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Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Theses and dissertations published by graduate students in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, Old Dominion University since Fall 2016 are available in this collection. Backfiles of all dissertations (and some theses) have also been added.

In late Fall 2023 or Spring 2024, all theses will be digitized and available here. In the meantime, consult the Library Catalog to find older items in print.

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Thesis: Switching Methods for Three-Dimensional Rotational Dynamics Using Modified Rodrigues Parameters , Matthew Jarrett Banks

Dissertation: Studies of Flowfields and Dynamic Stability Characteristics of a Quadrotor , Engin Baris

Thesis: Development, Experimental Validation, and Progressive Failure Modeling of an Ultra-Thin High Stiffness Deployable Composite Boom for in-Space Applications , Jimesh D. Bhagatji

Thesis: Design and Implementation of a Launching Method for Free to Oscillate Dynamic Stability Testing , Kristen M. Carey

Thesis: SeaLion CubeSat Mission Architecture Using Model Based Systems Engineering with a Docs as Code Approach , Kevin Yi-Tzu Chiu

Dissertation: RoboRetrieve --In a Dual Role as a Hand-held Surgical Robot and a Collaborative Robot End-effector to Perform Spillage-free Specimen Retrieval in Laparoscopy , Siqin Dong

Thesis: Fabrication of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Components Using Stereolithography 3D Printing , Hannah Dyer

Thesis: Fusion Bonding Behavior of 3D Printed PA6/CF Composites Via Post Fabrication Compaction , Gonzalo Fernandez Mediavilla

Dissertation: Machine Learning Approach to Activity Categorization in Young Adults Using Biomechanical Metrics , Nathan Q. C. Holland

Thesis: Study of Microphonic Effects on the C100 Cryomodule for High Energy Electron Beam Accelerators , Caleb James Hull

Dissertation: E-Cadherin Force Transmission and Stiffness Sensing , Mazen Mezher

Thesis: Experimental and Computational Aerodynamic Studies of Axially-Oriented Low-Fineness-Ratio Cylinders , Forrest Miller

Thesis: The Effect of Through Thickness Reinforcement Angle on the Disbonding Behavior in Skin-Stringer Configuration , Christopher John Morris

Dissertation: Chemical and Physical Interaction Mechanisms and Multifunctional Properties of Plant Based Graphene in Carbon Fiber Epoxy Composites , Daniel W. Mulqueen

Thesis: Data-Driven Predictive Modeling to Enhance Search Efficiency of Glowworm-Inspired Robotic Swarms in Multiple Emission Source Localization Tasks , Payal Nandi

Dissertation: Fabrication of Smooth SAC305 Thin Films via Magnetron Sputtering and Evaluations of Microstructure, Creep, and Electrical Resistivity , Manish Ojha

Dissertation: Faster, Cheaper, and Better CFD: A Case for Machine Learning to Augment Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes , John Peter Romano II

Thesis: A Comparative Study of Vinti-Based Orbit Propagation and Estimation for CubeSats in Very Low Earth Orbits , Ethan Michael Senecal

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Thesis: A Comparison of Uniaxial Compressive Response and Inelastic Deformation Mechanisms in Freeze Cast Alumina-Epoxy Composites Without and With Rigid Confinement , Tareq Aljuhari

Thesis: Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis of a Very Low Earth Orbit CubeSat Mission , Robb Christopher Borowicz

Thesis: A Study of Asymmetric Supersonic Wind Tunnel Nozzle Design , Brittany A. Davis

Thesis: Electromagnetic Modeling of a Wind Tunnel Magnetic Suspension and Balance System , Desiree Driver

Dissertation: Advanced Generalized Predictive Control and Its Application to Tiltrotor Aircraft for Stability Augmentation and Vibration Reduction , Thomas Glen Ivanco

Dissertation: Numerical Simulation of Electroosmotic Flow of Viscoelastic Fluid in Microchannel , Jianyu Ji

Thesis: Assembly of Ceramic Particles in Aqueous Suspensions Induced by High-Frequency AC Electric Field , James E. John IV

Dissertation: The Effect of Soft Tissue and Bone Morphology on the Stresses in the Foot and Ankle , Jinhyuk Kim

Thesis: Development of Modeling and Simulation Platform for Path-Planning and Control of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles in Three-Dimensional Spaces , Sai Krishna Abhiram Kondapalli

