So you want to be an aerospace engineer..

So you want to be an aerospace engineer.. Lakshmi Sankar lsankar@ae.gatech.edu 404-894-3014 Daurette Joseph daurette.joseph@ae.gatech.edu 404-385-1595

Some Useful Web Sites and Contacts • Our School: www.ae.gatech.edu • This presentation: www.ae.gatech.edu/~lsankar/FASET • AE Academic Office: • Phone: 404-894-3001 • Daurette Joseph daurette.joseph@ae.gatech.edu • Academic Advisor, 404-385-1595 • Revonda Mullis rmullis@ae.gatech.edu • Lakshmi Sankar lsankar@ae.gatech.edu

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?

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.

We make improvements to all theParts 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.

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.

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

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.

Experienced engineers 2001 Average Salary: Federal Government $74,170 Search and navigation equipment $71,020 Aircraft and parts $68,230 Guided missiles, space vehicles, and parts $65,830 Average starting salary in 2001: bachelor's degree candidates in aerospace engineering received starting offers averaging $46,918 a year master's degree candidates were offered $59,955 Ph.D. candidates were offered $64,167. How much do they make?I want a Corvette..

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: www.ae.gatech.edu/undergraduate

Do I get to do research? • Research 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 electives) you may use to satisfy your creative urges. • Here are some examples..

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.

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

Work on Dual Use Applications • Design of Variable Pitch Composite Spoiler • X-29 elastically tailored composite wings • Applied to Formula I race cars • Design Engineer LMACo

Work on Space Based Economy Self-sustaining Economy Support/Service Economy Space Habitats Lunar Manufacturing Lunar Mining Time Lunar Power Lunar Launcher Lunar Resources GEO Station Orbit transfer vehicles Maintenance Space Station Robotics Fuel Repair Com-sats Research Exploration Military Sensing GPS Earth Launch

AE Honors Program • This program was implemented in the Fall of 2002. • Goal • provide AE undergraduates who have an interestin 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

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

Eligibility • Participation is by invitation. • Invitation is Issued after the stduent has completed 48 credit hours (with <30 transfer hours) • The student is expected to maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above.

Requirements • Research Courses • Honors program candidates complete 3 semesters of undergraduate research (4698 or 4699) • Presentations • deliver at least one presentation on research work before completing BS • at national conference, student conference, or seminar (AE Brown Bag Lunch series)

Advising • Research Supervisor • student chooses faculty research supervisor (with mutual consent of faculty member) • able to change research supervisor during program • Academic Advisor • participants can be reassigned to academic advisor in student’s area of research interest (e.g., research supervisor)

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 plan to offer a new BSAE (International Option) program.

Elements of the Bachelor of Science (International Option) Programhttp://www.oie.gatech.edu/internationalplan.html • 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.

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).

Third Year Option #1 • Option #2 is to work in an international setting (internship), and complete the third year fall classes during the previous summer.

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?

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) Opportunities • Co-Op and Internship Opportunities • A honors program leading to a fast-track BS/ME dual-degree • We hope you will consider our program, when the time comes to selecting a college and a major.

Contact Information • Admissions: • http://www.admission.gatech.edu/ • School of AE: • www.ae.gatech.edu/undergraduate • Research • NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Program http://www.ae.gatech.edu/research/windtunnel/aclev/aclhome.htmlAcoustic control of fluid in microgravity http://www.ae.gatech.edu/~gravity/Aerial Robotics competition http://controls.ae.gatech.edu/gtar/Space System Design and student design competitions: http://www.ssdl.gatech.edu/Aerospace System Design Lab student design competitions: http://www.asdl.gatech.edu/

So you want to be an aerospace engineer..