Aerospace engineers create highly complex systems that operate in atmospheric environments (aeronautics) and/or in space environments (astronautics). Aerospace engineering is that branch of engineering that focuses on the design, development, testing, production, and operation of aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles. The design of an atmospheric flight vehicle requires that aerospace engineers have a fundamental understanding of aerodynamics, aircraft structures, flight dynamics and controls, and propulsion as well as a strong understanding of how each can affect the others. Similarly, the design of a spacecraft requires that aerospace engineers have a fundamental understanding of orbital mechanics, space environment, attitude determination and control, telecommunications, space structures, and rocket propulsion, as well as an understanding of how each can affect the others. Given the complexity of modern aerospace systems, aerospace engineers increasingly make extensive use of computational modeling and simulation tools and are at times required to develop new computational tools, i.e., are required to be proficient in computer programming. The emphasis on highly integrated systems and computational modeling and simulation makes aerospace engineers competitive and sought out in professional fields beyond those commonly associated with the discipline. In fact, The University of Alabama’s Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering program was recently acknowledged for providing our students “with a strong multidisciplinary background that qualifies them to work in a variety of different disciplines."
The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics is also home to faculty members with expertise in engineering mechanics. The discipline of engineering mechanics focuses on the underlying fundamental physical principles that solid and fluid materials exhibit. Such an understanding is critical to the development of new analytical tools to describe physical systems including the behavior of advanced materials. At the undergraduate level, students are introduced to engineering mechanics via courses in statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, and fluid mechanics. The material covered in these courses represents the foundation on which a strong engineering education is built. At the graduate level, courses include fracture mechanics, theory of plasticity, and turbulent flow of fluids. Graduate courses in mechanics often provide the fundamental basis for advanced research in mechanics or other disciplines.
Programs
The undergraduate curriculum in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics leads to a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering (BSAE) degree and, in addition to an in-depth knowledge of aerospace engineering, the BSAE degree provides a background in the basic sciences, engineering sciences, humanities, applied analysis and design. Graduates with a suitable academic record are also prepared to pursue advanced degrees in aerospace engineering, engineering science and mechanics, other related engineering/technical fields of study and professional areas such as law and medicine.
Accelerated Masters Program (AMP)
Faculty
Department Head
- Barkey, Mark
James R.Cudworth Chair
- Gogineni, Prasad
William D. Jordan Chair
- Roy, Samit
Undergraduate Programs Coordinator
- Su, Weihua
Graduate Programs Coordinator
- Hubner, James Paul
Mechanics Programs Coordinator
- Barkey, Mark E.
Professors
- Baker, John
- Barkey, Mark E.
- Gogineni, Prasad
- Hubner, James Paul
- Lang, Amy W.
- Olcmen, Semih
- Roy, Samit
Associate Professors
- Branam, Richard
- Haque, Anwarul
- Mulani, Sameer B.
- Sharif, Muhammad Ali Rob
- Shen, Jinwei
- Sood, Rohan
- Su, Weihua
Assistant Professors
- Aslangil, Denis
- He, Jiaze
- Larson, Jordan
- Lee, Myoungkyu
Instructors
- Brazeal, Clyde Ellis
- Jones, Stanley E.
- Klose, Katherine
- Papon, Easir
- Whitaker, Kevin
Adjunct Faculty
- Thompson, Greg
Professors Emeriti
- Jackson, John E., Jr.
- Jones, Stanley E.
- Karr, Charles L.
Associate Professor Emeritus
- Freeman, Michael
- Whitaker, Kevin
Assessment Coordinator
- Klose, Katherine