Current instructor

Frank Pfefferkorn

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.75/5 from 8 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

ME314 · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 2/5
The material throughout this class is too specific instead of covering general topics. When it came to the exam it took him almost 2 months to enter grades. His grading was poor and oddly specific. He took off large amounts of points for the slightest detail when 99% of the rest of the work was right.
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ME314 · course not matched
Quality 2/5Difficulty 4/5
This class is not a lot of fun. Frank knows his stuff but it is hard to keep focused and stay on track. These are the longest and most boring PP slides I have seen. Must be around 500 for just half a semester. Also hard grading scale which isn't good for a not curving.
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ME 364
Quality 2/5Difficulty 4/5
He's terrible. Takes 4+ weeks to grade exams when he has no other work commitments for the class. Also skips a lot of lectures for no reason. The worst professor I've ever had...
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ME 364
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
Overall, a very good professor. You can tell he enjoys teaching. His homeworks required a lot of work, but it's heat transfer, so that's implied. Tests are very fair (open book)and focus on comprehension rather than retention, and are easy if you've done the homework. Powerpoint slides are very helpful. Would definitely recommend.
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with Frank Pfefferkorn

ME 311

Manufacturing: Metals and Automation

3 credits

Introduces metal manufacturing processes, design for manufacturability, automation, control, metrology, and engineering economics for cost determination.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.92 GPA, 97.6% A/AB (n=85 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.61 GPA, 77.4% A/AB (n=133 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.85 GPA, 94.2% A/AB (n=173 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Sangkee MinFrank Pfefferkorn

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026
ME 449

Redesign and Prototype Fabrication

3 credits

A semester-long project course where students redesign and fabricate a Stirling Engine, applying design, manufacturing, and prototype evaluation principles.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.95 GPA, 95.0% A/AB (n=40 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.97 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=34 letter grades); Spring 2026: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=37 letter grades).

Frank Pfefferkorn

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2023–Spring 2026
ME 491

Mechanical Engineering Projects I

1–3 credits

Mechanical Engineering Projects I involves individual lab projects under staff supervision.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).

Gregory NellisDan Negrut+40 more

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2024–Spring 2026 · limited sample
ME 699

Advanced Independent Study

1–3 credits

Advanced Independent Study involves directed study projects arranged with the instructor, applying advanced physical, mathematical, and mechanical engineering principles to engineering research problems.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Krishnan SureshGregory Nellis+34 more

No recorded grade history

Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2027ME 311Manufacturing: Metals and Automation
Spring 2027ME 401Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering
Spring 2027ME 449Redesign and Prototype Fabrication
Spring 2027ME 489Honors in Research II
Spring 2027ME 491Mechanical Engineering Projects I
Spring 2027ME 492Mechanical Engineering Projects II
Spring 2027ME 699Advanced Independent Study
Spring 2027ME 790Master's Research and Thesis
Spring 2027ME 890Phd Research and Thesis
Spring 2027ME 990Dissertator Research and Thesis
Fall 2026ME 491Mechanical Engineering Projects I
Fall 2026ME 492Mechanical Engineering Projects II
Fall 2026ME 529Design & Applications of Smart Manufacturing Processes
Fall 2026ME 601Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering
Fall 2026ME 699Advanced Independent Study
Fall 2026ME 790Master's Research and Thesis
Fall 2026ME 890Phd Research and Thesis
Fall 2026ME 990Dissertator Research and Thesis

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

Instructor identity & provenance 
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