Graduate Faculty

701-231-7994

Iskander Akhatov, Ph.D.
Lomonosov University of Moscow, USSR, 1983
Research Interests:
Dynamics of bubbles, bubble clouds and bubbly liquids

Donald A. Andersen, Eng.D.
Texas A & M University, 1982
Research Interests:
Transportation

John R. Cook, Ph.D.
Purdue University, 1991
Research Interests:
Human Factors, Design of Man-Machine Systems, Management of Technology

Daniel L. Ewert, Ph.D.
University of North Dakota, 1989
Research Interests:
Cardiovascular Engineering, Bioinstrumentation

Kambiz Farahmand, Ph.D.
University of Texas at Arlington, 1992
Research Interests:
Adverse environment protecting garment, thermal physiology, cooling systems, hypothermia, and respiratory heat and mass transfer

David C. Farden, Ph.D.
Colorado State University, 1975
Research Interests:
Signal Processing

Dinesh Katti, Ph.D.
University of Arizona, 1991
Research Interests:
Geotechnical

Kalpana Katti, Ph.D.
University of Washington, Seattle, 1996
Research Interests:
Biomedical engineering, polymer materials

Eakalak Khan, Ph.D.
University of California at Los Angeles, 1997
Research Interests:
Biodegradable Solid Wastes, Industrial Wastes

Charles McIntyre, Ph.D.
Pennsylvania State University, 1996
Research Interests:
Construction, CAD

Sudhir I. Mehta, Ph.D.
I.I.T., Bombay, 1982
Research Interests:
Mechanical, Instrumentation, Controls, Data Acquisition, Robotics

Robert M. Nelson, Ph.D.
North Dakota State University, 1987
Research Interests:
Electromagnetics

Tang-Hung Nguyen, Ph.D.
Pennsylvania State University, 1999
Research Interests:
Computer Aided Engineering Design, Building Materials

G. Padmanabhan, Ph.D.
Purdue University, 1980
Research Interests:
Civil Engineering, Water Resources

Suranjan Panigrahi, Ph.D.
Iowa State University, 1992
Research Interests:
Machine Systems, Machine Vision, Artificial Intelligence

David A. Rogers, Ph.D.
University of Washington, 1971
Research Interests:
Microwave Engineering, Electromagnetics, Fiber Optics

Gary Smith, Ph.D.
Purdue University, 1986
Research Interests:
Quality Control, Decision Analysis and Modeling Techniques, Digital Imaging in Construction

Dean D. Steele, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota, 1991
Research Interests:
Irrigation, Environmental Engineering

Amiy Varma, Ph.D.
Purdue University, 1993
Research Interests:
Transportation Systems, Traffic Engineering Airports, Infrastructure Management

David L. Wells, Ph.D.
University of Missouri-Rolla, 1996
Research Interests:
Materials and Process Engineering, Manufacturing Operations

Dennis D. Wiesenborn, Ph.D.
Rice University, 1989
Research Interests:
Food and Value Added Process Engineering

Frank Yazdani, Ph.D.
University of New Mexico, 1987
Research Interests:
Civil Engineering, Structures

Subbarayo Yuvarajan, Ph.D.
I.I.T., Madras, 1981
Research Interests:
Power Electronics

Weihong (Katie) Zhong, Ph.D.
Beijing University, 1994
Research Interests:
Composite materials, processing technologies

For additional graduate faculty, see Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.

Program Description

The Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering program is designed to provide the engineering student with a unique opportunity to contribute to the advancement of the engineering profession.

The program addresses the engineering profession's need for mature minds that can translate basic knowledge into practical solutions to the engineering problems associated with our rapidly changing environment. This is accomplished through a unique integration of engineering science within a basic area of concentration.

The Ph.D. program is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach to engineering. A single doctoral program for agricultural and biosystems engineering, civil engineering, electrical and computer engineering, industrial and manufacturing engineering, and mechanical engineering provides students with both general knowledge and in-depth understanding of one major area of concentration. Students are able to develop individualized programs of study that emphasize different areas of interest.

Each individualized program consists of three functional areas. The first, the cognate and minor area, includes course work considered to be of special importance to the student's future progression in any of the other areas. Second is the concentration area, including courses contributing to a specialization area. The student's dissertation makes up the third segment of the Ph.D. program.

Admissions Requirements

The Ph.D. program in Engineering is open to qualified graduates of universities and colleges of recognized standing. To be admitted with full status to the program, the applicant must

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree and preferably a master's degree from an educational institution of recognized standing.
2. Have adequate preparation in engineering, and show potential to undertake advanced study and research as evidenced by academic performance and experience.
3. Have earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) in all courses of at least 3.0 or equivalent at both the baccalaureate level and the graduate level.

