The graduate program in mechanics offers advanced instruction and
research in theoretical mechanics. The broad areas of study are
continuum mechanics, thermodynamics, analytical dynamics, and their
applications to problems in engineering, materials science, and
molecular biology. The topics of courses, seminars, and research
include elasticity, viscoelasticity, the theory of non-Newtonian
fluids, liquid-crystal theory, the mechanics and thermodynamics of
phase transformations, and the development of the elastic rod model for
DNA. Students also can explore modern constitutive theory (e.g.,
invariance principles, thermodynamic relations, and homogenization
theory).
Excellent computational facilities are available to
students, including a variety of workstations and access to
supercomputers.
Students applying to the M.S. and Ph.D.
programs should have a B.S. or B.A. degree in engineering, mathematics,
or the physical sciences. The M.S. degree requires 30 credits and
either a critical essay or a research thesis. The requirements for the
Ph.D. degree include an appropriate combination of course work and
research credits, a qualifying examination, and a dissertation. The
qualifying examination is given in two parts, written and oral.
Students are required to attend and participate in the mechanics
seminar series. Candidates for the Ph.D. degree will be expected to
spend at least one year in full-time residence, a requirement that will
be waived only in exceptional circumstances.
Several
fellowships are available to first-year and advanced students. Students
receiving fellowships are expected to devote their full time to course
work and research. Teaching assistantships and research assistantships
associated with specific research projects may be available. Further
information about these and other matters may be found at the Graduate
Program in Mechanics web site, http://mechanics.rutgers.edu.
