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The University offers a wide array of learning experiences through an installation lab, fluid lab, wind tunnel, and machine shop. 

These labs are equipped with tools like a 3D printer, CNC (computer numeric control) automatic machining system, and a universal tensile testing machine.

“I show them the different equipment and explain how we do our measurements and how those instruments work,” says Assistant Professor Mirza Ahmed, Ph.D. “I spend a lot of time explaining how things are made and why we chose this equipment in the first place. A lot of students are very excited about the opportunity for hands-on mechanical engineering.”

Ahmed takes his commitment to Norwich students and experiential learning to heart, keeping an open-door policy and offering support for students. “I love students who come to office hours. Not everybody always needs to come to office hours, but some students come in every day to show their work,” he says. “We have a very special bond with our students; we know our students. Class sizes are smaller, so I can blend in with the students. I can pick up if they’re falling behind; if they’re not submitting homework, how can I help this?”

“An aerospace company brought us a real problem that they were facing,” he says. “Instead of them going to the R&D department to solve it, they asked our students to work on it.”

The mechanical engineering faculty’s efforts on behalf of the students have led to learning outside of the classroom that reinforces material they have learned on campus. “We take students for tours of different engineering institutes or companies,” says Ahmed. “We usually give them options, load up 10 to 15 students, get transportation, and take them on a trip. It helps them see what is going on in the world and what kind of job they can get. Our faculty has great connections, and companies sometimes even reach out to us and inquire about our students.”

These inquiries often lead to students working on projects for companies before they even graduate. “An aerospace company brought us a real problem that they were facing,” he says. “Instead of them going to the R&D department to solve it, they asked our students to work on it.” The students’ work was presented during the engineering convocation.

“A lot of companies came, and I saw a lot of students in business attire rather than their uniforms because they hoped for a possibility of a job offer,” says Ahmed. “They printed out their resume and brought it with them – some of them actually got hired.” 

Learn more about the program.