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Woodie Flowers

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85-655: Woodie Claude Flowers (November 18, 1943 – October 11, 2019) was a professor of mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . His specialty areas were engineering design and product development ; he held the Pappalardo Professorship and was a MacVicar Faculty Fellow. Flowers was known for co-creating FIRST , a youth organization known primarily for operating FIRST Robotics Competition and other student engineering competitions. Working with inventor Dean Kamen , Flowers helped design

170-560: A professional engineer or a chartered engineer . "Only a licensed engineer, for instance, may prepare, sign, seal and submit engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval, or to seal engineering work for public and private clients." This requirement can be written into state and provincial legislation, such as in the Canadian provinces, for example the Ontario or Quebec's Engineer Act. In other countries, such as Australia, and

255-642: A course in an engineering trade like fitter from the Industrial Training Institute (ITIs) to receive a "ITI Trade Certificate" and also pass the All India Trade Test (AITT) with an engineering trade conducted by the National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT) by which one is awarded a "National Trade Certificate". A similar system is used in Nepal. Some mechanical engineers go on to pursue

340-452: A drafter or draftsman. Drafting has historically been a two-dimensional process, but computer-aided design (CAD) programs now allow the designer to create in three dimensions. Instructions for manufacturing a part must be fed to the necessary machinery, either manually, through programmed instructions, or through the use of a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) or combined CAD/CAM program. Optionally, an engineer may also manually manufacture

425-517: A failure has occurred, or when designing to prevent failure. Engineers often use online documents and books such as those published by ASM to aid them in determining the type of failure and possible causes. Once theory is applied to a mechanical design, physical testing is often performed to verify calculated results. Structural analysis may be used in an office when designing parts, in the field to analyze failed parts, or in laboratories where parts might undergo controlled failure tests. Thermodynamics

510-880: A field during the Industrial Revolution in Europe in the 18th century; however, its development can be traced back several thousand years around the world. In the 19th century, developments in physics led to the development of mechanical engineering science. The field has continually evolved to incorporate advancements; today mechanical engineers are pursuing developments in such areas as composites , mechatronics , and nanotechnology . It also overlaps with aerospace engineering , metallurgical engineering , civil engineering , structural engineering , electrical engineering , manufacturing engineering , chemical engineering , industrial engineering , and other engineering disciplines to varying amounts. Mechanical engineers may also work in

595-411: A force applied) the object being analyzed either breaks or is deformed plastically , depending on the criterion for failure. Fatigue failure occurs when an object fails after a number of repeated loading and unloading cycles. Fatigue failure occurs because of imperfections in the object: a microscopic crack on the surface of the object, for instance, will grow slightly with each cycle (propagation) until

680-492: A machine is likely to work. Engineers may seek license by a state, provincial, or national government. The purpose of this process is to ensure that engineers possess the necessary technical knowledge, real-world experience, and knowledge of the local legal system to practice engineering at a professional level. Once certified, the engineer is given the title of Professional Engineer (United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh and South Africa), Chartered Engineer (in

765-583: A minimum of 4 years post graduate on the job competency development and a peer-reviewed project report to become a Chartered Mechanical Engineer (CEng, MIMechE) through the Institution of Mechanical Engineers . CEng MIMechE can also be obtained via an examination route administered by the City and Guilds of London Institute . In most developed countries, certain engineering tasks, such as the design of bridges, electric power plants, and chemical plants, must be approved by

850-1011: A part using the technical drawings. However, with the advent of computer numerically controlled (CNC) manufacturing, parts can now be fabricated without the need for constant technician input. Manually manufactured parts generally consist of spray coatings , surface finishes, and other processes that cannot economically or practically be done by a machine. Drafting is used in nearly every subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, and by many other branches of engineering and architecture. Three-dimensional models created using CAD software are also commonly used in finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Many mechanical engineering companies, especially those in industrialized nations, have incorporated computer-aided engineering (CAE) programs into their existing design and analysis processes, including 2D and 3D solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD). This method has many benefits, including easier and more exhaustive visualization of products,

