Modernization of Aerospace Engineering Curriculum

位于圣路易斯的华盛顿大学工程与应用科学学院开设了一个新的航空航天工程专业，可以获得理工科学士学位。该专业是基于学生的需求和波音公司的大力支持而设立的，波音公司是波音公司的主要航空航天雇主。这项计划补助金有四个目标，旨在使其航空航天工程课程现代化：(1)通过实践设计/建造/飞行项目教授航空航天设计；(2)将这些设计项目纳入所有年级的课堂；(3)将研究纳入以本科生为重点的设计项目；(4)改善航空航天工程中代表性不足群体的招募和留住：改进课程的一个重要部分是提高学生群体的多样性。学生创建的项目是外展活动和招聘访问的自然展示，应该故意用来吸引来自代表性不足群体的预科学生。此外，该项目改善了与教师的联系，并提供了不同年级的指导机会，从而提高了学生的留存率。目前，这四个目标正在非正式地实施于航天器设计；航空航天、机械、电气和计算机工程专业的学生正在通过课程作业和志愿者项目工作开发一颗30公斤重的纳米卫星。智力优势：这一规划赠款的目标是为飞机和航天器设计轨道确定一个面向实践项目的综合课程的进程。这些课程不仅对航空航天工程专业的学生开放，也对其他学科的学生开放。更广泛的影响：改革后的课程将增强批判性思维和沟通技能，提供跨学科接触，鼓励少数族裔的团队合作、指导和参与，并改善就业机会。它将为其他院校的课程改革提供一个模式。密苏里州有一个由四所大学组成的航空航天研究和教育联盟，波音公司是一个工业合作伙伴，波音公司也对这一现代化努力非常感兴趣。

The School of Engineering & Applied Science at Washington University in St. Louis has a new Program in Aerospace Engineering leading to a B.S. degree. This major was created based on student demand and strong endorsement from the Boeing, their principal aerospace employer. This planning grant has four objectives for modernizing their aerospace engineering curriculum: (1) Teach aerospace design through hands-on design/build/fly projects; (2) Integrate these design projects into the classroom at all grade levels; (3) Integrate research into undergraduate-focused design projects; and (4) Improve the recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups in aerospace engineering: An essential part of the improvement in curriculum is an improvement in the diversity of the student body. A student-built project is a natural showcase for outreach events and recruiting visits, which should be intentionally used to attract pre-college students from underrepresented groups. In addition, retention of students will be improved through the program's improved connection with faculty and mentoring opportunities across grade levels. At present, these four objectives are informally implemented for spacecraft design; students in aerospace, mechanical, electrical and computer engineering are developing a 30-kg nanosatellite through coursework and volunteer project work. Intellectual Merit: The goal of this planning grant is to define a process for an integrated hands-on project oriented curriculum for both the aircraft and spacecraft design tracks. These tracks will be available not only to aerospace engineering students but to students from other disciplines as well. Broader Impact: The reformed curriculum will enhance the critical thinking & communication skills, provide cross-disciplinary exposure, encourage teamwork, mentoring and participation of minorities, and improve employment opportunities. It will provide a model for curriculum reform at other institutions. The state of Missouri has a four-university consortium in Aerospace Research & Education, with Boeing as an industrial partner, which is also very interested in this modernization effort.