Thesis: Deep Learning Object-Based Detection of Manufacturing Defects in X-ray Inspection Imaging , Juan C. Parducci

Dissertation: Utilization of Finite Element Analysis Techniques for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Surgical Planning , Michael A. Polanco

Thesis: Mechanics of Preimpregnated Fiber Tow Deposition and Compaction , Virginia Meredith Rauch

Dissertation: Role of Structural Hierarchy in Multiscale Material Systems , Siavash Sattar

Thesis: Implementation of an Extended Kalman Filter Using Inertial Sensor Data for UAVs During GPS Denied Applications , Sky Seliquini

Dissertation: Collaborative Robotics Strategies for Handling Non-Repetitive Micro-Drilling Tasks Characterized by Low Structural Mechanical Impedance , Xiangyu Wang

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Dissertation: Tunable Compressive Mechanical Behavior of Ice-Templated Materials , Sashanka Akurati

Thesis: Analysis of a Non-Equilibrium Vortex Pair as Aircraft Trailing Vortices , Manuel Ayala

Thesis: Modeling Interactions in Concentrated Ceramic Suspensions Under AC Electric Field , Naga Bharath Gundrati

Dissertation: Improved Strain Gage Instrumentation Strategies for Rotorcraft Blade Measurements , Timothy S. Davis

Thesis: A Model-Based Systems Engineering Approach to e-VTOL Aircraft and Airspace Infrastructure Design for Urban Air Mobility , Heidi Selina Glaudel

Dissertation: Development and Applications of Adjoint-Based Aerodynamic and Aeroacoustic Multidisciplinary Optimization for Rotorcraft , Ramiz Omur Icke

Thesis: A New Method for Estimating the Physical Characteristics of Martian Dust Devils , Shelly Cahoon Mann

Thesis: Post-Processing and Characterization of Additive Manufactured Carbon Fiber Reinforced Semi-Crystalline Polymers , Patricia Revolinsky

Thesis: Gradient-Based Tradeoff Design for Engineering Applications , Lena Alexis Royster

Thesis: The Effect of Through Thickness Reinforcement on Debonding Behavior of Skin/Stringer Configuration , Yogaraja Sridhar

Thesis: Empirical Modeling of Tilt-Rotor Aerodynamic Performance , Michael C. Stratton

Thesis: A Digital One Degree of Freedom Model of an Electromagnetic Position Sensor , Michelle Elizabeth Weinmann

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Thesis: Parametric Study of Residual Stresses in Wire and Arc Additive Manufactured Parts , Hisham Khaled Jamil Abusalma

Thesis: The Effect of Compaction Temperature and Pressure on Mechanical Properties of 3D Printed Short Glass Fiber Composites , Pushpashree Jain Ajith Kumar Jain

Thesis: Numerical Analysis of a Roadway Piezoelectric Harvesting System , Abdul Rahman Badawi

Dissertation: Role of Anisometric Particles in Ice-Templated Porous Ceramic Structure and Mechanical Properties , Mahesh Banda

Thesis: Mechanism of Compaction With Wrinkle Formation During Automatic Stitching of Dry Fabrics and the Size Effect of Compression Molded Discontinuous Fiber-Reinforced Composites , Anibal Benjamin Beltran Laredo

Thesis: Conical Orbital Mechanics: A Rework of Classic Orbit Transfer Mechanics , Cian Anthony Branco

Thesis: Rotorcraft Blade Angle Calibration Methods , Brian David Calvert Jr.

Dissertation: Onboard Autonomous Controllability Assessment for Fixed Wing sUAVs , Brian Edward Duvall

Thesis: A Parametric Analysis of a Turbofan Engine with an Auxiliary Bypass Combustion Chamber – The TurboAux Engine , Kaleab Fetahi

Thesis: Space-Based Countermeasure for Hypersonic Glide Vehicle , Robert Joseph Fowler IV

Thesis: Compaction and Residual Stress Modeling in Composite Manufactured with Automated Fiber Placement , Von Clyde Jamora

Thesis: Trajectory Simulation With Battery Modeling for Electric Powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles , Ege Konuk

Thesis: Detailed Modeling of the Flash Hydrolysis of Algae for Biofuel-Production in COMSOL Multiphysics , Noah Joseph LeGrand

