Zoran Filipi
It is my deep honor to welcome you to the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering as the inaugural Director and to do that during the very exciting times marked by the rapid growth of Clemson’s engineering programs amid transformative changes sweeping the industry, thus creating needs for the next generation of talent. Merging of the two programs, Mechanical and Automotive, already successful in their own right, creates critical mass in more areas and positions us well for elevating student experiences and scholarly contributions even further.
On the research side, teaming of faculty and pooling of resources across two campuses, the main campus in Clemson and the award-winning Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in Greenville, opens new horizons for collaborations and trans-disciplinary research addressing pressing societal and economic challenges.
Pillars of the research ascension already underway are the proven strengths in fundamental disciplines, reputation established through impactful efforts for NSF, DoE and DoD, as well as our unique model for bridging the fundamental science and use-case-driven engineering research. The success of the latter can be judged among other things by the established long-term partnerships with industry. Virtual Prototyping of Autonomy-Enabled Ground Systems (VIPR-GS) and the Clemson Composites Center are just two examples of how the critical mass of talent and expertise can garner attention on the national stage and create unparalleled opportunities for cross-cutting efforts and convergence.
In the business world, mergers are an opportunity to increase efficiency through consolidation and reduction in workforce. However, in the case of our two academic programs, increased efficiency will create a stronger base of resources and people and lead to expansion. I am excited and proud to announce that we have just launched a first-in-the-nation Bachelor of Science degree program in Automotive Engineering. A true multidisciplinary systems integration degree addresses the need for a new generation of talent, comfortable operating in the space spanning several disciplines, with exceptional software skills and an understanding of human factors. Clemson is already positioned as a leader in graduate education, but fierce competition is ahead. Therefore, a combination of the preeminence in Automotive Engineering and breadth in Mechanical Engineering, the largest undergraduate program in the College, is what it takes to remain on the forefront.
We’ve learned that experiential learning is highly valued by students; hence, we plan to leverage the experience gained with Deep Orange, a hallmark of Clemson’s approach to graduate engineering education, and offer a chance to undergraduates to work alongside M.S. students to build a one-of-a-kind vehicle prototype. Alternatively, they can engage in research under faculty mentors in state-of-the-art lab space in EIB on the main campus or research centers at CU-ICAR.
Let me summarize where we are before closing and offer a glimpse into the future. There are 75 faculty in the School at this point, out of which 45 are tenure or tenure track. We are proud of our successes in improving diversity and inclusion; currently, 5 female faculty and 4 minorities hold full-time appointments in the School. We also achieved success in hiring graduate students through the STEM All In program. Research expenditures amounted to $20M last year, and funding sources include NSF, DOE, DoD, DoT and SCRA, as well as prominent industry partners such as BMW, GE, Boeing, Bosch, Ford, Honda, etc. More than 169 archival articles were published in one year, and 149 refereed conference publications. The total number of undergraduate students stands at 1012, and this includes 35 first-year students in the new B.S. in AuE program. The graduate student cohort stands at 436, out of which 152 are Ph.D. students, 131 are enrolled in M.S. in ME, and 153 are currently in the M.S. in AuE. The complete picture looks truly inspiring to me, so let me offer that glimpse into the future. We are a contender for Top 20 in the nation among the programs in public universities. The trajectory is already set, and goals are very much aligned with the Clemson Elevate strategy.
On a personal note, this is the eleventh year in the Upstate for me and my wife. This is home, and Clemson has become our family. It has been amazing to witness the transformations over the years, all of them positive, at Clemson and in the Upstate. We made friends and built relationships that inspire and elevate the quality of life. The weather is not bad either. What else to say? We really look forward to what’s ahead and are all in when it comes to Clemson and the community.
Go Tigers!
Zoran Filipi, founding director of the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering
