Goals
Goal One
Regarding undergraduate enrollment, our goal is to have class sizes of more than 30 and less than 50. In the fall 0f 2009, our undergraduate enrollment in the sophomore, junior and senior classes was 168. This includes 69 students who are still classified as pre-aerospace engineering students for various reasons. This enrollment represents an increase in the sophomore, junior and senior classes of 13 and an average class size of 56. However, we have not experienced actual class sizes as large as 50. Not considering any pre-aerospace students, the average class size predicted by the enrollment is 33.
We could probably increase our undergraduate enrollment by around 20 students without significantly affecting quality. But, due to limited faculty size and lab space, a class size closer to 30 is better.
Goal Two
Maintain enrollments of 30 to 40 master's level students and 10 to 20 PhD students. This goal is also tied to the goal pertaining to the number of faculty members. A relatively large, stable graduate student population is needed for success in long-term research endeavors. As of May 28, 2009, we have 29 graduate students. We have not recruited too aggressively because of the economic situation. As the economy improves, we will work harder to increase the number of PhD candidates.
Goal Three
Provide scholarships to 20 undergraduate students. We have 14 scholarships that are specifically for aerospace engineering undergraduates. This is an increase of 40 percent since 2003 and just 20 percent short of our goal.
Regarding graduate students, Presidential (university level) tuition fellowships for graduate students make recruiting them easier. Recently, some new fellowships were established to help all department of the college of engineering. We also have established two Woltosz fellowships on a year-to-year basis to supplement limited state funds that currently provide about $30,000 to GTA's. This state funding has been decreasing annually, since 1999. More graduate scholarships will allow us to recruit outstanding graduates of peer undergraduate programs and reward exceptional performance of Ph.D. students. Attracting outstanding graduates of peer programs will give us more subjective ranking points based on perception of quality.
Goal Four
Identify those areas in which we have capabilities that are most important to the state and nation and to aggressively pursue research in those areas. One of the areas that we have effectively addressed is that of the systematic design of aerospace vehicles, especially missiles and launch vehicles, using modeling and simulation. Some of our faculty members have developed high fidelity models of the aerodynamics, structures, propulsion systems and control system of missiles and launch vehicles and to build parameterized models of the vehicles that are used to provide information to a genetic algorithm that selects the models that best meet system requirements.
A second part of this goal is to extend this successful modeling, simulation and genetic algorithm design (MSGAD) methodology to the design of helicopters and unmanned aerial systems (UASs), both fixed-wing and rotary-wing. Considering the increasing cost of fossil fuels, another goal is to apply the MSGAD methodology to design tractor-trailers with reduced aerodynamic drag.
A third part of this goal is to develop a hardware-in-the-loop lab for testing missile and aircraft components. Equipment for the lab has been provided by the U. S. Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) of the Aviation and Missile Command. This development will be part of a larger initiative for aerospace research and graduate education.
Goal Five
This goal is add a National Academy of Engineering member to our faculty. We think that our efforts in working toward Goal Five will help us attract an individual with expertise in aviation and/or missiles who could contribute substantially to our educational and research programs.
Goal Six
The aerospace engineering faculty will have at least two faculty members in each of the principal areas of aerospace engineering: aerodynamics, astrodynamics, flight dynamics and control, propulsion, structures and propulsion. With no overlap and duplication this requires 12 faculty members.
Goal Seven
Develop an aerodynamics and propulsion lab. Plans are being made to provide more laboratory space for a new low-speed wind tunnel, an advanced laser flow diagnostic lab and a lab for airbreathing and rocket propulsion experimentation. Alternative locations are a renovated Textile Engineering Building, the Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport grounds, and the Auburn Research Park.
Goal Eight
Further develop the Aerospace Engineering Simulation Lab in the Shelby Center of Engineering Technology. Additions to the cluster used for computational fluid dynamics will be made this year as well as the addition of projection equipment and computers to the auditorium.
Goal Nine
Provide multi-media equipment for all classrooms used by the college of engineering. Achieving this goal is a gradual process.
