Mayer, Hans  

Don't be fooled by all the good reviews from years ago.

No, Hans is not the devil or a nazi. He is very strict though. Like if you put a figure caption a space too high, you lose points. Every week there is a hard quiz and then about 7 labs. Expect to put a lot of work into labs or you will fail them. He is a good guy but I found his grading a bit unfair. I understand he wants us to take pride in our work though. A lot of people don't. He clearly spends a lot of time and work into teaching and wants us to succeed. He understands the material well and is very intelligent. Also, he sent me home once for wearing shorts. We were boiling water. I do that at home naked.A

Don't take Hans for stats. Basically it goes like this. Hans sets his outrageous rules that you have to follow, and you try to follow them and always fail. Oh yeah, and if you've never taken stats, you're worrying about following his rules and not the content. Forget units on one part of your problem? zero for everything. Meanwhile I thought he was teaching stats and not Nazi basics. This event alone made me write a review. He gives out three hard quizzes in one day. Me and my group are finishing the 10 minute quiz in the 5 minutes he has given us to complete it. Hans says "15 seconds remaining" and my team members and I scramble to get our answers boxed and put our names on them. Then he says "time" and won't accept any quizzes after he has said time. People are walking up to hand him quizzes and he won't grade them because they weren't in his hands two seconds earlier. Guy is a dick and he knows it. Another event that stood out. A student asks for Hans to clarify a word on the board that isn't clear. In two seconds, Hans writes the word, crosses off the end of it, puts a box around it, and then erases it completely and then scrambles to the other side of the board and continues writing. Then he expects us to know this word. I'm sitting in the class like WTF is the professor doing, he is here to teach me statistics and when asked a question he essentially shows the students that if they have a question they are completely fucked cause he doesn't give a flying fuck if we understand what he's writing. Hans, if you read this, please tone it down a little and calm your anger. It may actually help students understand what you're trying to teach.

Hans. Where do I begin with good old Hans. This guy. Is the worst. I haven't actually learned anything from him other than how much of a short person complex he has and that he cares more about proving how stupid we are than actually teaching us. Everything I know of this class I had to teach myself, slaving over the outdated course pack and example problems. I've also never met a teacher who was so excited about the class and took it so seriously, yet didn't actually care about his students. He's just an ass. Just, whatever you do, do not take this class with him. This class isn't worth failing. Its absolutely pointless and shouldn't be impossible. Yes, this class has to be strict, but Hans takes it to a whole new level. He also says he might curve our midterms. Might. The class average was a failing grade. So we have no idea if he's actually going to curve it and if we're actually going to pass it. And since our grade depends on our lab grade but not all of us have him for lab, he's going to curve DOWN our grades. So even if he does curve up a test, he's going to lower our lab grade to "normalize" it. So I have no idea if I'm going to get a B or an F. And when you ask him anything related to tests or grades or even actual course material he never answers it. He either says "oh I can't tell you" or "oh you should already know how to do that"... yeah I'm supposed to have learned it from you... but I didn't... so that's why I'm asking about it. He doesn't understand or care. TLDR I have learned nothing useful from this man. He doesn't care about you. He'll treat you like an idiot. And he's just an overall terrible person. Avoid him at all costs. You're welcome.

I prefer no bullshit professors. Hans teaching structure is all bullshit. Instead of making the material presentable, easy to understand, and focusing on learning, he cares solely on formatting and formalities. Hans is the professor that says read what’s on polylearn and he expects you to fish though the unorganized mess and to figure out you need a ruler for the midterm. In the same amount of words, he could just say “bring a ruler to the midterm.” He argues that it teaches you responsibility and organization; however, a grade in a MECHANICAL ENGINEERING class shouldn’t only reflect whether you brought your colored pencils or not. He can also be condescending and a little rude. I highly suggest Hans to see Dr. Pascual’s format of teaching. I’ve learned 50 times more in thermo in half the time and frustration I’ve spent on this class. We are here to learn, not to play your games.

Hans is an alright guy until you get your lab reports back.

I had Hans for the lab portion of ME236. I'd heard a lot of bad things about him from other students, but was happy to find that they were mostly exaggerations. Sure, Hans was tough on the lab reports. Sure, he was a little quirky and strict about certain things. But it was clear that he had the best intentions. Hans was passionate when teaching, humble when his mistakes were pointed out, articulate when conveying material, and helpful when asked questions. Not what I was expecting, luckily.

