systems, artificial limbs and organs, and aerospace and undersea medicine have developed from the partnership of medicine and engineering. Engineering students wishing to satisfy entrance requirements to a typical school of medicine should contact the premedical advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences prior to their sophomore year. Program information .
Pre-law
A graduate degree in law can be desirable for engineers wishing to pursue careers in industrial management or patent law. While there are no specific courses required for entry to law school, the pre-law advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences should be consulted prior to the sophomore year. Program information.
Computer science
Computers are powerful tools for the solution of complex engineering and/or management problems. Individuals with training in both engineering and computer science possess the background to attack problems over a broad range of areas.
Mathematics, physics, and chemistry
Engineering students with interests in research should plan on graduate study. Preparation at the undergraduate (BS) level could be enhanced by additional courses in mathematics and the basic sciences. Graduate faculty in the student’s major should be consulted about electives for a graduate degree preparation.
Food engineering
Engineers are needed in the food industry for process development and design, equipment design, and management of operations. Students should select technical electives to augment a background in chemistry, microbiology, agricultural and food sciences, and process engineering.
Natural resources/environmental sciences secondary major
Increasing national and international concerns have generated opportunities for individuals to contribute to the resolution of environmental and resource problems. These issues are so complex that they lie beyond the scope of any one discipline.
The secondary major prepares students to apply broadly-based knowledge to the use, management, sustainability, and quality of soil, air, water, mineral, biological, and energy resources.
Dual Degrees
Students who want to pursue interdisciplinary interests in depth may wish to enroll in a dual degree program. There are no minimum semester hours required, but the requirements for both degrees must be satisfied. To complete two degrees in an optimum time, students should consult with the Assistant Dean of Engineering Student Services Office at the earliest opportunity. Students will also be required to consult with the dean’s office in the college from which the second degree is earned.
The second degree may be earned at other four-year institutions, such as the other Regents schools in Kansas. Advisors from these schools will help plan programs commonly referred to as “3-2” degree programs. Students complete 3 years of course work at their institution and arrange to transfer a portion of the credit hours earned at K-State to complete the degree requirements at their institution. If properly planned and implemented, students will also complete requirements for a degree at K-State when the fifth year is completed. However, because about 66 percent of the students at engineering schools take five or more years to complete four-year programs, most of these dual degree programs take 5 1⁄2 to 6 years to complete. Popular combinations are:
Engineering and business administration
The management option is the most popular, but the option in marketing is an excellent combination for the engineering student planning a career in technical sales. Because of course sequence requirements, students should begin the dual degree program in their sophomore year.
Instead of a dual degree, students with a 3.0 GPA or higher should consider an MBA, or the engineering management option of the MS degree in industrial engineering.
Construction science and architecture
Students enrolled in architectural engineering and construction science and management programs that also earn a dual degree in architecture have additional opportunities in the building industry.
Civil engineering and geology
Students interested in specializing in foundation engineering are advised to complete the BS degree requirements in civil engineering plus the requirements to qualify for the BS degree in geology.
Chemistry and chemical engineering
In addition to the required courses in chemical engineering, interested students must take additional courses in chemistry and electives to qualify for the BS degree in chemistry.
Electrical engineering and computer engineering
This dual degree allows a person to function across a wider range of technical areas.
Electrical engineering and mechanical engineering
Some job opportunities in the fields of energy, controls, and heating and air conditioning require the combined background of these two areas. This is the dual degree combination with the highest demand by industries.
Research Centers
Engineering Experiment Station
Byron W. Jones, Director and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs
http://www.engg.ksu.edu/research/EES/index.htm
The College of Engineering is committed to the concept that good teaching and good research complement each other to the benefit of the student, the public, and the faculty member.
The experiment station is the division of the college responsible for the administration of research and other extramurally supported activities in the college. The experiment station works with faculty in all departments of the college to foster development of nationally and internationally competitive research programs. The experiment station also interacts with other colleges to facilitate collaborative research throughout the university.
The activities of the Engineering Experiment Station are funded by state appropriations and by grants and contracts from governmental agencies and private industries.
Center of Excellence, Advanced Manufacturing Institute
Bradley A. Kramer, Director
www.amisuccess.com
The Advanced Manufacturing Institute, a component of the College of Engineering and a Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation Center of Excellence, provides an array of resources to advance technologies, people, and companies through collaborative engineering and business partnerships.
With a full-service product and process development and training center, equipped with cutting-edge manufacturing hardware and software, AMI utilizes its applied research expertise to develop and transfer new technologies and provide technical assistance to industry. Services include product design and engineering, manufacturing process development and technology development, and commercialization.
The AMI intern program is focused on supplying engineering and business students hands-on training and a connection to potential career opportunities, in addition to providing employers a resource of experienced candidates.
