Projects and Grants per year
Grants and Contracts Details
Description
The Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Kentucky is the largest engineering
program in Kentucky serving over 1000 undergraduate degree-seeking students and over 100
graduate students. As the department’s research programs have evolved, a growing emphasis on
aerospace applications has emerged as a strategic focus for future investment in both research
and personnel. Two new faculty have been hired in the last three years specifically in aerospace
research areas, and there are currently ten faculty with primary research interests in aerospace
engineering. The department has offered a certificate in Aerospace Engineering for many years.
At the same time, aerospace interest in the state of Kentucky has also increased both from
industry and from prospective students. Currently since no undergraduate Aerospace
Engineering degree program exists in the state, students may elect to attend another SEC school
any pay in-state tuition. This common market program results in about 40 students/year that
leave Kentucky for Aerospace Engineering programs.
With this intersection of demand from students and employers and the capacity for aerospace
expertise and research, the Department of Mechanical Engineering is seeking to develop a full
ABET-accredited Bachelors of Science degree program in Aerospace Engineering. The intended
schedule for this development includes building the curriculum plan during the 2019-20
Academic Year and submitting approvals for this plan through both the University and the state
Council on Postsecondary Education. Following approval the program could begin offerings to
students as early as Fall 2021. We anticipate the need to hire 3-4 faculty to complement the
existing Aerospace expertise in the department and fill out missing areas from a full Aerospace
B.S. curriculum. The Department is already searching for one of these positions during the
current Academic Year so that the program can launch quickly after approval.
This Enhanced Mini-Grant (EMG) proposal requests support for faculty time to enable several
half day retreats for focused development of our starting curriculum. Profs. Michael Renfro
(Chair of ME), Michael Seigler (Chair of AE Curriculum Committee), Sean Bailey, Jesse Hoagg,
and Christoph Brehm will be supported for 2% of their Academic Year time, equivalent to
approximately 5 days, to dedicate to the rapid development of the curriculum during the Fall
2019 semester. Profs. Renfro and Seigler will be supported for an additional 1% of their time
and the department will commit 3.7% of their time in cost-share, approximately 12 days total, to
dedicate to preparation of documentation and submission of approvals during the Spring
semester.
This proposal directly aligns with the NASA Education and Research Objective to advance
STEM education and workforce pipelines by creating entirely new STEM educational
opportunities within KY. Likewise, two of the five national NASA Space Grant Objectives
include:
• Encourage interdisciplinary training, research and public service programs related to aerospace.
• Recruit and train U.S. citizens, especially women, underrepresented minorities, and persons
with disabilities, for careers in aerospace science and technology.
The new Aerospace Engineering program will be provide interdisciplinary training and research
opportunities directly. Likewise, the program will recruit new undergraduate students into the
College of Engineering where there is existing emphases in building a diverse student body with
expanded access for under-represented student groups.
Outcomes
The proposed development activities will result in the following outcomes:
October: Curriculum map including all required courses and potential overlaps with exiting ME
program. Feedback from ME faculty on curriculum map
November: Revised detailed curriculum plan including course descriptions for new AE course.
Feedback from ME faculty on detailed course and curriculum plan
December: Revised course descriptions and detailed syllabi for new AE courses. ME faculty
approval on AE program
February: Submission of new program request to college and university
March: Submission of plan to KY CPE
Status | Finished |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 10/1/19 → 5/31/20 |
Funding
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Projects
- 1 Finished
-
National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program (SPACE Grant) Training Grant 2015-2018
Smith, S. & Hayes, J.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
8/4/15 → 2/3/21
Project: Research project