M.S. in Aerospace Engineering Takes Flight
The Department of Mechanical Engineering is proud to announce a new Master of Science degree program in Aerospace Engineering. Applications are now being accepted for the program that begins in fall, 2019. This new program complements M.S., Engr. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering and certificate programs.
Career opportunities in this robust marketplace abound with private companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic joining the government-funded NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in pushing the boundaries of space travel and exploration. Santa Clara University is just the place to train the next generation of space race engineers, says Mohammad Ayoubi, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
“Santa Clara has made a remarkable contribution to flight exploration. John Montgomery, an SCU alumnus and physics professor here in the early 1900s, is credited with the demonstration of the first controlled glider flight and he held patents on hinged control surfaces and the parabolic wing. This new revival of innovation, with the potential for human spaceflight, is exciting for students and is creating tremendous employment opportunities. Coming from a Jesuit, Catholic tradition, our focus on ethics in engineering will serve our students and the industry well,” he said.
Ayoubi explained that the aerospace engineering master’s program will focus on both aeronautics—aerospace vehicles that fly within the Earth’s atmosphere, such as helicopters, airplanes, and drones, and astronautics—aerospace vehicles that operate beyond the Earth’s atmosphere such as spacecraft. This program is the newest innovation for the Mechanical Engineering Department building from the formation of an undergraduate minor in aerospace engineering in 2014.
“With this degree, students will be able to continue on to Ph.D. research or join industry,” Ayoubi said, continuing, “SCU is very well situated. Having Lockheed Martin, NASA-Ames, and numerous startups right here in Silicon Valley is an unmatched opportunity. It is important for our students to be prepared and well-trained for this industry and the kind of jobs they represent. Our objective is to put graduates out in the field who have the technical ability and the value system that will benefit humanity through their work in the aerospace industry.”
Find more on the M.S. in Aerospace Engineering here.