Hans Mayer is probably the best teacher I have ever had. He made me work harder than I ever thought possible and his class was far too challenging for the level we were at. Many of my fellow students hated his style but I accepted the challenge, showed up to (almost) every office hour, actually learned the material, and ended up acing the final and getting an A in the class after doing poorly on the first midterm. He seemed overqualified to teach this class.

He doesn't give any solutions to assigned homework after it is due, therefore you are unable to know if you are actually understanding the material or not. DON'T TAKE HANS.

Hans is a great lecturer. He's is extremely organized and presents the material clearly. Yes, he expects a lot but you will come out of it actually knowing thermodynamics (which is the point of taking a thermo class..) He will not hold your hand through everything, but he is very helpful in office hours and actually makes you think through the problem instead of giving you the answer. You won't finish his exams but that's the point to see if you can manage your time wisely. Bottom line: if you're up for the challenge and want to be a better engineer, take Hans.

Hans is one of my favorite lectures at Cal Poly. I thought he explained the material for the class so thoroughly and kept you engaged throughout the lecture. He would have surprise quizzes which made me keep up on the reading (for the first time in my college career) but I feel like they actually helped me gauge where my understanding was at with the material. Now, I won't say that he's the nicest, least intimidating, or easiest teacher I've had. But he definitely challenges you and pushes you to not just go through problems using the same steps you've always used but makes you actually thing of how and why you're going to solve the problem. Pretty much all of the examples he gives you are real life examples which makes the class way more interesting. I'm definitely a better, more organized engineer because of his class. If I had a chance to take him again, I absolutely would. Also. If you take him, see him in office hours. Even if you don't need help in anything, he's cool enough to just drop by and chat with.

He single handily made me hate my major. The whole class performed terribly on the midterm and instead of realizing it as a self problem, he got mad at the class as a whole. I honestly don't know how his polyratings are so high. He would make the material way harder than it should have been and graded like he was in the Nazi regime. If you enjoy ME and plan on keeping it that way, don't take this guy.

If you want me to rate Hans solely based on his ability to teach the material, he is probably the best professor I have had. He teaches very well and doesn't skip steps at all. This guy knows his shit more than any other ME professor at this school. He is very very helpful in office hours and makes sure you understand everything about a problem before he's done. That being said, he is very sassy, hard grading and can even come off as rude sometimes. He grades very hard but he curves very hard as well. He doesn't collect homework but you should definitely still do it.

Alright so I took Hans for thermo and I had to retake the class. This was definitely a shock to me. However a few quarters later I actually appreciate what he did. Hans is hard, like really hard. However he is by far the best lecturer I have had to date. He really knows his stuff and is very helpful during office hours. If you are willing to put up with a slight drowning sensation the whole quarter from the amount of work he gives you, you will really appreciate what this guy does. Take him if you wanna learn not if you want an easy class.

Hans is the best lecturer I have ever had, hands down. He can and will explain concepts multiple different ways to help students understand. The way he presents the course is very systematic and organized. He is also very helpful in his office hours. He can come across as a little sassy sometimes, and his syllabus is so strict that it reads like a prison visitation form. His methods of grading are heavily weighted towards exams and finals, with no homework credit and some quizzes. This has led some people to label him as Prof. LoCascio's evil apprentice. Still, if you can handle all of that, you will learn a ton from Hans.

A solid professor. He wasn't too confusing when deriving equations, and performed plenty of homework-like example problems in class. Standard medium-sized homework set due each week, which he actually grades. He posted the homework solutions each week as well, making studying for the test that much easier. He is also very helpful in office hours. Take him if you can.

He really tries you teach you the material well, but Fluids was just too hard for me so i escaped with a C. His test are really hard, but he does curve. Attempt to do the hw and go to office hours and you will pass. Basically, if you really want to learn the material, take the class, if looking for easy teacher, then stay away

Hans is the man!!! His enthusiasm and intimate knowledge of fluids allows you to learn it inside and out. Test are hard, but curved. Overall, the course is demanding but all expectations are reasonable.

