The Mechanical Engineering in the Escola Politécnica of the University of São Paulo and its contributions to the Brazilian society

• Grant number: 08/00165-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2008
• End date: April 30, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - History - History of Science
• Principal Investigator: Celso Pupo Pesce
• Grantee: Marilda Nagamini
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Mechanical Engineering in the Escola Politécnica of the Universidade de São Paulo and its contributions for Brazilian society. This project´s goal is to investigate the historical development of the Mechanical Engineering in the Escola Politécnica of the Universidade de São Paulo, in its integration with the urbanization and industrialization processes which took place in the Brazilian society as a whole and specifically in São Paulo´s case. In order to achieve such goal, the Escola Politécnica´s initial project will be analyzed, in 1893, because the mechanical subjects were part of the engineering courses and of the mechanical arts annexed courses. They made possible the Electrician-Mechanic Engineer course organization, in 1911, which had Swiss professors such as Robert Mange and Félix Hegg, and the first one will be reckoned for the development of the Industrial Learning National Service. Later on, Politécnica joins the recently created Universidade de São Paulo, and the course is offered until 1955, when the programs are separated, within the context of JK´s government Draft Objectives. In the 1960's, in order to fit the educational changes, the Mechanical Engineering Department and the post-graduation are developed. In the 1980's, the Mechatronics course is developed, what contributes for new professors hiring and the development and enlargement of the educational and research laboratories up to the moment it becomes autonomous and another department is created, just like it had already happened with the Production Engineering. It is such set of accomplishments and changes that the society needs to know to understand the relevance of the Mechanical Engineering sector, and Poli´s contributions, for the country development. (AU)