Thesis: Through-Thickness Reinforcement and Repair of Carbon Fiber Based Honeycomb Structures Under Flexure and Tension of Adhesively Bonded Joints , Aleric Alden Sanders

Thesis: Energy Harvesting Using Flextensional Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters in Resonance and Off-Resonance Modes , Mohamed A. Shabara

Thesis: Thermal Contact Resistance Measurement and Related Uncertainties , Amanda Elizabeth Stark

Thesis: Model Based Systems Engineering for a Venture Class Launch Facility , Walter McGee Taraila

Thesis: A Post-Impact Behavior of Platelet-Based Composites Produced by Compression Molding , Christopher Eugene Ervin Volle

Thesis: Nonlinearity Index Aircraft Spin Motion Analysis With Dynamic Inversion Spin Recovery Controller Design , Jeffry Walker

Thesis: A Study of the Aeroacoustics of Swept Propellers for Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles , Arthur David Wiedemann

Thesis: Finite Element Analysis Investigation of Hybrid Thin-Ply Composites for Improved Performance of Aerospace Structures , Alana M. Zahn

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Thesis: Characterization and Optimization of a Propeller Test Stand , Colin Bruce Leighton Benjamin

Dissertation: Endogenous Force Transmission Between Epithelial Cells and a Role for α-Catenin , Sandeep Dumbali

Dissertation: Effect of the Physical Micro-Environment on Cell Adhesion and Force Exertion , Mohamad Eftekharjoo

Thesis: Reducing the Noise Impact of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by Flight Control System Augmentation , Matthew B. Galles

Thesis: Design and Manufacture of an Inertial Cascade Impactor for Industrial Hygiene Purposes , Hector Joel Gortaire

Thesis: Off Axis Compressive Response of Ice-Templated Ceramics , Rahul Kumar Jujjavarapu

Thesis: Unsupervised-Learning Assisted Artificial Neural Network for Optimization , Varun Kote

Dissertation: Numerical Simulation of Viscoelastic Flow in Micro/Nanochannels , Lanju Mei

Thesis: Comparison of Support Methods for Static Aerodynamic Testing and Validation of a Magnetic Suspension and Balance System , Cameron K. Neill

Thesis: Extension of a Penalty Method for Numerically Solving Constrained Multibody Dynamic Problems , Troy Newhart

Dissertation: Computational Analysis and Design Optimization of Convective PCR Devices , Jung Il Shu

Thesis: Periodic Orbit Analytic Construction In The Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem , Jay Shriram Suryawanshi

Thesis: A CFD Study of Steady Fully Developed Laminar Flow Through a 90-Degree Bend Pipe with a Square Cross-Sectional Area , Subodh Sushant Toraskar

Dissertation: Estimation of Arterial Wall Parameters Via Model-Based Analysis of Noninvasively Measured Arterial Pulse Signals , Dan Wang

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Thesis: Offshore Wind Energy: Simulating Local Offshore Wind Turbine , Ian P. Aquino

Dissertation: Epithelial Sheet Response to External Stimuli , Yashar Bashirzadeh

Thesis: Anthropomorphically Inspired Design of a Tendon-Driven Robotic Prosthesis for Hand Impairments , Manali Bapurao Bhadugale

Thesis: Aerothermodynamic Analysis of a Mars Sample Return Earth-Entry Vehicle , Daniel A. Boyd

Thesis: Volterra Series Approximation for Multi-Degree of Freedom, Multi-Input, Multi-Output, Aircraft Dynamics , Alexander J. Chen

Dissertation: Simplified, Alternative Formulation of Numerical Simulation of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell , Russell L. Edwards

Thesis: Distributed Sensing and System Identification of Cantilever Beams and Plates in the Presence of Weak Nonlinearities , Patrick Sean Heaney

Thesis: Dynamic Response Modeling of High Speed Planing Craft with Enforced Acceleration , Brian K. Johnson

Dissertation: Identification and Optimal Linear Tracking Control of ODU Autonomous Surface Vehicle , Nadeem Khan

Dissertation: Design and Implementation of an Artificial Neural Network Controller for Quadrotor Flight in Confined Environment , Ahmed Mekky

Thesis: Gust Alleviation System for General Aviation Aircraft , Lucas Coleman Mills