If you want to learn Fluid Dynamics, Hans will teach you as much as you want to learn, and probably a bit more. Hans takes Fluid Mechanics extremely seriously... Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if his Fluids books had sticky pages, if you get my meaning. He expects the same enthusiasm from his students... One way he attempts to achieve this level of edification to scare the living crap out of them from the beginning. Thankfully, he seems to be quite realistic when it comes to the final grades he presents to his students. This isn't at all to say that he's easy, but I don't feel he's unfair. Hint: Even if you feel you've done well on the quizzes/tests, it's a good idea to look up problems you think you might not have done well on before the next class... He quizzed us on the same exact problems the very next day.

this guys tests are rediculous. so hard no one ever finishes. he didn't collect homework, but you must attempt to even get passing grades. he ends up curving the grades because the averages are about 50%. i didn't apply myself all that much, and didn't really expect to pass but i got a d, so i called it good and left it at that. this guy needs to be in industry not teaching, he is way to smart for any students own good. good luck if you take his class.

First off, Fluid Mechanics sucks. Easily the hardest of the me courses required for CE majors. I had a sh*tty time trying to learn it. Mayer's lectures were really helpful. He didn't waste time reviewing unnecessary details. However, his tests were impossible. Based on the fact that the average score was 20-35 out of 100 for both midterms, it definitely wasn't just my bad study habits. So if you don't want to waste 3 units of registration thinking that you are going to have to take his class again because you failed the midterms... Don't take Mayer

Mayer is a great teacher. He is really hard and makes you work your butt off, but he is a really good teacher. I learned so much from his class and I am really glad that I took him. If you really want to learn the material, take him. If you want an easy teacher, don't take him. He is one of the best teachers that I have had at Cal Poly.

First off fluids is a tough subject. That being said Hans does a good job explaining it. Homework wasn't due but you need to do it to understand the concepts. The key thing about homework and this class would be to go to his office hours to get help and practice those problems. Once you know the methods and things Hans wants for each problem you will be able to do well on the tests. Tests are usualy a third concept and 2/3 written problems. The tests were on the harder side but if you go in for help on homework and concepts, the tests should be managiable. So to sum it up, Class is hard, Hans is good, Go to office hours definately before first exam to see what hans is looking for when he grades problems, and don't be discouraged when you do bad on exams. He curves.

I learned more from this professor's course than any other I've taken at Cal Poly. Let's students choose his office hours, which he has many, and often stays after. Well prepared, interesting, and a fair grader.

Hans is by far the best teacher at Cal Poly for engineering. He is a tough teacher, but has so much passion for what he does, and is extremely knowledgeable about fluids. If Hans taught every class at Cal Poly, I would not hesitate to take him for every course. Go to his office hours, he truly wants you to learn the material, and actually cares if you do. I highly recommend Mayer.

wow, what a ride. Hans fucking Mayer, the legendary ME prof. i knew what i was getting into when i signed up for Hans: 20% exam medians, unreasonable amount of homework, straight gas every lecture, etc. let me tell you: the myths hold true. this guy is the real fucking deal. i have never been more challenged academically/mentally in my life. never before have i been captivated every single damn lecture, only to fear the man every other hour of the day. before every class, i would furiously study/prepare for a potential quiz. but it was never enough. i think i got 6 points in total out of 15 quizzes throughout the quarter. the homeworks are abundant and hard to keep up with. if you go to office hours (or even ask a question in class), behold the strength of the Socratic Method he will employ all over your face/ego/soul/family name. he will never tell you the answer; he truly wants you to find it on your own. if he's given enough guidance, he won't help you anymore. he will make you bang your head against the textbook repeatedly. this class seriously broke me down, but it was fun (in a masochistic kind of way). even after all that said, i will still say Hans is one of the best, if not the best ME prof at Cal Poly. i will let this man represent the ME program in its fullest. he has given me my lowest grade to date, but the man has taught me so much. we are lucky to have him. Hans, i respect the shit out of you. but god damn to whoever is reading this, take a light load if you want an A.

I would marry Hans if I could. He is without a doubt the BEST professor I have ever had at Cal Poly and he makes me wish I was an ME so I could take 347 with him. I have never met anyone more passionate than this man. Yes, he is extremely challenging and he pushes his students to ridiculous limits but he does realize that he is asking for a lot and curves really hard. I can understand why he has received such negative ratings, and that's because you could easily put in half of the effort with another professor and end up with a better grade. If you really want to learn the material and become a better engineer then 100% take his class, but brace yourself because it is one hell of an anxiety induced ride.