935-406: A postgraduate degree such as a Master of Engineering , Master of Technology , Master of Science , Master of Engineering Management (M.Eng.Mgt. or M.E.M.), a Doctor of Philosophy in engineering (Eng.D. or Ph.D.) or an engineer's degree . The master's and engineer's degrees may or may not include research . The Doctor of Philosophy includes a significant research component and is often viewed as

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1020-562: A program known as Invention 2000, Olin College hired its first faculty members and invited 30 students, known as Olin Partners, to help it form a curriculum. The students lived in temporary housing and spent their first year after high school investigating assessment and grading methods, jump-starting the student culture, and experimenting with forms of engineering education. Olin admitted its first full class of 75 students in 2002. This class included

1105-473: A separate field within engineering. They brought with them manufacturing machines and the engines to power them. The first British professional society of mechanical engineers was formed in 1847 Institution of Mechanical Engineers , thirty years after the civil engineers formed the first such professional society Institution of Civil Engineers . On the European continent , Johann von Zimmermann (1820–1901) founded

1190-445: A student's GPA to be a very important academic factor, with a very high emphasis on an applicant's letters of recommendation, application essays, the rigor of academic record, and high school rank. In terms of non-academic materials as of 2022, Olin ranks extracurricular activities, the interview, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities as 'very important' in making first-time, first-year admission decisions while ranking whether

1275-583: Is a private college focused on engineering and located in Needham, Massachusetts . Its endowment had been funded primarily by the defunct F. W. Olin Foundation . The college covers half of each admitted student's tuition through the Olin Scholarship. Olin College was founded by the F. W. Olin Foundation in 1997. The trustees were concerned about perpetuating Franklin W. Olin 's donor intent indefinitely, so

1360-938: Is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science , to design , analyze, manufacture, and maintain mechanical systems . It is one of the oldest and broadest of the engineering branches . Mechanical engineering requires an understanding of core areas including mechanics , dynamics , thermodynamics , materials science , design , structural analysis , and electricity . In addition to these core principles, mechanical engineers use tools such as computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-aided engineering (CAE), and product lifecycle management to design and analyze manufacturing plants , industrial equipment and machinery , heating and cooling systems , transport systems, motor vehicles , aircraft , watercraft , robotics , medical devices , weapons , and others. Mechanical engineering emerged as

1445-459: Is an applied science used in several branches of engineering, including mechanical and chemical engineering. At its simplest, thermodynamics is the study of energy, its use and transformation through a system . Typically, engineering thermodynamics is concerned with changing energy from one form to another. As an example, automotive engines convert chemical energy ( enthalpy ) from the fuel into heat, and then into mechanical work that eventually turns

1530-523: Is credited with the invention of the wheel by several, mainly old sources. However, some recent sources either suggest that it was invented independently in both Mesopotamia and Eastern Europe or credit prehistoric Eastern Europeans with the invention of the wheel The lever mechanism first appeared around 5,000 years ago in the Near East, where it was used in a simple balance scale , and to move large objects in ancient Egyptian technology . The lever

1615-426: Is the means by which mechanical engineers design products and create instructions for manufacturing parts. A technical drawing can be a computer model or hand-drawn schematic showing all the dimensions necessary to manufacture a part, as well as assembly notes, a list of required materials, and other pertinent information. A U.S. mechanical engineer or skilled worker who creates technical drawings may be referred to as

1700-1020: The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) to ensure similar course requirements and standards among universities. The ABET web site lists 302 accredited mechanical engineering programs as of 11 March 2014. Mechanical engineering programs in Canada are accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB), and most other countries offering engineering degrees have similar accreditation societies. In Australia , mechanical engineering degrees are awarded as Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) or similar nomenclature, although there are an increasing number of specialisations. The degree takes four years of full-time study to achieve. To ensure quality in engineering degrees, Engineers Australia accredits engineering degrees awarded by Australian universities in accordance with