Center for Hazardous Substance Research
Larry E. Erickson, Director
www.engg.ksu.edu/CHSR
The Center for Hazardous Substance Research is the administrative home to the Urban Operations Environmental Laboratory (UOEL), community outreach programs for the Midwest Hazardous Substance Research Center (MHSRC), and the National Environmental Evaluation and Remediation (NEER) Consortium. The UOEL is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and the MHSRC is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The NEER Consortium is a partnering organization for the center’s multidisciplinary, multiparty projects. The center’s activities primarily involve environmental assessments and development of new technologies that minimize environmental impacts of hazardous substances; research conferences and publications on cleanup of hazardous substances in soil and groundwater; and free technical assistance to citizens and other stakeholders who are providing input on cleanup and reuse of EPA Superfund, brownfields, tribal, and other types of sites. Teams of faculty and students conduct this work.
Center for Transportation Research and Training
Robert W. Stokes, Director
transport.k-state.edu
The center conducts interdisciplinary research and training in the planning, design, and operation of rural and urban transportation systems.
The center carries out research concerning national, regional, state, and local transportation problems; disseminates the results of research through publication of reports and seminars for university, industry, and government representatives to assure that the results can and will be applied to the solution of practical transportation problems; and provides training to students and personnel from the transportation community to upgrade their professional competence.
Training includes the development of short courses, handbooks, manuals, and other training materials developed under the Traffic Assistance Services for Kansas and Superpave Certification Training for personnel engaged in the construction of Kansas’ highways.
The center also hosts an annual transportation conference for state and local public employees in the transportation sector.
In performing the stated missions of the center, systems analysis and synthesis techniques are emphasized, and the safety, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of transportation systems are not neglected.
Civil Infrastructure Systems Laboratory
Alok Bhandari, Director
www.ce.k-state.edu/research
The facility is a center for cooperation between academia, industry, and state departments of transportation. Its capabilities include accelerated testing of pavements and structural testing of bridge components and pre-stressed concrete girders.
The pavement research and testing activity is sponsored by the Midwest States Accelerated Testing Pooled Funds Program. It fulfills the needs of the surrounding states for full-scale testing and addresses research topics of national and international importance. Dynamic tests include applying simulated historic earthquake ground motion and acceleration to the base and foundations of structures.
The testing laboratory presents an opportunity for students to get exposed to civil engineering practice and actual methods of highway construction, pavement management, and performance monitoring. The students and laboratory personnel use instruments and techniques applied in the current engineering profession and interact with state transportation officials, professional engineers, pavement contractors, and construction companies.
The lab provides practical training and part-time employment opportunities to students in a civil engineering professional environment.
Institute for Computational Research in Engineering and Science
Virgil Wallentine, Director
The Institute for Computational Research in Engineering and Science was established to promote computational research, to develop better research computing facilities, to provide administrative support for computer-oriented activities, and to foster cooperative efforts among members of K-State’s research community.
The activities of ICRES are interdisciplinary in nature and span a wide range of research topics with emphasis on computer modeling and simulation. ICRES serves as a university-wide center for the exchange of computational techniques among researchers and for the development of computer facilities dedicated to research. The institute serves as a focus to develop high-end computing capabilities to meet the needs of computational researchers in engineering and science.
Other objectives of the institute include preparation of research proposals for computational research; the encouragement of creative uses of computers; the dissemination of computing information through seminars, conferences, and institute publications; and the development of software for engineering and scientific research.
Institute for Environmental Research
Steven J. Eckels, Director
Elizabeth A. Mccullough, Co-Director
www.k-state.edu/ier
The Institute for Environmental Research serves as a focal point for interdisciplinary research on thermal environmental engineering and the thermal interaction between people and their thermal environment.
The institute is administered by the College of Engineering and research is administered through the Engineering Experiment Station. It works in cooperation with academic departments from throughout the university. Faculty and students from these departments participate in the institute’s research programs, use the facilities for their own research, and utilize the facilities for specialized graduate courses and seminars. Research funding is primarily from contracts with private companies and government agencies.
Research facilities are available for controlling and measuring thermal environmental parameters over a range of conditions, for measuring thermal characteristics of clothing, and for measuring human physiological variables.
Major facilities include: environmental chambers ranging in size from 45 to 420 square feet and with operating temperatures ranging from –30 to 150 degrees F.; thermal manikins for measuring clothing insulation; hot plates for measuring the thermal resistance of fabric or insulation systems; and an infrared thermal imaging system for measuring human body, clothing, or building surface temperature profiles.
Institute for Systems Design and Optimization
L. T. Fan, Director
www.che.k-state.edu
The Institute for Systems Design and Optimization promotes interdisciplinary research, teaching, and communications in systems engineering.
The institute is administered through the College of Engineering and the Engineering Experiment Station and provides channels of communication between disciplines throughout the university in engineering systems design.
Specific objectives of the institute include interdisciplinary research; systems seminars and conferences; preparation of research proposals; and providing assistance in recruiting of graduate students, post-doctoral students, and faculty.