Hans Mayer is an extremely smart man. That being said, Hans does not deliver content in a way that is conducive to a student learning and comprehending the material. He stresses students out, doesn't care how poorly they do and curves tests to 60%. If you are up for a large and extremely time consuming challenge then yes, take Hans but if you are trying to learn the basics of fluid mechanics for the first time in your life, think about looking somewhere else. Grading: final 55%, midterm 30% and pop quizzes 15%

Hans fails to realize it isn't 1962 and there is other gd ways to tech now. He assigns an unnecessary amount of HW on material he expects you to have learned on your own through reading. Moreover, his lectures are presented at lightning speed where if you don't ask questions he purposely assumes you understand all the content, when he very well knows everyone is lost. Oh, he also looks like a scrawny Ned Flanders

Great lecturer, and when I say that I mean he knows fluid mechanics through and through and will go non-stop for an hour delivering your 100% accurate content. However, he expects that if students do not asks questions that they understand everything that just happened at whirlwind speed. He is a smart guy but for such a smart guy he simply does not have a class format that allows students to succeed. For a three unit class, he demands readings and homework weekly that would take at 8 hours to complete, and he doesn't even grade the homework UNLESS HE WANTS TO FOR A QUIZ AT RANDOM. He also does pop quizzes. He has so many assignments and demands throughout the quarter that by the time you reach the 55% final you're sick of it.

I am glad that I toughed it out through this class with Hans. I feel more competent in fluids and as an engineering in the workforce in general. Only take Hans if you want to work very hard and learn, and have time to study. He expects a lot but he is the most incredible lecturer I have ever witnessed and is extremely clear and reliable. He makes the subject interesting.

Hans is by far one of the smartest and capable professors I have taken from any department. He has a very deep knowledge of the material and goes to extreme lengths to make it easy to understand. This class is extremely difficult just because of the subject matter, and it will be tough no matter who you take it with. However, Hans puts in an absurd amount of his own time and money to make sure he is prepared to teach the course effectively. His lectures are well planned, clear, and interesting. Yes, he expects a lot of his students, more so than any other professor I've ever had, but he cares a lot about his students. His grading is based almost entirely on the midterm and final, with the final being most of it. He teaches students skills that will make them better learners in this class as well as other classes. If you truly want to understand fluids, I would recommend taking it with Hans. No teacher you can take for this class will be easy, but most other teachers will be easier.

One of engineering students favorite pass times is to talk about how hard all of their classes are, which often leads to unjustified preconceptions about teachers and classes. It might be a slightly different story for fluids 2 but for fluids one Hans is the best professor that I've ever had and his expectations are not unreasonable, unlike what you will hear from the majority of ME students. During the first week of class his syllabus, homework and quizzes are intentionally intimidating, which makes a lot of people drop his class but after that the class is totally reasonable. His lectures are incredibly well thought out and presented. His depth of knowledge on the material is astonishing and it is incredibly clear that he has spent a ton of time preparing to teach this class. I think a lot of people are intimidated by fluids because the equations and problems look far more complicated than they actually are, and having Hans as a professor is just an excuse for them to justify not giving the class their best shot. If you attempt to do the homework and occasionally go to office hours the workload for this class is extremely manageable and going to class is nothing short of enjoyable. His midterm is significantly easier than the homework but is fast paced. More than likely you won't be able to finish the whole test but as long as you follow his "one point per minute" advice your curved grade will be fine. There certainly are easier professors out there but I haven't come across one that is even close to as good as Hans.

Hans is the man! For sure one of the more challenging classes I have taken at Cal Poly, but definitely worth the effort. I got a 15/52 on the first midterm, but was able to come back and get a B+ in the class, so don't stress if you don't do well in the beginning. Hans is very passionate about the material and makes it easy for you to get a excited about a topic that is less than exciting. Yes, you will have to work for it, but with Hans, I guarantee you will learn fluids. More about the class - 50% of your quiz grade is just attendance so don't worry if you feel like you are bombing all the quizzes. If he tells you to rework the midterm, DO IT! He offered like 5 or 10 percent grade boost if you solved it correctly on the quiz following the midterm. Participate in class and he will really like you.