1785-591: The Common App , and all applications are reviewed in January. A holistic review process then carefully evaluates each applicant’s academic and personal qualities to determine whether they will advance to the second phase of the admission process. About 225–250 applicants are invited to participate in the second phase, Candidates’ Weekends, for them to learn more about the Olin community, curriculum, and culture. All applicants who reach

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1870-462: The Continent . The Dutch mathematician and physicist Christiaan Huygens invented the pendulum clock in 1657, which was the first reliable timekeeper for almost 300 years, and published a work dedicated to clock designs and the theory behind them. In England, Isaac Newton formulated Newton's Laws of Motion and developed the calculus , which would become the mathematical basis of physics. Newton

1955-525: The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) in 1992, which evolved into an international competition involving 3,647 teams and serving more than 91,000 students as of 2020. Flowers introduced the phrase "gracious professionalism" to FIRST, an idea which has since pervaded FIRST literature and culture. Flowers served every year as National Advisor to FIRST. He was active at FIRST events, working as an MC and being treated along with Kamen "like heroes." At

2040-619: The NCAA , and the regional NCAA conference—the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference —has not given approval for students to compete with Babson's varsity teams. Olin students are, however, allowed to participate in club teams and non-NCAA sports at Babson, and the Babson women's rugby team includes several Olin members. Olin has two soccer teams that compete through a Boston athletic organization, as well as an Ultimate team that competes in

2125-510: The United States Military Academy in 1817, an institution now known as Norwich University in 1819, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1825. Education in mechanical engineering has historically been based on a strong foundation in mathematics and science. Degrees in mechanical engineering are offered at various universities worldwide. Mechanical engineering programs typically take four to five years of study depending on

2210-431: The click beetle 's jumping mechanism). Classes often take a "do-learn" format, with the application of concepts being taught before the formal introduction of the underlying theory. As part of its mission to redefine engineering education, Olin is continually undergoing curriculum reviews. The goal of these reviews is to ensure that the college maintains a culture of change and continuous improvement. Significant aspects of

2295-549: The "Principles and Practice" or PE (Practicing Engineer or Professional Engineer) exams. The requirements and steps of this process are set forth by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), composed of engineering and land surveying licensing boards representing all U.S. states and territories. In the UK, current graduates require a BEng plus an appropriate master's degree or an integrated MEng degree,

2380-550: The 13th to 14th centuries. During the Islamic Golden Age (7th to 15th century), Muslim inventors made remarkable contributions in the field of mechanical technology. Al-Jazari , who was one of them, wrote his famous Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices in 1206 and presented many mechanical designs. In the 17th century, important breakthroughs in the foundations of mechanical engineering occurred in England and

2465-617: The 2017 VEX Robotics World Championship, Woodie Flowers was inducted into the STEM Hall of Fame. In 1996, the FIRST Robotics Competition created the Woodie Flowers award, which was awarded to Flowers that year. In years since, the award has served as a way for FRC teams to recognize distinguished adult mentors. At each FRC regional competition a Woodie Flowers Finalist Award (W.F.F.A) is presented to one nominee, qualifying them for

2550-733: The Affordable Design and Entrepreneurship (ADE) capstone, students work on self-designed projects. Olin College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology . Admissions to Olin College are selective, with, as of Fall 2022, 19% of applicants being admitted and the interquartile (middle 50%) of admitted students submitting scores under Olin College’s test-optional policy having SAT scores between 1500 and 1550 or ACT score of 35. Admissions Office considers

2635-749: The BUDA league and the Ultimate Players Association . Additionally, students participate in Sunday morning football games, intramural sports, pick-up Ultimate games, the Student Martial Arts Club, a fencing club, and other athletic organizations. In 2002, the Olin Partners and Virtual Olin Partners selected the phoenix as the school's mascot. The mascot, sometimes unofficially called Frank, represents Olin's willingness to reinvent itself, just as

