About
AEM has graduated students who have achieved successful careers in industry, education, the military and government. Students utilize their technical education in a wide range of fields such as engineering, CS, business and medical.
Message from the Department Head
Welcome to the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at The University of Alabama. I am excited to tell you about the educational opportunities we offer, and proud to explain how the results of our research impact the citizens of Alabama and the nation. Our diverse group of faculty is dedicated to fostering students’ education through research and teaching. Students will find that the broad range of disciplines represented among our faculty affords a challenging education that prepares them for a meaningful career.
As a graduate of the aerospace engineering program at The University of Alabama, you will be well prepared to compete in the global job market and to literally reach for the stars. Our alumni have gone on to such high profile careers as executive vice president at Lockheed Martin Corp. and as a NASA astronaut and space shuttle pilot. The University of Alabama is the only aerospace engineering program in the Southeast that has been continually accredited since 1937, and we strive to find new ways to meet the challenge of providing a superior education for our students.
Our commitment to providing students with an excellent educational experience includes focusing on small class sizes and hiring top faculty involved in national research projects. The faculty’s dedication to student education and small junior/senior level class sizes enable personal commitment and attention that is typically no longer a commonplace in the collegiate experience. Graduate students also reap the rewards of our dedicated faculty with their choice of a diverse set of interests, expertise and experiences when pursuing graduate level research.
The hands-on education that the aerospace engineering program at The University of Alabama affords its students is unique to the Capstone, and I encourage you to contact me for more information or to arrange a department tour.
Mark Barkey, Ph.D.
Professor and Department Head
Department Updates
Site Updates News Feed
Dr. Rohan Sood attends von Braun Space Exploration Symposium
December 12, 2023
UA Partners with Air Force to Explore Space Innovation
January 25, 2023
Dr. Rich Branam Announced as New UA ASGC Campus Director
August 18, 2022
Arden Markin (BSAE) Selected as Redstone Chapter Vertical Flight Society Scholarship Recipient for 2022
June 29, 2022
Ari Rubinsztejn (PhD-AEM, advised by Dr. Rohan Sood) Selected Graduate Student of the Year Aerospace Engineering Awarded by the Engineers Council of Birmingham for 2022
June 29, 2022
Chet Wiltshire (BSAE) Selected Undergraduate Student of the Year Aerospace Engineering Awarded by the Engineers Council of Birmingham for 2022
June 29, 2022
Caroline Austin (BSAE) Selected 2022 Capstone Engineering Society Outstanding Senior for College of Engineering
June 29, 2022
Mary Catherine Campbell Received the College of Engineering Staff Excellence Award, 2022
June 29, 2022
Dr. John Baker Received a NASA Cooperative Research and Development Agreement in Support of the BAMA-2 CubeSat Mission
June 29, 2022
Dr. Rohan Sood Promoted to Associate Professor
June 29, 2022
Bama Blitz 2022 with UASpace
April 19, 2022
UA Researchers Developing Way for Materials to Repair Themselves
February 23, 2022
Congratulations to Dr. Samit Roy for being promoted to an ASC Fellow!
September 23, 2020
Starting fall semester 2020, the College of Engineering now REQUIRES students have a laptop. This will not affect current students.
March 26, 2020
Program Objectives, Student Outcomes and Statistics
PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering (BSAE) degree program are expected within a few years after graduation to have:
- Established themselves as practicing professionals or pursued advanced study in aerospace engineering (or other professional fields of interest)
- Demonstrated their ability to work successfully as a member of a professional team and function effectively as responsible professionals
- Engaged in professional service (professional societies and/or community service)
STUDENT OUTCOMES
The Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering (BSAE) program at The University of Alabama can demonstrate that its graduates have:
- an ability to identify, formulate and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science and mathematics
- an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental and economic factors
- an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts
- an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks and meet objectives
- an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
- an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies
ENROLLMENT AND GRADUATION STATISTICS
The University of Alabama Office of Institutional Research and Assessment maintains annual enrollment and graduate data for the programs in the College of Engineering. Please visit the OIRA Statistical Profiles website to find statistics for student enrollment, degrees awarded and faculty data.
Mission
The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics will:
- provide high-quality undergraduate, graduate and continuing education that supports the aerospace industry
- attract and retain high-quality students
- conduct high-quality research on critical problems in the aerospace industry that will advance the body of scientific knowledge and support the department’s education programs
- serve individual practicing engineers and computer scientists, industry, government, educational entities, and technical societies through professional expertise, active involvement, and availability of facilities
Vision
The University of Alabama will be nationally recognized for its outstanding programs in aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics. The faculty will be renowned for excellence in teaching and with their students will make significant contributions to the state of knowledge in important technology fields. The instructional and research facilities will be outstanding by any reasonable measure. Industry and government entities will be interested in teaming with faculty on collaborative projects and will actively recruit our graduates. Potential students will be aware of our reputation and will rate our program among the best choices of places to study aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics.
Goals
The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics will:
- provide a nurturing educational environment for students of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics to pursue either professional practice or advanced education
- prepare our graduates to assume leadership roles in their respective fields
- provide a research environment that allows faculty and students to significantly advance the state of knowledge in areas important to the practice of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics
Departmental History
The University of Alabama established a Department of Engineering Mechanics in 1912. In 1993, it was renamed the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics to reflect its evolving interests.
Aeronautical engineering courses were first taught at the University in 1928. In 1937, the Department of Aeronautical Engineering was among the first 10 aeronautical engineering programs to become fully accredited in the United States and has continuously maintained its accreditation. In 1961, it was renamed the Department of Aerospace Engineering.
The two departments merged into its present state in 1996. Throughout its existence, the program has graduated numerous students who have achieved successful careers in industry, education, the military and government. These students have been able to utilize the technical education they received at the Capstone in careers in a wide range of fields ranging from engineering to computer science to business and medical fields.
Read more about UA’s Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics in Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering at The University of Alabama.
