
James Witte attributes the popularity to the high profile of the school.
#Auburn university notable alumni professional
Nearly 700 students are expected to be enrolled in the professional flight and aviation management majors this fall, up from 84 in 2014.Īviation Director Dr. Meanwhile, Auburn’s School of Aviation is making significant contributions of its own. “When students come to Auburn, I think they see there’s a dozen different things they can get involved with and no shortage of opportunities to experience cool stuff,” Thurow said.Īlong with the student competition teams, other cool stuff includes cutting-edge research among the faculty, such as the design of a 40-foot airship, part of an effort to test novel air vehicles for near-space and other applications.Īnother project involves the tracking of a lunar rover that will examine chemical compounds on the surface on the moon and create the first resource map of an area near the lunar South Pole.Īuburn also is participating in a program to design, build and test small satellites with the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the university has partnerships with nearby Air Force bases to collaborate on scientific studies. The teams are multi-disciplinary, another real-world aspect for students to practice as they interact with peers from mechanical, electrical, computer science and other engineering programs. Thurow cites several student teams that participate in engineering competitions around the country, including those that design and build radio-controlled aircraft, payload-carrying rockets, robots that can operate in extreme conditions, and even off-road vehicles and racecars. “Your GPA is important for maintaining scholarships and getting your foot in the door, but after that first job, it doesn’t matter.” “What makes you good as an engineer is the experience you have outside the classroom. “From the day a student sets foot on campus, we put a big emphasis on student involvement and the practical aspects of being an engineer,” Thurow said. Notable program graduates include astronauts Ken Mattingly and Jim Voss, as well as Nelda Lee, the first woman to pilot an F-15.

“Our students are primarily from Alabama or the Southeast, and with everything going on with NASA in Huntsville and in other parts of the state, they have grown up with this pride in the aerospace industry,” he said.Īuburn also offers aerospace engineering students many hands-on experiences to hone practical skills for their future careers, and there’s a solid legacy of success. But Auburn’s growth is above the national average, said Dr. Much of that popularity is due to growing job opportunities in government and commercial aerospace, and other university aerospace engineering programs are also seeing increases in enrollment. The Department of Aerospace Engineering at the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering is a launching point for much of that influence, as its graduates can be found working for every major aerospace company across the U.S.Įnrollment in the program has doubled in recent years, from 414 students in 2015 to 610 last Fall. At the same time, each personifies distinction in their careers and in their communities.”ĭue to COVID-19 protocols from spring of 2020 and the ongoing precautions surrounding interstate travel, organizers chose to combine the recognition ceremonies into one large celebration over Zoom.“Through rigorous training and creative collaborations in both the military and commercial fields, the university continues to grow its influence in space and the skies.” “Their support of our programs, our faculty and our students enables us to achieve excellence. “Our outstanding alumni award winners have given much of themselves to the College of Engineering and to Auburn University,” Roberts said. Roberts, was attended by the college’s department chairs and heads, select staff, the Auburn Alumni Engineering Council and the honorees and their guests.


The ceremony, hosted by Dean Christopher B. The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering recently hosted a virtual ceremony to recognize and celebrate the college’s 20 outstanding departmental alumni.
