1. So you want to be an aerospace engineer..
Lakshmi Sankar
Regents Professor and Associate Chair
School of Aerospace Engineering
Daurette Joseph
Academic Advisor

2. Some Useful Web Sites and Contacts
Our School:
This presentation:
AE Academic Office:
Phone:
Daurette Joseph
Academic Advisor,
Rebekah Trout
Lakshmi Sankar

3. Overview What do aerospace engineers do? Where do they work?
How much do they make? (I want a Corvette when I grow up..)
What are the classes will I take?
Will I get to do research?
Do you have a honors program?
What are the Study Abroad Opportunities?

4. What do aerospace engineers do?
We design, build, or analyze systems and components.
Aircraft, helicopters, engines, satellites, rockets, unmanned vehicles, etc.
We work in related areas.
Automotive, power generation, bio-engineering, wind energy, environmental engineering, etc.
We serve mankind by making improvements to the state of the art in aerospace vehicles
Cheaper, quieter, faster, lighter, environmentally friendly applications.

5. We make improvements to all the Parts of an Airplane
Low drag airfoils
Quieter, fuel-efficient propellers or jet engines
Composites and advanced aluminum alloy materials that are strong and light
Fly by wire controls that reduce pilot’s work load, and lead to a safe and enjoyable flight.

6. We make improvements to rockets and space vehicles
High energy, high density fuels
Computers and software for guidance and control of rockets
Optimum trajectories from earth to Mars and other places, that take the least amount of energy or time.

7. We make improvements to engines
Fans that produce a lot of thrust, but require less power
Compressors that increase the pressure with the least amount of power expenditure
Turbines that extract the maximum amount of energy from the hot gases
Nozzles that produce thrust, without excessive noise
Combustors that burn fuel efficiently, without pollution such as Carbon Monoxide or Nitrous Oxide

8. Where do aerospace engineers work?
Aircraft manufacturers (Lockheed, Boeing, Airbus, Cessna, Gulfstream, and others)
Engine Manufacturers (GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, Turbomeca, ..)
Helicopter Manufacturers (Bell, Boeing, Sikorsky, Robinson..)
NASA Research Centers (Langley, Ames, Glenn, Johnson)
Power Systems (GE, Pratt & Whitney, Regional Power Companies)
Airlines Industries (Delta, United, American, ..)
Government Agencies and Labs (Air Force Labs, Navy labs, DARPA, Department of Energy)
Hundreds of small businesses and suppliers that cater to the needs of the aerospace industries and the government.

9. How much do they make?

10. What are the courses like?
132 semester hours (four years)
Plenty of opportunities for internship and co-op work.
A combination of technical courses (Math, Physics, sciences, computer science, EE, materials engineering), humanities and social sciences (English, History, languages), and advanced AE courses.
Please see our web site for more details:

11. Portfolios
Free electives (10 hours), technical elective (3 hours), humanities electives (6 hours), and social sciences electives (3 hours) may be used to build a well-rounded portfolio of accomplishments:
Certificates (12 hours)
Minors (18 hours)
Design Competition Courses
U/G Research
U/G thesis
International Plan

12. Do I get to do research and design?
Research and development is an essential part of being an engineer.
As engineers, we are constantly searching for ways to do things better, cheaper, more efficiently, and with less impact on the environment.
We have plenty of opportunities in our program (10 hours of free electives) you may use to satisfy your creative urges.
Here are some examples..

13. Design, build, and fly your own airplane..
Our students compete nationally against other universities.
They design, build, and fly a vehicle that will meet the specifications.
They develop team skills, oral and written communication skills, and a strong work ethic.

14. Fly on the Vomit Comet..
Design experiments to study how gravity affects materials, fire, manufacturing processes, or human tissues.
Test your experiment on a specially equipped airplane.
Try not to P..ke

15. A Europa Scout Mission Proposal, April 21, 2015
Cadmus
A Europa Scout Mission Proposal, April 21, 2015
Team Cadmus won the 2004 RASC-AL undergraduate design competition and was invited to present its study at the AIAA Space 2004 Conference and Exposition in San Diego on September 28-30, 2004.