HOW IS THIS GUY STILL ALLOWED TO TEACH AT POLY?! Absolutely terrible at presenting material clearly. His focus is making the students feel stupid while proving to himself that he is a genius

Hans was a really good teacher, he relates well to students and is very helpful during office hours. The lab was time consuming and sometimes tedious, but he recognized our effort and gave us credit for it.

THE BEST M.E. PROFESSOR!!!

Here is everything you need to know about Hans. First off, you will not find another teacher ANYWHERE at calpoly that cares more about his/her students. Hans offers easily twice the amount of office hours as any other prof. and if you cant make those he will arrange more. He will arrange review sessions before tests and finals. He will do anything in his power to help his students really learn the material. Hans spends more time in class, lab and in office hours than most ME students spend on all their classes (lab time, class time, homework, projects!) Secondly Hans knows his shit, and if there is ever something he does not know, which is almost never, he will come back the next class with a fully researched and thought out answer. People complain that Hans' tests are ridiculous...sure, they are, ill give them that. But the people on here that complain about the midterms averaging 20-30%, who cares!! If the average is a 20% then everyone who got a twenty percent has a C in the class. It is called a curve people!! If you are careful on a test and dont make any mistakes, but only complete 50 percent of the test, you will probably get an A or B. Hans does not like stupid mistakes, and he will ding you hard for them, so be careful and dont worry about finishing (he does not expect you to). Hans is overall a fantastic professor. He is hard, but he is smart as hell, knows how to teach, and is a super interesting guy to talk to about almost anything. He is going to grad school, but if he ever comes back, trust me, take him for every class you can, and you will be a better engineer for it.

Had him for 341 and 347. Far and away the best professor I have ever had. Hans is 100% dedicated to making you learn the material. His classes have made me a better engineer and I now feel so much more confident in my abilities. He is going away to get his PhD, but should be back in a few years as a tenured professor. Absolutely take him if you get the chance. His classes are quite the experience and I guarantee you will be a much better person from them. Thanks for everything Hans, and good luck in grad school.

I can't do this!!! this is ridiculous! I gotta get out of my bed!!!!!

As much as I like him for his dedication and eagerness for students to learn, I hate that he writes tests and quizzes so you cannot complete more than about half of it. My grade suffered as a result. It wasn't the best learning environment when he makes fun of you for saying something wrong, I mean all the stuff was new. Hasta la Vista Hans!

Hans was difficult, but really puts a lot of effort to try to help you out. He hosted review sessions on weekends before midterms and multiple times before finals. His tests are very difficult, he makes them very hard to finish. he does this to teach people not to waste time on mindless number crunching. If you set up the problems and work through the solution in an organized manner you will get most of the points even if you dont write down a numerical solution. Hans will be gone for at least 4 years in UCSB, but when he comes back I would highly recommend Mayer for any class. If every professor was like Hans, life would suck, but you would know a ton about Mechanical Engineering.

I totally agree with lots of posts below. Hans is an amazing professor that truly cares about teaching, unlike some professors that got their phD and don't give a shit about students learning the material. To be honest, I could care less about the grade I got from his class. I had the opportunity to take Hans for Fluids I and II. It was the best choice I made. Ever.

Hans is basically a slave driver. No matter how much time you put into a lab he always find something wrong with it. Even if the content is 100% correct he will find something wrong with your formatting and drop you down to a C. His classes are more formatting centered. However, he is a very good teacher and explains things well and makes the class interesting. If you don't care about grades and wanna learn take hans.

NO

Hans is an extremely smart guy and he is passionate about what he does. That being said, he is also a terrible guy and doesn't care whether you pass or fail. Hans expects you to know as much as he does on the first day of class and doesn't answer questions when asked. Instead of even giving a half-ass answer, he will simply respond, "that is a good question"... and continue on with the lecture without trying to help you. I have seen this happen multiple times. Overall, if you take Hans you will work your ass off and your grade will not reflect it

Had him for the Fluids II lab and Lemieux for lecture. I admire his passion and I envy his knowledge of the subject. In terms of conveying subject matter and explaining concepts, he's one of the best professors I've had in this regard. Yes, he's meticulous. Yes, he's condescending. Yes, he's standoffish. Even if you develop a relationship with him. Deal with it. The lab reports were very time consuming and mostly cumbersome. He's very good at catching mistakes so the scores for your reports will probably suffer. But he does mean well and only wants you to be a better engineer once you graduate. Lab scores were inevitably adjusted and I walked away with over an 86% - which I think is very accurate in terms of what I learned and how much effort I put in. I got a B in lab and my overall grade for the class was B as well. I'm done!

