ETSU’s newest program in the engineering field is generating excitement among both students and industries in the region.
After two years of development and a $1.5 million investment, ETSU launched its program
in mechatronics engineering in the Department of Engineering, Engineering Technology, and Surveying in fall 2024.
This program was developed in response to the growing need for skilled professionals
in the manufacturing and technology sectors throughout Northeast Tennessee and the
surrounding region, with significant interest from such industries as Y-12 in Oak
Ridge and Siemens in Johnson City. The third such program in the state of Tennessee,
it also fulfills the desire of regional students to stay in the area for higher education.
Mechatronics combines mechanical, electrical, and control engineering with computer science to create intelligent systems. Students in the program will gain expertise in robotics, automation, control systems, sensors, embedded systems, and more.
Eight students make up the inaugural cohort, and many others are applying to the program
as word spreads.
One of those students is Julian Jaynes, a first-year mechatronics major from Elizabethton. “I joined the program to hopefully
work with robots,” he said. “I was excited to try out a new program at ETSU. I’m enjoying
it very much. I do not know what career field I’ll end up in yet, but this is something
that interests me, and I’m curious to see where it will take me.”
Employment in the field has grown 7.8% since 2022, and is projected to grow by 6.1%
by 2029.
The average salary in the field of mechatronics is $99,790, according to data from Lightcast.
The mechatronics major could take Jaynes and his fellow students just about anywhere they want to go. With a bachelor’s degree in mechatronics engineering from ETSU, graduates will be prepared for careers in automation, robotics, control systems, electromechanical, software, energy systems, product development, instrumentation, research and development, quality control, manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and more.
“The future outlook for mechatronics engineering is exceptional,” said Dr. Keith Johnson, Chair of the department. “This discipline is a game-changer. It will propel advancements
in automation, robotics, health care, autonomous vehicles, and integration at a rate
that we have never seen before, especially with the integration of artificial intelligence.”
By Jennifer Hill | Photo By Charlie Warden
Read more incredible stories in the Winter 2025 Edition of ETSU Today. #BucsGoBeyond
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