Modernization of Aerospace Engineering Curriculum

圣路易斯的华盛顿大学工程应用科学学院开设了一个新的航空航天工程项目，学生将获得学士学位。℃下这个专业是根据学生的需求和波音公司的强烈认可而创建的，波音公司是他们的主要航空航天雇主。该规划补助金有四个目标，使他们的航空航天工程课程现代化：（1）通过动手设计/建造/飞行项目教授航空航天设计;（2）将这些设计项目纳入各级课堂;（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的群体的招聘和保留：改进课程的一个重要部分是提高学生的多样性。一个学生建立的项目是一个自然的展示外展活动和招聘访问，这应该是故意用来吸引来自代表性不足的群体的大学预科学生。此外，通过该计划改善与教师的联系和跨年级的指导机会，学生的保留率将得到提高。目前，航天器设计正在非正式地实现这四个目标;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公斤的超小型卫星。智力优势：这项规划补助金的目标是为飞机和航天器设计轨道确定一个综合的实践项目导向课程的过程。这些轨道将不仅提供给航空航天工程的学生，但从其他学科的学生以及。更广泛的影响：改革后的课程将提高批判性思维的沟通技能，提供跨学科的接触，鼓励团队合作，指导和少数群体的参与，并改善就业机会。它将为其他机构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教育联盟，波音公司是其工业合作伙伴，该联盟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.