Department of Engineering Mechanics

    The Department of Engineering Mechanics was established on July 3, 1958 to adapt to the requirements of the economic development and to cultivate professionals on Mechanics and Computational Mathematics, according to the resolution of the 7th University Administration Committee enlarged meeting in 1957-1958 year. Three specialties (Fluid Mechanics, Solid Mechanics, and Computational Mathematics) were set up. In the end of 1959, considering the common interests of technological science, the university transferred the specialty of engineering Thermophysics in the Department of Power Machinery to the Department of Engineering Mechanics and Mathematics. In 1961, the General Mechanics division was set up. At that time, there were five teaching and research groups in the department. They were Fluid Mechanics, Solid Mechanics, Computational Mathematics, Engineering Thermophysics, and General Mechanics, respectively.
    From 1969 on, the Computational Mathematics program was merged into the Department of Computer Science and Technology and the Department of Applied Mathematics; the General Mechanics division was merged into the Department of Precision Instruments. This department was renamed the Department of Engineering Mechanics.
    In 1978, the General Mechanics division returned to the Department of Engineering Mechanics. In the same year, three specialties, fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, and engineering thermophysics , in the Department of Engineering Mechanics resumed to enroll undergraduates of 5 academic years when the system of the national college entrance examination was restored.
    In 1982, two teaching and research groups - the Theoretical Mechanics and Mechanics of Materials - of the fundamental courses commission merged into the Department of Engineering Mechanics. From then on, the department has taken the teaching tasks of mechanics courses of the university.
    In 1985, the Molid Mechanics and the Fluid Mechanics programs were united to be the program of Engineering Mechanics.
    From 1990 on, the undergraduate programs of the department are as follows: Engineering Mechanics (Engineering Mechanics and Computer Application), and Engineering Thermophysics.
    In 1991, there were 7 teaching and research programs, the Institute of Engineering Mechanics including 6 research groups, the Institute of the Exploration and Development of Seismic Waves, and 10 laboratories equipped with advanced facilities.
    In 1998, the Department joined the School of Mechanical Engineering.

    In 2004, the Department joined the School of Aerospace.


The Department Chairpersons

In the 40 years' of history, the persons who chair the department are:
Professor ZHANG Wei (1958-1977)
Professor WANG Hexiang(1978-1985.9)
Professor ZHU Wenhao(1985.10-1988.9)
Professor YU Shouwen(1988.10-1991.12)
Professor CEN Zhangzhi(1992.1-1997.4)
Professor YANG Wei (1997.5-2004.5)
Professor ZHENG Quanshui(2004.5-now)