Courses and Research Opportunities
Below is a sampling of courses, research, and other opportunities at Wesleyan connected to engineering. (Note: Research in this group is not simply engineering; usually the researchers are seeking answers to fundamental questions in physics, chemistry etc., and aspects of engineering are part of that pursuit.)
- Elijah Huge‘s design laboratory, North Studio, develops and realizes architectural and landscape projects. Courses such as Architecture II (ARST 436) accompany these efforts.
- Greg Voth and his co-workers investigate the dynamics of fluids and granular material using sophisticated imaging techniques.
- Brian Northrop’s research is in the areas of materials organic chemistry and nanoscience, focusing on polymers and dendrimers as well as self-assembling and self-organizing systems. The Nanomaterials Lab (CHEM 379) is a course exploring related topics.
- Research in the group of Lutz Hüwel includes laser produced plasmas in gases and aqueous solutions with links to atmospheric pressure micro-discharges used in panel displays and electro-surgery devices.
- The groups of Fred Ellis and Tsampikos Kottos are currently exploring novel experimental and theoretical aspects of electron transport along nano-engineered linear structures.
- The Electronics Lab course (PHYS 345) gives students an opportunity to build electronic circuits.
- The science machine shop, located on the ground floor of the Exley Science Center, maintains a well-equipped student shop. It is open to students who work in research labs and who have satisfied the shop foreman of their competence in safely handling machine tools. Many students also take advantage of Wesleyan's computing facilities in their research or course work. In addition to the usual workstations, the Physics Department has three state-of-the art computer clusters available for students working in the theory groups. The University also operates a large computer cluster that is available to all who are doing research.
Wesleyan is part of the Twelve College Exchange Program, and students can spend one or two semesters at one of the participating colleges. This makes it possible to take a variety of engineering courses at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth.