The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering teaches students skills in a variety of fields, including mechanical design, aeronautics, and robotics, and allows them to gain practical experience through experiments and design projects to develop their creativity and problem-solving skills. This allows students to pursue a variety of career paths after graduation, including working in various industries, research and development, and entrepreneurship.
People who are not familiar with mechanical engineering often think of it as a major that deals with very heavy and large machines. The image of noisy machines running in factories and various construction sites, such as large machines and automobiles, which became the mainstream of Korea’s industrial development in the late 1900s, is still in people’s minds. However, the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is a much more advanced and diverse discipline that can be applied to almost all fields of engineering and is the core and foundation of engineering. It is like the waiting room of engineering, where many disciplines converge around mechanical and aeronautical engineering, converge, and branch out into their own fields. As such, mechanical engineering has consistently been in the highest demand regardless of the prosperity or decline of a particular industry, and it is so important that other branches of engineering, such as electrical engineering, materials engineering, chemical engineering, and others, could not develop without the support of mechanical aeronautics.
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering has a long history. Initially limited to the design and manufacture of machines, the discipline has expanded over time to include aviation, robotics, nanotechnology, biomechanics, and more. In this process, mechanical and aerospace engineering has evolved from a simple technology to a discipline that encompasses the design and optimization of complex systems. This evolution has been particularly rapid in the 21st century, and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is now a center of innovative research and education.
Most of the objects in our daily lives are made by machines that run in factories, and those machines are made by machines. Mechanical engineering has played a pivotal role in the creation of many new products, not only cars and airplanes, but also many other recent electronic products that may not seem related to mechanical engineering at first glance, such as smartphones, semiconductors, and buildings. In the past, it was primarily concerned with automobiles, precision machinery, heavy industry, steel, and airplanes, but in recent years, robotics, nanotechnology, biofusion, and new energy technologies have all fallen under the umbrella of mechanical aviation. Each of these majors, which are rooted in the four major dynamics of mechanical engineering, have little in common with each other and require different backgrounds, so they cover a wide range of topics and can be applied to a variety of fields.
So why is the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering called the waiting room of engineering? The most obvious example is the automobile. Cars and airplanes are products of mechanical and aeronautical engineering, but they are the culmination of all the latest technologies. From the smallest parts to the heart of the car, the engine, technologies from different fields of engineering come together. Let’s take a look at what technologies are used to build a car and the essential requirements that a car must have. Cars have been developed by balancing social and regulatory needs with user needs. Societal needs include improved safety, cleaner emissions, lower noise, better fuel economy, and greater durability, while user needs include cool design, better ride comfort, and higher performance or automation. Therefore, in order to improve safety, the exterior of the car needs to be lighter and more durable, which can be achieved with the help of materials science and engineering. In addition, reducing emissions, lowering concentrations, improving fuel efficiency, and developing hybrid vehicles will require knowledge from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Electric vehicles and smart functions of cars will require the technology of the Department of Electrical Engineering to develop, and cars that run on new green energy sources will benefit from the Department of Energy and Resources Engineering. Of course, engine technology and various control devices, which are the flower of automobiles, and the technology of mechanical engineering are key factors in the production of automobiles. It can be seen that various fields of engineering technology must be converged, integrated, and complementary in order to create a single machine called an automobile.
Furthermore, the aviation industry is another important branch of mechanical aeronautical engineering. The design and construction of an airplane requires a high degree of skill and precision, and encompasses a wide range of knowledge in mechanical aeronautical engineering. Aircraft structures, aerodynamics, propulsion systems, aircraft controls, etc. are all important research topics in mechanical aeronautics. The development of the aviation industry is not just about improving the performance of the aircraft itself, but also has a great impact on related industries such as aerospace, air logistics, and aviation services. The development of the aviation industry is directly related to the technological capabilities of a country, which is why the research and education of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is so important.
Another decisive reason for my choice of the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is that mechanical engineering is at the center of many disciplines. When I graduated from high school and needed to choose a major to become an engineer, I asked for advice from many people, and the common answer was that mechanical engineering is the core technology of all engineering and can be applied to any field in the future. I was always interested in robots and automobiles, and I think I chose mechanical engineering without much thought because it matched my aptitude and I was fascinated by its infinite possibilities. In particular, Seoul National University’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is different from other universities’ mechanical engineering departments, which can be divided into two fields: mechanical and aeronautical, so it has a wider and more diverse range of fields. Now that I am in my fourth year, I am facing another challenge. Among the endless possibilities, I have not yet decided on a specific path. The more I learn about mechanical engineering, the more I discover other worlds within it and realize that I have only seen a small part of it.
In the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Seoul National University, all engineering students take common courses such as calculus, college English, and a college language until the first year of their undergraduate studies. In the second year, students take a major, but regardless of the major, they learn the four essential mechanics for mechanical and aeronautical engineering, and then selectively take courses in either mechanical or aeronautical fields. The undergraduate courses included basic knowledge courses that can be applied to all fields, design and experimental classes to experience creative design and system analysis, practical courses to learn about the principles of robots, automobiles, and aircraft, and courses such as nano and bio technology to understand the latest trends in high technology. By focusing on the areas you are interested in, you can gain a deeper understanding of the subject.
As a fourth-year mechanical engineering major, my most memorable courses were the design courses. Mechanical Drafting in the first year, Creative Engineering Design in the second year, and Design Manufacturing and Practice in the third year allow students to develop practical design skills by designing and building various machines and robots. In the first year, students learn about basic knowledge such as drawing and drafting, and in the second year, they compete in tournaments with simple robots using computer programming. For example, who can putt the most golf balls with a robot they designed and built. Creative Engineering Design was the most interesting and memorable course for me because it was a team project, and it was a great interpersonal experience. In the third year, students are asked to take their design skills even further. You get to design and build your own car or robot and use software skills as well as hardware to see how it works using a program. Of course, it’s a great achievement to build something in a semester-long course, but it’s a bit difficult to realize the practical principles behind it. Nevertheless, the experience of building something yourself is priceless.
The educational philosophy of the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is not just about imparting knowledge. The emphasis is on fostering creativity and problem-solving skills through experimentation, design, and problem-solving. To this end, we offer a variety of research projects and internship opportunities to help students gain real-world industrial experience. These experiences will help you choose your career path after graduation. In addition, participation in various academic conferences and competitions allows students to showcase their skills and gain new ideas through collaboration with other students.
After graduating from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, you can choose a variety of career paths. In addition to the traditional mechanical industry, you can work in aerospace, robotics, nanotechnology, biomechanics, renewable energy, and many other fields. You can also pursue a career in research and development or enter academia to train future students. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of graduates who have started their own businesses based on their knowledge of mechanical and aerospace engineering. As you can see, mechanical and aerospace engineering is an important discipline that opens up a wide range of possibilities for the future.
Choosing to study mechanical and aerospace engineering was an important turning point in my life. The knowledge and experience I have gained through this major is not just an academic achievement, but plays an important role in various aspects of my life. I will continue to explore the endless possibilities of mechanical and aerospace engineering and look for ways to move forward. As you can see, mechanical and aerospace engineering is more than just a discipline, it is a key to unlocking the future.