Applications should be submitted directly to The Graduate School before March 15 of the upcoming academic year. However, applications will be considered at any time they are submitted.

Official transcripts (transcripts having an appropriate seal or stamp) of all previous undergraduate and graduate records must be received by The Graduate School before the application is complete. When a transcript is submitted in advance of completion of undergraduate or graduate studies, an updated transcript showing all course credits and grades must be provided prior to the initial registration at NDSU.

Three letters of recommendation are required before action is taken on any application. Personal reference report forms are available from The Graduate School.

The TOEFL examination is required of foreign applicants. A minimum score of 550 (paper test) or 213 (computer test) must be achieved. The Graduate Record Examination (general test) is also required of international students.

Financial Assistance

Applicants must first be admitted to The Graduate School to become eligible for consideration for an assistantship. Both research and teaching assistantships are available to qualified students. Applicants are considered on the basis of scholarship and potential to undertake advanced study and research.

To be considered for an assistantship, a completed Graduate School application, official transcripts, and three letters of reference must be submitted to The Graduate School no later than March 15. International students must also submit a TOEFL score as well as GRE general test scores. The GRE scores are preferred but not required for domestic students.

Degree Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering program requires the completion of 90 credit hours of graduate study beyond the baccalaureate degree with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher. The total credit hours are made up of 12 to 30 credit hours in the cognate and minor area, 24 to 54 credit hours in the area of concentration, and 30 to 40 credit hours of a research-based dissertation.

A preliminary comprehensive written examination and oral examination are required of the student after completion of the greater portion of the course work phase of the Ph.D. program. The comprehensive written portion is based on course work questions submitted by appropriate faculty. During the oral examination, the student presents a research proposal for dissertation research. After passing this exam, the student is formally admitted as a candidate for the Ph.D. degree.

The final examination, primarily concerned with research work, is taken after the candidate has completed all course work and the dissertation. The dissertation must show originality and demonstrate the student's capacity for independent research. It must embody results of research constituting a definitive contribution to knowledge.

Research Facilities

The PhD program in Engineering utilizes facilities and laboratories in agricultural and biosystems engineering, civil engineering, electrical and computer engineering, industrial and manufacturing engineering, and mechanical engineering. Laboratory facilities include a bio-medical engineering laboratory, an internal combustion laboratory, a hydraulics laboratory, an automatic manufacturing laboratory, the Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, and others.

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Courses Offered

715 Engineering Systems 3

Interdisciplinary systems analysis approach to engineering problems. Mathematical and physical stochastic process and control systems.

721 Mechanics of Fluid States 3

Basic laws of fluid motion in differential and integral forms, Navier-Stokes equations, potential flow, boundary layer theory, dimensional analysis, and similitude. Computational fluid mechanics.

741 Systems--Linear and Nonlinear Concepts 3

Nonlinear and linear programming methods for engineering design optimization. Formulation and optimization of design problems from all areas of engineering.

742 Optimal Control Theory 3

Formulation of general control problems, controllability and observability in discrete and continuous systems, performance functionals, applications.

744 Modern Material Science 3

Internal structure of materials, diffusion, phase transformation, and structure control. Mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of materials; engineering applications.

760 Thermodynamics 3

General foundations of thermodynamics valid for small and large systems, and equilibrium and nonequilibrium states. Emphasis on the concepts of availability and its engineering applications.

762 Heat and Mass Transfer 3

Theory and application of transport of heat and mass. Heat diffusion equation in several coordinate systems. Fourier series and transforms, and Laplace transform techniques. Mass transfer examples. Introduction to simulations.

770 Quantitative Modeling 3

Applications modeling and optimization methods. Domains: transportation, logistics, manufacturing, service systems scheduling, and supply-chain management. Decision models: linear programming and sensitivity and analysis, transportation and assignment, network models and algorithms, and integer, dynamic and nonlinear programming.

771 Probabilistic and Deterministic Methods 3

Applications modeling. Domains include transportation, logistics, manufacturing, service systems scheduling, and supply-chain management. Quantitative models and tools include Markov chains, stochastic processes, queuing, deterministic and stochastic decision analysis, time series, forecasting, and regression modeling.

780 Electromagnetic Theory 3

Physical concepts and mathematical solutions of Maxwell equations; boundary conditions, force, and energy equations; potential equations; Green's functions; wave equations, radiation, and propagation of electromagnetic waves.

789 Advanced Research Methods in Engineering 3

Advanced study of the philosophy, reasoning, design, methods, and procedures employed in conducting and disseminating scientific research. Includes a survey of current and original research with interpretation and assessment.

 

* See individual deparment listings for discipline-specific graduate courses.