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2720-469: The CD to the computer. Robotics is the application of mechatronics to create robots, which are often used in industry to perform tasks that are dangerous, unpleasant, or repetitive. These robots may be of any shape and size, but all are preprogrammed and interact physically with the world. To create a robot, an engineer typically employs kinematics (to determine the robot's range of motion) and mechanics (to determine

2805-776: The Championship Woodie Flowers Award (WFA) presented at the FIRST Championship. Flowers was a "Distinguished Partner" at Olin College , a member of the National Academy of Engineering , and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science . In 2007, he received a degree honoris causa from Chilean university Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello . Flowers married Margaret Weas, who he met at Louisiana Tech University, in 1967. Flowers

2890-831: The Office of Student Life picks student "resident resources" (R2s) to fill the role traditionally played by resident assistants (RAs) at other schools. Unlike most RAs, R2s are not directly responsible for enforcing dorm policies. The Olin Honor Code has five clauses, titled "Integrity", "Respect for Others", "Passion for the Welfare of Olin College", "Openness to Change", and "Do Something". Students can participate in clubs, community service projects, co-curricular activities with faculty and staff (which are noted on transcripts), and "passionate pursuits" (independent projects eligible for funding and/or non-degree credit). Olin does not compete alone in

2975-490: The Olin Partners, a group of deferred students known as the Virtual Olin Partners, and recent high school graduates. After admitting three more classes, the college reached its full size of approximately 300 students in fall 2005. It currently has about 390 students. Olin's campus was designed by the architecture firm Perry Dean Rogers Architects in the postmodern style . The first phase, comprising four buildings,

3060-403: The Olin Scholarship, Olin follows need-blind admissions and provides need-based grants to meet each student's full demonstrated need. Olin also allows students to receive funding and non-degree credit for "passionate pursuits," personal projects that the college recognizes as having academic value. It used to provide full-tuition scholarships, but in 2009, responding to a significant decline in

3145-510: The U.S. workforce was $ 80,580. The median income was highest when working for the government ($ 92,030), and lowest in education ($ 57,090). In 2014, the total number of mechanical engineering jobs was projected to grow 5% over the next decade. As of 2009, the average starting salary was $ 58,800 with a bachelor's degree. The field of mechanical engineering can be thought of as a collection of many mechanical engineering science disciplines. Several of these subdisciplines which are typically taught at

3230-414: The U.S., for example, are required by ABET to show that their students can "work professionally in both thermal and mechanical systems areas." The specific courses required to graduate, however, may differ from program to program. Universities and institutes of technology will often combine multiple subjects into a single class or split a subject into multiple classes, depending on the faculty available and

3315-429: The UK, no such legislation exists; however, practically all certifying bodies maintain a code of ethics independent of legislation, that they expect all members to abide by or risk expulsion. The total number of engineers employed in the U.S. in 2015 was roughly 1.6 million. Of these, 278,340 were mechanical engineers (17.28%), the largest discipline by size. In 2012, the median annual income of mechanical engineers in

3400-576: The United Kingdom, Ireland, India and Zimbabwe), Chartered Professional Engineer (in Australia and New Zealand) or European Engineer (much of the European Union). In the U.S., to become a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), an engineer must pass the comprehensive FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam, work a minimum of 4 years as an Engineering Intern (EI) or Engineer-in-Training (EIT) , and pass

3485-559: The United States it is common for mechanical engineering students to complete one or more internships while studying, though this is not typically mandated by the university. Cooperative education is another option. Future work skills research puts demand on study components that feed student's creativity and innovation. Mechanical engineers research, design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal devices, including tools, engines, and machines. Mechanical engineers typically do