Terrible, terrible professor

Professor Mayer is a homie!! This dude is incredibly smart and thorough in his teaching. If you thought engineering school was challenging, this dude makes that an understatement. You will be challenged past your mortal limits. There is a very heavy workload and his expectations are high. Expectations so high that a -2/100 on a lab report is a thing (if you have him for lab) and 30 problems over a week is also a thing. Come prepared to lab/lecture cuz he WILL ask you about how much you prepared for your assignments. He is very good about answering questions and wants to make us better engineers. Bring a pair of calibers and measure the diameter of your asshole before and after the course and see how far you've come. TLDR: very good, very hard, a lot of work, hard tests, you die a little but come out learning SO much, 20/10 would recommend

Hans Hans is the best professor I've had at Cal Poly in ME only rivaled by Tony Mendes of the math department. I was intimidated by Hans because of his reputation as "LoCasio's disciple" only because I have had and fear LoCasio. Hans is so knowledgeable and just f***** knows how to get that knowledge to the students; he doesn't stutter, he doesn't mumble, he just goes, straight gas, every single lecture. He knows fluids better than you know most things. Also, realistically challenging midterms and quizzes (which don't really matter, they're for attendance). There's a lot of homework, but it wasn't due (which honestly was kinda worse). Thank you, Hans. - Mr. ________

Hans is the greatest professor I have had. Hardest? You bet. Most worthwhile? You bet. Will you have to work your ass off? Hell yeah, and you will thank him afterward for making you a better engineer. I got a C which was not the greatest but I learned so much, and that is the point of college. If you want an easy class you shouldn't be an ME.

I made the mistake of taking Fluids I with Kennedy, which didn't prepare me for the level of detail required of Hans, however, I was still able to power through, only by entirely prioritizing this class. I wanted the real Hans, mechanical engineering experience, and I believe that is what I got. I would highly recommend taking him for both lecture and lab, for entirely different reasons, it's a double whammy. He is the biggest goddam fluids/thermodynamics/data analysis nerd out there, and I love him for it. He has such a thorough and intimate understanding of the material, coupled with a giddy-excitement for the course, it is contagious. You want to take him for lecture, because each class was captivating; the 50 minute block flew by, and it all makes sense. He has a fantastic ability to tie everything together, relating fairly complicated concepts back to their original basic equations. For lab, he will kick your ass. On every report, he will literally find every missed period, every misalignment, every minute and trivial mistake in your work, and dock you for it. Don't be surprised when your first report grade is below a 50%. But you know what, next time you won't make those dumbass mistakes, and you'll be able to hold yourself, and your group members accountable. He honestly teaches you how to be a technical writer infinitely better than ENGL 149. "I am going to grade these as if you have nothing better to do with your lives, as if you aren't taking any other classes or clubs." @Hans. TLDR. Basically, be ready for an assload of work, and do not be afraid to put in the extra time for the prelabs, MATLAB quizzes, homework, and go to as many office hours as possible. Believe the hype: he will make you actually THINK about your work, and how it is understood by other people. He will make you a better, more professional, more hireable engineer, and if you buy into his philosophy, you will be rewarded. 10/10 would recommend, try not to take it at the same time as Design I/II.

If you are bitching about Hans then it's a good thing you don't go to a better school than Cal Poly

Hans has high expectations of his students, but he really will put in the time to help them understand the material. He is one of the most engaging professors - the lectures flew by - I have had at Cal Poly, and it is obvious that he LOVES the material. Be prepared for a hard but very interesting class.

Type of professor who expects too much, but does little for the students. He spends his time complaining on how unorganized we were and how much extra time he needs to spend at the lab, yet if he would help organize both sections he wouldn't need to spend so much time in the lab. I like him as a person, but not as a professor.

What the guy/gal below said. Amen. I too took this class and have long since graduated from Poly, but I was cruising Poly Ratings for a kick and thought that I should pipe in and let you know how much of a joke this prof is.