16. CADMUS Lander Configuration
Hybrid inflatable HGA
Propellant tank
Pancam
LGA
2.5 m
0.85 m
RTG
Main thruster (1 of 3)
Science
arm
3.7 m

17. AE Honors Program This program was implemented in the Fall of 2002.
Goal
provide AE undergraduates who have an interest in graduate studies and research with opportunities that will prepare them to excel academically and in research.
Outcomes
research experience
chance to explore specialties
joint B.S./M.S. AE program

18. Student Benefits
Automatically admitted to AE MS program after completion of BS
streamlined application, no GRE requirement
Count up to 6 hours of appropriate courses to both BS and MS degrees
able to complete MS degree 9-12 months after finishing BS degree
3 semesters of UG research experience
Preference for Undergraduate AE Research Fellowships

19. International/Study Abroad Options
The evolution of technology (e.g. high-speed aircraft) is bringing the world to our footsteps.
Tomorrow’s aerospace endeavors will require collaboration among nations, and international business partners.
US citizens should be trained to meet the changing global environment.
They should be aware of international trade/business practices, corporate laws and regulations, and environmental issues.
Fluency in a foreign language is a business requirement, not a luxury.
We offer a variety of study abroad programs.
Beginning in the fall of 2005, we offer a new BSAE (International Option) program.

20. Two or more years of college level study in a foreign language.
Elements of the Bachelor of Science (International Option) Program
Two or more years of college level study in a foreign language.
Three or more courses in a global or comparative international studies (e.g. economics, law, politics).
Two or more terms of residential foreign experience, of which one must be a full term experience (15 weeks).
The second term may involve study, internship, or work.
Capstone design experience (or a senior elective) must incorporate issues relevant to the discipline, from an international perspective.
Student receives an international designation on the transcript and diploma.

21. AE Program Elective Hours Easily Meet These Requirements
6 hours of humanities may be used to take language courses
6 hours of social science electives
3 hours of science electives
10 hours of free electives.
These 25 hours make up approximately 20% of our total program hours (132).

22. BSAE (Thesis Option) Requires 9 hours of research for pay or credit.
The free elective hours may be applied toward this requirement.
Requires documenting the work in the form of an undergraduate thesis
Requires taking a thesis writing class in place of a technical writing class.

23. U.S. News & World Reports Surveys
Undergrad Programs (Among Schools w/Ph.D. Programs)
9/ /03 9/ / /06 9/07
MIT MIT MIT MIT MIT MIT
Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Georgia Tech
U. of Michigan U. of Michigan U. of Michigan U. of Michigan U. of Michigan U. of Michigan
Graduate Programs
MIT MIT MIT MIT Stanford Stanford
Stanford Stanford Stanford Stanford MIT MIT
Georgia Tech Cal Tech Cal Tech Cal Tech Cal Tech Cal Tech
U. of Michigan Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Georgia Tech
Cal Tech U. of Michigan U. of Michigan U. of Michigan U. of Michigan U. Michigan

24. Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering Georgia Tech
696 undergraduate students
477 graduate students
$22.8 Mio in sponsored research expenditures in FY '07
$ 7.7 Mio in state support in FY '07
USN&WR rankings, in US:
#2 undergrad. program
#4 graduate program

25. Attributes of a Successful Aerospace Engineer
Do you enjoy math and science? Do you have an inquisitive and searching mind? Are you interested in knowing what makes things work? Do you like to solve problems and puzzles? Do you like to create things? Do you enjoy learning? Do you enjoy working with computers? Do you like to build things? Are you prepared to study hard and do homework? Do you achieve good grades?

26. Concluding Remarks Aerospace engineering is an interesting field.
You will never have a dull day in your life.
It does take a lot of hard work and dedication to be successful.
We offer
Faculty advising/mentorship
Undergraduate Research and Design/Build/Fly Opportunities that fit into your 132 hour curriculum
Study Abroad and BSAE (International Option), BSAE (Research Option) Opportunities
Co-Op and Internship Opportunities
A honors program leading to a fast-track BS/ME dual-degree
We look forward to working with you as you pursue your dreams.