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3570-445: The United States. As of 2014 , The Princeton Review ranked Olin College second for classroom experience, third for dormitories, third for amount of studying, fourth for student opinion of professors, fifth for ease of getting around campus, eighth for LGBT friendliness, 11th for financial aid, 11th for quality of life, 12th for science laboratory facilities, 17th for career services, and 19th for student happiness. In 2006, Olin

3655-416: The abandonment of full-tuition scholarships, Olin's spending remained relatively constant, and payroll costs rose 16% between 2009 and 2011. It also noted that Olin's administrators received "significantly more than the median salaries of executives in comparable positions", and that Moody's had downgraded the institution's bond rating. In an open letter to the Olin community, President Richard Miller defended

3740-708: The ability to create virtual assemblies of parts, and the ease of use in designing mating interfaces and tolerances. Other CAE programs commonly used by mechanical engineers include product lifecycle management (PLM) tools and analysis tools used to perform complex simulations. Analysis tools may be used to predict product response to expected loads, including fatigue life and manufacturability. These tools include finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM). Olin College Olin College of Engineering , officially Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering ,

3825-404: The advice of a high school teacher he attended Louisiana Polytechnic Institute under a disability scholarship, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1966. He then attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), earning his M.S. (1968), M.E. (1971), and PhD (1973) under the direction of Bob Mann. His thesis, titled "A man-interactive simulator system for above-knee prosthetics studies,"

3910-434: The applicant is a first-generation college applicant, legacy preferences , state and geographical residence as 'considered'. Volunteer work, racial/ethnic status, and work experience are marked as 'important'. The level of an applicant's interest is highly accounted for in the admission decisions. Olin College's admission process is non-conventional and follows a two-step process. Applicants first apply for admission through

3995-509: The class in 1974, developing it into one of the most popular classes at MIT. He redesigned the challenge every year, always trying to make it more complex and exciting for students. The competition was televised several years on the PBS show Discover: the World of Science . The competition became akin to a sporting event, and was even jokingly referred to as MIT's true homecoming game. In 1987, Flowers handed

4080-440: The class over to Harry West. Discover: the World of Science changed its name to Scientific American Frontiers in 1990, and Flowers served as its host until 1993 when he was replaced by Alan Alda . In 1990, Flowers began working with Dean Kamen on FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a project to inspire a culture that celebrates science and technology. Taking elements from 2.70, they created

4165-638: The college's endowment caused by the Great Recession , the trustees decided to reduce the merit scholarships to half-tuition for all students since the 2010–11 academic year. Olin College houses students in dorms and suites in either the West Hall or the East Hall. Olin students are required to live on campus unless an exception is made by the dean of student life due to personal circumstances (e.g., for married students or students with families nearby). In addition,

4250-510: The core mechanical engineering curriculum, many mechanical engineering programs offer more specialized programs and classes, such as control systems , robotics, transport and logistics , cryogenics , fuel technology, automotive engineering , biomechanics , vibration, optics and others, if a separate department does not exist for these subjects. Most mechanical engineering programs also require varying amounts of research or community projects to gain practical problem-solving experience. In

4335-429: The crack is large enough to cause ultimate failure . Failure is not simply defined as when a part breaks, however; it is defined as when a part does not operate as intended. Some systems, such as the perforated top sections of some plastic bags, are designed to break. If these systems do not break, failure analysis might be employed to determine the cause. Structural analysis is often used by mechanical engineers after

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4420-495: The curriculum—such as student assessment, course offerings, and student workload—are considered for detailed review yearly. Much of Olin College's curriculum is built around hands-on engineering and design projects. This project-based teaching begins in a student's first year and culminates in two senior "capstone" projects. In the engineering capstone, student teams are hired by corporations, non-profit organizations, or entrepreneurial ventures for real-world engineering projects. In

4505-428: The design or analysis phases of engineering. If the engineering project were the design of a vehicle, statics might be employed to design the frame of the vehicle, in order to evaluate where the stresses will be most intense. Dynamics might be used when designing the car's engine, to evaluate the forces in the pistons and cams as the engine cycles. Mechanics of materials might be used to choose appropriate materials for

