Scott E. Steinbrink

I have been at Gannon University since fall 1998. At Gannon, I have been privileged to work with a large number of students in pursuit of their senior projects, and the interaction has sparked in me a high level of interest in design theory and practice. My primary interest of research is now Engineering Design. I am very grateful to Gannon for allowing me to find and pursue this topic of interest.

Aside from Design, I am interested also in Engineering Education as a research topic. This interest is supported through the National Science Foundation S-STEM program. As a result of several S-STEM grants, I have been able to work with several talented Gannon faculty members as a team to better establish a connection between education, service-learning and community service.

Away from work, I enjoy spending free hours with my wife and daughters, but also I am very active in triathlon; I can often be found running or riding in the rural part of Erie County, just south of the Erie city limits, or at Presque Isle State Park.

Courses Taught

ME 205/ME 206: Digital Computer Usage

Freshman-level course in computer programming skills, utilizing Matlab as the programming language, and its associated lab

ME 201 and ME 204: Statics and Dynamics

Sophomore-level courses in basic mechanics: study of force systems in bodies in a constant motion state (Statics) and study of motions and forces in bodies undergoing change in the motion state (Dynamics). these courses are fundamental to the understanding of the mechanical world - machines, mechanisms, structures.

ME 350 and ME 354: Engineering Design and Senior Design Lab in ME

Design concepts, and design practices for mechanical engineering.

ME 405: Finite Element Method

A technical elective course. Students learn the mathematic fundamentals and the computational practice of finite element modeling - a very powerful tool for estimation of solutions to complicated problems of engineering.

ME 461: Vibrations

Another technical elective course. Students learn to understand the sources and consequences of mechanical vibrations, to predict the motions of bodies experiencing vibratory effects, and means to control and/or to mitigate or utilize vibratory phemomena.

Graduate Courses:

GME 505: Finite Element Method
GME 561: Vibrations
GME 605: Advanced Finite Element Methods
GME 530: Advanced Strength of Materials

Educational History

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA. Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics, 1999.
Auburn University, Auburn AL. MS in Aerospace Engineering, 1993
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. BS in Aerospace Engineering Sciences, 1990

Professional Societies

Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Member, American Society of Engineering Education

Scholarship-Research

My technical reseach to date has focused on characterization and analysis of composite material systems, their use in pressure vessel technology, and analysis of pressure vessels and related structures through finite element techniques. Currently I am more active in less "technical" research, which is focused on engineering design methods and practices, and engineering educational techniques.