We apply a collaborative approach to both research and education -- emphasizing hands-on learning, teamwork, technical expertise, and system-level multidisciplinary thinking. At the graduate level PhD students are offered a one-year teaching practicum, and may work with faculty in more than one focus area. MS students have the opportunity to work in teams on aerospace research projects like designing a small satellite (DANDE), an interstellar dust instrument (CRIA) or a lunar module prototype (HAB). Collaborative, multidisciplinary projects are also the focus of our capstone Senior Design course which follows the life cycle of industry projects from conception, to design reviews, development, construction, testing, and analysis of results. Students develop in-depth technical knowledge, effective communication skills, and a systems engineering perspective that enables them to produce creative solutions to complex problems.
Miranda Mesloh, M.S. (2009), Miranda Mesloh in a real spacesuit,
in UCB spacesuit mockup. at work in Wyle Labs, NASA JSC.
A brief history of the Aerospace Engineering Sciences department
The AeroSpace Systems Science and Engineering Initiative (AS3E)
Aerospace Undergraduate Education Brochure 2012
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Awards:
Faculty
Graduate
Undergraduate
- According to the 2010 NRC rankings of PhD programs in aerospace engineering, CU-Aerospace ranks fourth nationally in terms of program quality. Our graduate program is ranked 13th overall and 8th among public graduate programs in aerospace engineering. Our undergraduate program is ranked 14th overall and 10th among public undergraduate programs. (2013 U.S. News & World Report rankings)
- The Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences had research expenditures of
$12 million in fiscal year 2011.
- CU-Boulder has one of the highest numbers of astronaut alumni in the nation and a high participation rate in the NASA space program. To date, 20 CU-affiliated astronauts have flown in space.