Aerospace Minor At MSU

March 1, 2010 Update

Doug CairnsLysle A. Wood Distinguished ProfessorMechanical and Industrial Engineering

Lysle Wood Professorship(Lysle A. Wood, BSME, 1925)

• Goals of the Professorship– Make a positive and significant impact on aerospace

technology nationally and in Montana– Provide support for aerospace related faculty

development– Enhance student learning opportunities for aerospace

related engineering careers

• Three year appointment, subject to renewal, Cairns appointed 9/07

Academic and Strategic Needs for the Aerospace Minor• MSU has traditionally been a large supplier of engineers to Boeing in Seattle and other

aerospace companies• Sponsored research from Air Force, NASA, DOE (wind turbine blades), other aerospace • Many ME Students hired by aerospace or aerospace-related companies• Students are already engaged in aerospace internships

– JPL– NASA– MSU SSEL– Edwards Air Force Base– Sandia– etc.

• Montana has reached “critical mass” in its aerospace activities– S&K technologies– CDI Aerospace– Scientific Materials– S2 Corporation– Summit Design and Manufacturing in Helena– Resodyn– MSE in Butte– Stene Aviation– etc.

• Governor Schweitzer has stated that aerospace and related technologies will be the leader for a higher tech Montana economy

• MSU has ROTC Aerospace Studies (AFROTC); 21 students, most are engineers• Prospective students and their parents often ask “Do you have an aerospace program?”

MSU

CDI Aerospace (Igor Sikorsky at the controls)

Resodyn

MSE

S&K Technologies

Summit Aeronautics Group

Regional Needs• Closest Aerospace Engineering at University of

Washington (next closest is CU in Boulder)• MSU has a breadth of faculty with aerospace

expertise• Utah State University has an “Aerospace

Emphasis” in ME, similar to the BREN (Bio-Resources ENgineering) option in CE at MSU

• University of North Dakota has a “Space Studies” MS degree

Goals of the MSU Aerospace Minor

• Provide a framework for giving students an introduction to aerospace (a true minor, not a major; interdisciplinary approach engages a breadth of students)

• Formalize and strengthen what we are already doing, provide a basis for growth

• Use the Aerospace Minor as a recruiting tool• Provide skills for Montana aerospace jobs• Develop a venue for research

collaborations/internships for our students

Resources for Implementation• No new faculty needed; many faculty in COE, Physics,

Chemistry with aerospace expertise and experience

• Aerospace Minor modeled after ECE minor for CS and vice-versa (BS major degree with a minor included in 128 credits)

• Thermo/fluids offerings weakest; source of opportunity for improvement

• Framework for new courses (strong “architecture” of the Aerospace Minor to build upon)

Aerospace Minor Requirements Summary

Table 1 Required Core Courses for the Aerospace Minor Course Credits RationaleMath 181 4 Basic Differential Calculus class, necessary for

quantitative aerospace coursesMath 182 4 Basic Integral Calculus class,

necessaryfor quantitative aerospace courses

Physics 211 4 Basic science central to aerospacePhysics 212 4 Basic science central to aerospace

Total RequiredCourse Credits 16

These courses are central to all engineering, physical sciences, and chemistry at MSU. This core group makes the aerospace minor applicable to Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, and Industrial Engineering. (However, it is most appropriate for Engineering and Physics majors.)

Aerospace Minor (summary, cont.)Table 2 Aerospace Elective Course CategoriesCategory ImpetusMaterials and Structures Needed for development of

aerospace systems; structures, hardware, sensors, system packages, etc.

Thermo/Fluids Needed for an understanding of aeronautical systems, momentum equations relevant to propulsionsystems, environmental needs, etc.

Focused Topics This is a series of focused and advanced topics applicable to aerospace. These courses include design, dynamics and control, Computer Aided Design (CAD), spacescience, etc.

Students take an ADDITIONAL 12 Credits of electives in these categories (one from each, plus one additional) to complete the minor; specific courses selected based on relevance to aerospace, frequency of offering, and broad

accessibility (e.g. minimal layers of pre-requisites)

Summary of Requirementsfor Aerospace Minor

In summary, the MSU Aerospace Minor consists of 16 required course credits plus 12 elective course credits as outlined above for a total of 28 course credits. In its initial offering, the Aerospace Minor course electives are strongest in the fields of materials and structures, but the architecture of the Aerospace Minor is open to accommodate the breadth of aerospace engineering and science for the minor, and provides a framework for evolution and improvement.

Progress to Date• Aerospace Minor “survived” 11 levels of approval

(through the Board of Regents)• Lesson Learned: The most important aspect for

developing a minor for which there is no major (Board of Regents Level II Request) is to develop a cogent argument for the “need” for the minor. The Aerospace Minor BOR Level II Proposal has been cited as a good example for others to follow

• Went online Fall 2008• Lysle A. Wood Professor (Cairns) is the Certifying Officer

for the Aerospace Minor• 30+ students enrolled• 2/10 Requirements modified to include Mechanical

Engineering Technology students

Continuous Improvement (ongoing since September 2008)

• Implement the Aerospace Minor– Have already approved 30+ applications for the minor

(Lysle A. Wood Professor is the Certifying Officer, application is added to student’s Application for Degree package)

• Advertise the Aerospace Minor (Is described in detail in the MSU Course Catalog; catalog language is more extensive than typical)

Continuous Improvement (ongoing since September 2008), cont.• Strengthen the Aerospace Minor

– Aerospace-specific courses• NASA proposal funded to develop a cornerstone “Intro to

Aerospace” course-will be offered first time Spring 2010• This course may become a required “cornerstone” course

which would replace the “wild card” elective course– Aerospace modules in specific courses

• Integration throughout the curriculum– Improve aerospace content in minor courses

• Opened the Aerospace Minor to Technology Students 2/10