Achievement

Fundamentals of Mechanics was introduced as an introductory graduate-level course in mechanics for trainees with a non-engineering background. Mechanics, of the study of motions and the forces that produce those motions, is a crucial foundaton for analysis in the engineering sciences. This course provides a unique opportunity for trainees in the biological sciences to be prepared for graduate study in traditional engineering mechanics courses. The inagural class was more than just IGERT trainees and included successful participation by students with backgrounds in biology and in engineering. The biology students had some prior exposure to quantitative methods but little or no formal engineering education. This initial result illustrates that it is possible to pitch the material at a level that is accessible to biologists while still being valuable for engineers.