4590-560: The engineering program, students may concentrate in computing , design , biological engineering , materials science , or systems design , or they may design their own concentrations with the administration's approval. Unlike many institutions, Olin College does not have separate academic departments. All faculty members hold five-year renewable contracts without offering tenure . Classes emphasize context and interdisciplinary connections. Freshmen take integrated course blocks that teach engineering , calculus , and physics by exploring

4675-418: The entry point to academia . The Engineer's degree exists at a few institutions at an intermediate level between the master's degree and the doctorate. Standards set by each country's accreditation society are intended to provide uniformity in fundamental subject material, promote competence among graduating engineers, and to maintain confidence in the engineering profession as a whole. Engineering programs in

4760-537: The factory, robots have been employed in bomb disposal, space exploration , and many other fields. Robots are also sold for various residential applications, from recreation to domestic applications. Structural analysis is the branch of mechanical engineering (and also civil engineering) devoted to examining why and how objects fail and to fix the objects and their performance. Structural failures occur in two general modes: static failure, and fatigue failure. Static structural failure occurs when, upon being loaded (having

4845-471: The field of biomedical engineering , specifically with biomechanics , transport phenomena , biomechatronics , bionanotechnology , and modelling of biological systems. The application of mechanical engineering can be seen in the archives of various ancient and medieval societies. The six classic simple machines were known in the ancient Near East . The wedge and the inclined plane (ramp) were known since prehistoric times. Mesopotamian civilization

4930-586: The first factory for grinding machines in Chemnitz , Germany in 1848. In the United States, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) was formed in 1880, becoming the third such professional engineering society, after the American Society of Civil Engineers (1852) and the American Institute of Mining Engineers (1871). The first schools in the United States to offer an engineering education were

5015-474: The following: Mechanical engineers design and oversee the manufacturing of many products ranging from medical devices to new batteries. They also design power-producing machines such as electric generators, internal combustion engines, and steam and gas turbines as well as power-using machines, such as refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Like other engineers, mechanical engineers use computers to help create and analyze designs, run simulations and test how

5100-449: The formal name for the degree is "Mechanical Engineer", and the course work is based on five or six years of training. In Italy the course work is based on five years of education, and training, but in order to qualify as an Engineer one has to pass a state exam at the end of the course. In Greece, the coursework is based on a five-year curriculum. In the United States, most undergraduate mechanical engineering programs are accredited by

5185-450: The foundation's president, Lawrence W. Milas, proposed creating a college. “We always had a bias toward supporting science and engineering schools because Mr. Olin was an engineer,” Milas said. “I was concerned with whether or not this would be consistent with what Mr. Olin had ever considered. I went back and read minutes of board meetings. And sure enough, in the late 1940s, at two or three board meetings shortly before his death, he expressed

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5270-493: The frame and engine. Fluid mechanics might be used to design a ventilation system for the vehicle (see HVAC ), or to design the intake system for the engine. Mechatronics is a combination of mechanics and electronics. It is an interdisciplinary branch of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and software engineering that is concerned with integrating electrical and mechanical engineering to create hybrid automation systems. In this way, machines can be automated through

5355-547: The global Washington Accord . Before the degree can be awarded, the student must complete at least 3 months of on the job work experience in an engineering firm. Similar systems are also present in South Africa and are overseen by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). In India , to become an engineer, one needs to have an engineering degree like a B.Tech. or B.E., have a diploma in engineering, or by completing

5440-416: The idea of starting a new institution.” By 2005, the foundation had donated most of its financial resources to the college, providing Olin with an endowment of about $ 460 million. Richard Miller was inaugurated as the college's first president on May 3, 2003. Miller was also the first employee of Olin College, and had been working as its president for several years before he was officially inaugurated. In

