Electromechanical faculty

Introduction

Organized in 1953, the Electromechanical Faculty is the oldest at Novosibirsk State Technical University (NSTU). 15,000 engineers for various segments of the national economy such as electrical and power industries, metallurgy, aerospace and transport industries, and others have been trained since that time. Electromechanics is a interdisciplinary subject, and the practical applications of the principles which it embodies could well contribute to massive savings of money in industry. Modern, high-cost, complex, automated production demands multi-disciplinary engineers for the specification and design of machinery, equipment, buildings and structures, with their installation, commissioning, maintenance, modification and replacement. This need is met by the programmes offered by the Electromechanical Faculty aimed at encouraging students to develop these interdisciplinary processes, knowledge and skills.

The Faculty offers a multi-level specialist education scheme which provides a large variety of programmes at both associate, baccalaureate (undergraduate), postbaccalaureate (graduate) and professional diploma levels. The Faculty awards the Bachelor’s (B.Sc.) degree after successful completion of a four-year programme of study. After obtaining the B.Sc. degree students may undertake a two-year programme leading toward the Master’s (M. Sc.) degree with emphasis on theoretical and applied research. In this stress is laid on the quality of training through continuous personal consultations and guidance by expert and enthusiastic supervisors. Every encouragement is given to research students to develop their potential fully. It is the policy of the Faculty that research should be carried out in topics which are likely to be industrially or socially useful. An increasing proportion of work is sponsored by government institutions, industry and business. Another opportunity for professional career-oriented students is a five-year programme of study leading to the award of the Diploma in Engineering. In addition, the Faculty offers an accelerated two-year programme leading to the award of the Diploma in Engineering to students having associate degrees earned at technical or vocational secondary schools. Graduates holding the M. Sc. degree or Diploma in Engineering wishing to follow a more scientific career may prefer to take the postgraduate or Candidate of Sciences programme in the area of specialization. Career prospects for graduates are exceptionally good and the successful candidate will be well qualified for a research, production or management post which, with additional industrial experience, should lead to a senior position in industry, teaching or business. On leaving the Faculty students seeking employment are offered jobs at large industrial plants and enterprises as well as in small business engineering companies and firms or may enter commercial, local authority or government institutions.

Competent and experienced academic and research staff known for their commitment to excellence in instruction, research and service teach at the Faculty. Many staff members have the highest degrees possible in their academic and research fields, among them 3 full and 4 corresponding members of the Russian Academies of Sciences, 10 Doctors and 64 Candidates of Sciences in Engineering contribute to the academic and research activities at the Faculty. Some faculty members have won international grants in support of their research. Members of the teaching staff also serve as academic advisers and help students plan their undergraduate and graduate programmes. Highly trained technical staff provide a range of services in support of the Faculty mission.

Teaching and research facilities include a wide array of instructional laboratories in the University and specialized laboratories at related industrial enterprises and plants, computer classes equipped with personal computers having an access to the Internet and the richest in the city library possessing a sophisticated system of electronic retrieval that allows access to printed materials.

Training is offered on a full-time or part-time basis.

Tuition at the Faculty is free only for students who fully meet the admissions requirements and successfully pass entrance examinations as the Faculty is funded from the limited federal government budget. Otherwise tuition is sponsored by students themselves, their parents and other private individuals or industrial organizations on a contract basis.

Structure of course

Lectures, tutorials, laboratory experiments, independent study at the library, and the research project (culminating in a thesis) run concurrently. Projects are usually of sufficient theoretical and practical content and demand a great deal of students’ time. Students are encouraged and expected to read privately, and to direct their time in the way, which seems to them, and to their supervisor, most advantageous. Close contact with industry is envisaged, and, where practicable, a topic of investigation may be obtained from a sponsoring company or organization.

Students may specialize in any of the following areas:

1. Electromechanics.

2. Electric drives and automation of industrial plants and technological

complexes.

3. Industrial electrical engineering plants and systems.

4. Electric motor vehicles.

5. Agricultural electrification and automation.

6. Consumer food technology.

7. Electromechanical industry economy and management.

8. Electrochemical production technology.

9. Environmental engineering.

10. Automation of manufacturing processes and industries.

Subjects of study (majors and compulsory disciplines)

1. Electromechanics

Fundamentals of electrical engineering; applied mechanics; engineering design; computer science; computer-aided design; information systems; generators; motors; converters; new unconventional sources of energy: wind-, solar- and water-driven power plants.

2. Electric drives and automation of industrial plants and technological complexes

Electric drives; automatic control systems; electronics; microprocessor systems; electrical machines; mechanics; computer science and engineering; information systems; industrial engineering; enterprise economy; production management.

3. Production electrical plants and systems

Fundamentals of electrical engineering; applied mechanics; energy conversion; engineering design; computer engineering; materials science; electrical welding technologies: electric arc, electron beam, induction, and laser welding.

4. Electric transport vehicles

Electric motor vehicle production in Russia is a vast industry which is facing great changes related to the fast development of new advanced technologies resulting in radical achievements and improvements in the means of transportation, their control systems, and comfort. Electric motor vehicles include railways and monorails, underground railways, trams, trolley-buses, electric battery cars, overhead tramways, funiculars as well as heavy-duty dump trucks and factory conveyance and hoisting facilities. Students of this specialization study such major subjects as: electrical machines, automatic control and telemechanics, power supply systems, electric motor vehicle diagnostics and reliability, electrodynamics, technological principles of new transportation means based on electromagnetic and electrodynamic suspension.