{"id":56388,"date":"2024-01-29T07:39:46","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T12:39:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=56388"},"modified":"2024-01-29T07:46:47","modified_gmt":"2024-01-29T12:46:47","slug":"utc-mechatronics-majors-engineering-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2024\/01\/utc-mechatronics-majors-engineering-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"UTC mechatronics majors engineering the future"},"content":{"rendered":"

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From fast food to surgery to manufacturing, technology is revolutionizing industries around the world through automation, robotics and smart systems.<\/p>\n

And mechatronics<\/strong> <\/a>is at the forefront, equipping the next generation of engineers with the skills to design, build and maintain the systems driving this global transformation.<\/p>\n

Integrating software, electrical, mechanical and control engineering, mechatronics was first developed in the 1960s, but its applications have expanded significantly in recent years with advancements in technology.<\/p>\n

UTC mechatronics major Michael Liles understands the vast potential and growing relevance of this interdisciplinary field.<\/p>\n

\u201cMechatronics is a jack of all trades when it comes to engineering,\u201d he said. \u201cIn 10 years, mechatronics is probably going to take over most of the market.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you were running a business, who would you rather hire, someone that can do it all or someone that can only do one thing?\u201d<\/p>\n

It also gives mechatronics engineers a lot of flexibility and an average salary of $87,040 in May 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s many different avenues you can go down with mechatronics where you can\u2019t with just mechanical or just electrical engineering,\u201d said Liles, who worked in software engineering at a manufacturing company for a decade before deciding to pursue an engineering degree at UTC.<\/p>\n

It was an easy choice for two reasons: the mechatronics program and the city.<\/p>\n

UTC has one of only two four-year degree programs in mechatronics in Tennessee, both established by Dr. Ahad Nasab, interim dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.<\/p>\n

Nasab has been at the forefront of launching two cutting-edge labs in the engineering college and growing the mechatronics program from five students to nearly 100 in just five years. Bringing in expert faculty has also been key to the program\u2019s development.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe No. 1 asset is definitely the professors. They\u2019re great. They\u2019re all completely knowledgeable and very helpful,\u201d Liles said. \u201cNext would be the actual labs that they have, and they\u2019re adding a lot of stuff to it. So I think in a year or two, it\u2019s really going to be fully stocked.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for Chattanooga, Liles has always wanted to live here.<\/p>\n

He was born and raised in nearby LaFayette, Georgia, and has appreciated the city his whole life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was going to move to either Seattle, Colorado or Chattanooga,\u201d Liles said. He and his wife decided to stay close to family, and they both love Chattanooga even more now that they live here.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe stay over there in the downtown area, just hanging out. Chattanooga is booming right now,\u201d said Liles, who loves the city\u2019s growing live music and comedy scenes and the restaurants.<\/p>\n

As for UTC, \u201cthe campus is gorgeous. I mean, it just looks great. I mean, everywhere you go, everything just looks phenomenal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Industries that employ mechatronics engineers<\/strong><\/p>\n