5525-484: The organization's competition structure based loosely around his 2.70 class at MIT. Flowers was born in Jena, Louisiana on November 18, 1943, and named after his grandfathers Woodie and Claude. His father, Abe Flowers, was a welder and inventor; his mother, Bertie Graham, was an elementary-school and special education teacher. Flowers had a sister, Kay. As a boy, he showed mechanical aptitude like his father, Abe, and he earned

5610-442: The phoenix is reborn from its ashes. In 2013, Olin underwent a rebranding , and the original school colors, blue and silver, are now seen together only in the school seal and on diplomas. Everywhere else, the school now uses gradients of bright colors. In the 2022–2023 U.S. News & World Report college rankings, Olin was ranked second for the best undergraduate engineering programs among non-doctorate-granting institutions in

5695-452: The place and university and result in a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng. or B.E.), Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. or B.S.), Bachelor of Science Engineering (B.Sc.Eng.), Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.), Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (B.M.E.), or Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.) degree, in or with emphasis in mechanical engineering. In Spain, Portugal and most of South America, where neither B.S. nor B.Tech. programs have been adopted,

5780-606: The rank of Eagle Scout . When he was seventeen, he and four friends were driving on Louisiana Highway 127 when they were hit head-on by another vehicle that was traveling at about 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). The collision killed two people in Flowers' vehicle and one in the other. The event ingrained his self-described "genetic opposition to violence" and his "fierce, vocal loathing of any spectacle that involves crashing pieces of machinery into each other with deliberate force." Flowers initially expected not to attend college, but at

5865-635: The relationships among the three subjects. Arts, humanities, social sciences, and entrepreneurship courses take an interdisciplinary approach to subjects such as the self ("What Is I?"), history ("History of Technology"), and art ("Wired Ensemble" and "Seeing and Hearing"). Olin also emphasizes practically grounded education, connecting concepts to real-world challenges and projects. Beginning in their first year, students receive training in Olin's machine shop for project-based work. First-year students are required to take "Design Nature", in which they design and build mechanical toys based on biological systems (such as

5950-589: The second phase of the process are required to participate in Candidates’ Weekends, as the information gleaned provides the basis for final admission decisions. All accepted students receive the merit-based Olin Tuition Scholarship, which pays for half of the tuition and covers cross-registration of courses with Babson College , Wellesley College , and Brandeis University . Olin also shares clubs and intramural sports with those colleges. In addition to

6035-599: The seventh century BC in Meroe . Kushite sundials applied mathematics in the form of advanced trigonometry. The earliest practical water-powered machines, the water wheel and watermill , first appeared in the Persian Empire , in what are now Iraq and Iran, by the early 4th century BC. In ancient Greece , the works of Archimedes (287–212 BC) influenced mechanics in the Western tradition. The geared Antikythera mechanisms

6120-504: The stresses within the robot). Robots are used extensively in industrial automation engineering. They allow businesses to save money on labor, perform tasks that are either too dangerous or too precise for humans to perform them economically, and to ensure better quality. Many companies employ assembly lines of robots, especially in Automotive Industries and some factories are so robotized that they can run by themselves . Outside

6205-525: The subject of graduate studies or on-the-job training than undergraduate research. Several specialized subdisciplines are discussed in this section. Mechanics is, in the most general sense, the study of forces and their effect upon matter . Typically, engineering mechanics is used to analyze and predict the acceleration and deformation (both elastic and plastic ) of objects under known forces (also called loads) or stresses . Subdisciplines of mechanics include Mechanical engineers typically use mechanics in

6290-487: The undergraduate level are listed below, with a brief explanation and the most common application of each. Some of these subdisciplines are unique to mechanical engineering, while others are a combination of mechanical engineering and one or more other disciplines. Most work that a mechanical engineer does uses skills and techniques from several of these subdisciplines, as well as specialized subdisciplines. Specialized subdisciplines, as used in this article, are more likely to be