Nuclear Reactor Facility/Neutron Activation Analysis Laboratory
J. Kenneth Shultis, Director
www.mne.ksu.edu/research/centers/reactor/
Kansas State University has a TRIGA Mark II pulsing nuclear reactor, a radiation instruments calibration facility, and a well-equipped neutron activation analysis laboratory. The reactor, which is licensed for steady-state operation to 250 kilowatts and pulsed operation to 250 megawatts, is used for teaching and research by many departments. The reactor is used in part for radiation effects studies, neutron radiography, fission-track studies, and for neutron activation analysis, an analytical technique that is essentially nondestructive and offers sensitivities greater than one part per billion for some elements.
Neutron activation analysis finds application in diverse fields such as diagnostic medicine, plant improvement studies, nutrition studies, age dating of geological specimens, forensics, toxicology, and metabolic studies. Students involved in these projects emerge with a greater appreciation of interdisciplinary efforts and the importance of being able to communicate with scientists and technologists with varying backgrounds.
National Gas Machinery Laboratory
Kirby S. Chapman, Director
www.ngml.ksu.edu
The National Gas Machinery Laboratory helps the natural gas transmission industry move natural gas safely, reliably, and cost-effectively throughout the nation. With thousands of reciprocating engines that power natural gas pipelines across the county, these engines need low-cost retrofit technologies to meet today’s standards for clean air and efficiency. Through a strong partnership with industry representatives, research at the NGML focuses on meeting these challenges.
The results of the research efforts at the NGML are brought to the classroom at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Team efforts involve students and faculty and provide valuable experiences for students who are interested in the energy industry. Mechanical engineering students employed at the NGML on a part-time basis receive hands-on experience that complements the solid grounding in engineering fundamentals learned in the classroom. Upon graduation, these students are highly sought by, and many of them accept positions within, the natural gas transmission industry.
Home to the Turbocharger Test and Research Facility, the scavenging test bench, a fully instrumented one-cylinder Ajax DP-115 test engine, and a full complement of computational software and hardware, the laboratory has grown into an internationally recognized research and educational facility with more than $7 million in accumulated funding since 1996.
Semiconductor Materials and Radiological Technologies (SMART) Laboratory
Douglas McGregor, Director
www.mne.ksu.edu/research/centers/SMARTlab/
Semiconductor Materials and Radiological Technologies Laboratory has capabilities, available at only one other U.S. university, to design and fabricate novel radiation detectors for neutrons, gamma rays, and X rays. The SMART Laboratory equipment includes an assortment of semiconductor processing equipment, including a linear drive diamond-cutting wheel, two precision diamond wire saws, a wafer dicing saw, precision lapping and polishing machines, a custom chemo-mechanical polishing system, a custom six-pocket e-beam evaporator, a dual filament evaporator, an ion mill, an inductively-coupled plasma reactive-ion etching system, a vacuum rapid thermal annealing system, mask aligners, microscopes, ovens, grinders, scribers, and an assortment of various furnaces for annealing, sintering, diffusions, and oxidations. Central to the SMART lab is a class-1000 clean room where radiation detectors are fabricated. The SMART lab has numerous furnaces to grow semiconductor crystals for room temperature gamma spectrometers. Detectors are built from start to finish in readily deployable packages. A variety of detectors have been developed including micro-pocket fission detectors, semiconductor neutron detectors, and room-temperature gamma ray spectrometers. These are presently in use at several national laboratories.
The SMART facility is available to students and faculty for research and development of devices requiring standard equipment for VLSI processing and device fabrication. The SMART laboratory and a dedicated Radiation Measurements Teaching Laboratory are used to provide students with training in all aspects of radiation detection and measurements.
Extension and Outreach
Engineering Extension Programs
Bruce Snead, Director
www.engext.k-state.edu
Engineering Extension offers a range of services created to serve Kansans through the transfer of technology from the campus and laboratory to business and industry.
Engineering Extension reaches out through its own short courses, conferences, seminars, and workshops to provide information to audiences ranging from the lay public to users of sophisticated technology, including engineering and manufacturing personnel. Engineering Extension’s educational and training programs focus on energy and the environment. Energy information emphasizes construction and retrofit for energy efficiency, maintenance techniques in commercial and institutional buildings, building environmental control systems, and system design for energy efficiency. Engineering Extension targets these programs toward building designers, contractors, building operators, and owners.
In its environmental efforts, Engineering Extension focuses on pollution prevention, assisting Kansas businesses in minimizing the production of wastes harmful to the environment, and on radon detection, mitigation, and construction practice to minimize occupant exposure.
Engineering Extension also coordinates off-campus graduate courses by the College of Engineering. These courses can be available to the general public or be packaged as educational activities delivered for, and supported by, a specific industry or organization. Many of these courses are delivered electronically to educational sites in selected areas of Kansas.
Concurrent B.S./M.S.
Other Programs
