Project Teams in MAE

A current list of student project teams can be found on the College of Engineering teams web site. Each team page contains basic information about the projects and contact information for current team leaders. Team pages also contain links to each team's website, where you'll find additional information on team goals, membership requirements, and links to the competitions, conferences, and meetings where Cornell teams put their products to the test, meet fellow student engineers, and have opportunities to compete, share ideas, and network.

Interested in joining a project team but not sure where to start?

  • A general information session for all Engineering project teams is held at the beginning of the Fall semester (look for posters and announcements in the Sundial). This is an informal session, where the majority of our teams are represented. This event is a great opportunity to talk with representatives from nearly all of our teams, in one place.
  • Most project teams also hold individual information sessions at the start of the Fall semester, and some in the Spring. These sessions are open to anyone who's interested in the project and is a great way for you to learn more about a team and ask questions.
  • You may also contact team leadership directly. Contact information for team leaders can be found on the College of Engineering website.

Project Teams for Course Credit

Mechanical Engineering students (as well as students from many other majors and Colleges) are allowed to use work on project teams for course credit (typically, 1 credit hour equals 3-4 hours of work per week). Students may enroll in one of several courses each semester, to receive credit for their work on a project team:

MAE 1900

Freshman and non-technical projects in Mechanical Engineering
This course is intended for first-year students and students filling non-technical roles on project teams. First-semester students are restricted to one credit of project teamwork, but can petition to enroll for more than one credit in their second semester.

MAE 4250: FSAE Automotive Design Project

This course is specific to the Formula SAE project team and is reserved for Junior and Senior Engineering students only (others should enroll in MAE 1900 or 4900).

MAE 4291: Supervised Senior Design Experience


Work on a project team can be used to fulfill the MechE senior design requirement, provided the work is design-related. A design report will be required at the end of the semester. Discuss your intentions for using a project team to fulfill your senior design requirement with the project advisor, early in the semester.

MAE 4900: Individual and Group Projects in Mechanical Engineering


This course is intended for Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors working in technical roles on project teams.

MAE 6900

Master of Engineering students may enroll for project team credit under the team's section of MAE 6900.

All of these courses require the completion of a Project Approval Form for enrollment, each semester. Project Approval, Petition, and other enrollment forms can be found on our Forms page.

All project students (whether enrolled for credit or not) must agree to safety and professional behavior guidelines. Each student will sign a copy of the Sibley School Policy for Safety and Professional Behavior, which should be submitted to the MAE department office in 108 Upson. Access to MAE facilities and equipment will be restricted to those who have signed this form.

If you have further questions about project teams and/or enrollment on a team, please contact Emily Ivory.