6375-631: The university's major area(s) of research. The fundamental subjects required for mechanical engineering usually include: Mechanical engineers are also expected to understand and be able to apply basic concepts from chemistry, physics, tribology , chemical engineering , civil engineering , and electrical engineering . All mechanical engineering programs include multiple semesters of mathematical classes including calculus, and advanced mathematical concepts including differential equations , partial differential equations , linear algebra , differential geometry , and statistics , among others. In addition to

6460-404: The use of electric motors , servo-mechanisms , and other electrical systems in conjunction with special software. A common example of a mechatronics system is a CD-ROM drive. Mechanical systems open and close the drive, spin the CD and move the laser, while an optical system reads the data on the CD and converts it to bits . Integrated software controls the process and communicates the contents of

6545-410: The wheels. Thermodynamics principles are used by mechanical engineers in the fields of heat transfer , thermofluids , and energy conversion . Mechanical engineers use thermo-science to design engines and power plants , heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, heat exchangers , heat sinks , radiators , refrigeration , insulation , and others. Drafting or technical drawing

6630-555: The world's first known endless power-transmitting chain drive . The cotton gin was invented in India by the 6th century AD, and the spinning wheel was invented in the Islamic world by the early 11th century, Dual-roller gins appeared in India and China between the 12th and 14th centuries. The worm gear roller gin appeared in the Indian subcontinent during the early Delhi Sultanate era of

6715-682: Was also used in the shadoof water-lifting device, the first crane machine, which appeared in Mesopotamia circa 3000 BC. The earliest evidence of pulleys date back to Mesopotamia in the early 2nd millennium BC. The Sakia was developed in the Kingdom of Kush during the 4th century BC. It relied on animal power reducing the tow on the requirement of human energy. Reservoirs in the form of Hafirs were developed in Kush to store water and boost irrigation. Bloomeries and blast furnaces were developed during

6800-582: Was an Analog computer invented around the 2nd century BC. In Roman Egypt , Heron of Alexandria (c. 10–70 AD) created the first steam-powered device ( Aeolipile ). In China , Zhang Heng (78–139 AD) improved a water clock and invented a seismometer , and Ma Jun (200–265 AD) invented a chariot with differential gears. The medieval Chinese horologist and engineer Su Song (1020–1101 AD) incorporated an escapement mechanism into his astronomical clock tower two centuries before escapement devices were found in medieval European clocks. He also invented

6885-448: Was completed in 2002. The construction of a second dormitory, East Hall, was finished in fall 2005. Future plans include an academic building that would contain additional machine shops and project space. Olin shares many campus services, including health, public safety, and athletic facilities, with Babson College . Olin College offers degrees in electrical and computer engineering , mechanical engineering and engineering . Within

6970-456: Was known for having an eclectic selection of hobbies, including wildlife photography, scuba diving , unicycling , skydiving , and trapeze. Flowers died on October 11, 2019, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston following complications from aorta surgery. Mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It

7055-400: Was on a robot-like prosthetic knee inspired by Mann's Boston Arm. After receiving his doctorate, Flowers began as an assistant professor at MIT, working with Herb Richardson on the "Introduction to Design and Manufacturing" class. Known by its course number as 2.70 (now 2.007), the class featured a design competition to build robotic mechanisms to accomplish a given challenge. Flowers took over

7140-505: Was reluctant to publish his works for years, but he was finally persuaded to do so by his colleagues, such as Edmond Halley . Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz , who earlier designed a mechanical calculator , is also credited with developing the calculus during the same time period. During the early 19th century Industrial Revolution, machine tools were developed in England, Germany , and Scotland . This allowed mechanical engineering to develop as

7225-572: Was selected by Kaplan, Inc. and Newsweek as one of "America's 25 New Ivies ". Business Insider ranked Olin first on its "Best 20 College Campuses in the US" list in 2014. It was eighth on Forbes's "Top 25 Colleges Ranked By SAT Score", with an average combined critical reading and math score of 1489. In 2014, the Boston Globe published an article that criticized the school for poor management of its endowment. The Globe pointed out that despite

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