Thesis: Human-Robot Collaborative Force-Controlled Micro-Drilling for Advanced Manufacturing and Medical Applications , Parimal Mahesh Prajapati

Thesis: Single-Stage, Venturi-Driven Desalination System , Brandon Proetto

Thesis: A Cost Effective Design for a Propeller Thrust/Torque Balance , Nicholas Barrett Sadowski

Dissertation: Understanding the Mechanical Behavior of Costal Cartilage at Their Curved Exterior Surface Via a Tactile Sensor with a Built-In Probe for Distributed-Deflection Detection , Jiayue Shen

Thesis: A Scientific Approach to Understanding the Head Trauma Endured by a Mixed Martial Arts Fighter , John William Michael Sorbello

Thesis: Robocatch: Design and Making of a Hand-Held Spillage-Free Specimen Retrieval Robot for Laparoscopic Surgery , Farid Tavakkolmoghaddam

Thesis: Effects of Automated Fiber Placement on High Strain Rate Compressive Response of Advanced Composites , Alexander Trochez

Thesis: A Monolithic Internal Strain-Gage Balance Design Based on Design for Manufacturability , Thomas Ladson Webb III

Dissertation: A Stepwise Compression-Relaxation Testing Method for Tissue Characterization and Tumor Detection Via a Two-Dimensional Tactile Sensor , Yichao Yang

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Home > Research > Student Research > Graduate Research > Master’s Theses > Aerospace Engineering

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Theses/Project Reports from 2024 2024

Supersonic Air Inlet Modeling Using the Method of Characteristics , Shay S. Takei

Theses/Project Reports from 2023 2023

Launch Vibration Attenuation For In-Space Assembly Cargo , Jered Bell

Development Of Load Measurement Technique For Arbitrary Shapes , Quintin J. Cockrell

Parametric Optimization Of A Wing-Fuselage System Using A Vorticity-Based Panel Solver , Chino Cruz

Structural Design, Modeling, And Analysis Of The Wing For A World Speed Record-Breaking Turbo-Prop Racing Airplane , Joseph C. Hammond

Gyroless Nanosatellite Attitude Determination Using an Array of Spatially Distributed Accelerometers , Kory J. Haydon

Autonomous Attitude Consensus for Nanosatellite Formations in LEO , Laird J. Mendelson

Distributed Control of Servicing Satellite Fleet Using Horizon Simulation Framework , Scott Plantenga

Feasibility Assessment of an All-Electric, Narrow-Body Airliner , Ariel Sampson

Theses/Project Reports from 2022 2022

Testing and Verification for the Open Source Release of the Horizon Simulation FrameworTesting and Verification for the Open Source Release of the Horizon Simulation Framework , William J. Balfour

Project Management and Systems Engineering Framework for Educational Cubesat Missions , Bailey Garrett

The Effects of Atomic Oxygen on Silicone and Carbon-Based Contamination , Mayana W. Gordon

Method and Simulation of On-Orbit Sub-microthrust Evaluation , Jonathan Hood

Spacecraft Trajectory Optimization Suite: Fly-Bys with Impulsive Thrust Engines (Stops-Flite) , Aaron H. Li

Development of a Dual-Band Radio Repeater to Be Carried by a Fixed-Wing Small Unmanned Aerial System , Carl Recine

Aeroelastic Analysis of Small-Scale Aircraft , Kent Roberts

Structural Loads and Preliminary Structural Design for a World Speed Record-Breaking Turbo-Prop Racing Airplane , Matthew G. Slymen

Effects of Atomic Oxygen on Outgassing of Silicone Materials , Samuel Westrick

Theses/Project Reports from 2021 2021

Simulation of a Configurable Hybrid Aircraft , Brandon Bartlett

Comparing Radiation Shielding Potential of Liquid Propellants to Water for Application in Space , John Czaplewski

Cultivating Creativity in Aerospace Systems Engineering to Manage Complexity , Kenneth Lucas Dodd

Integral Boundary Layer Methods in Python , Malachi Joseph Edland

Interior Point Optimization of Low-Thrust Spacecraft Trajectories , Jordan D. Frederiksen

Passive Disposal of Launch Vehicle Stages in Geostationary Transfer Orbits Leveraging Small Satellite Technologies , Marc Alexander Galles

Development of a Hybrid Particle Continuum Solver , Anthony J. Gay

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Home > Engineering > Mechanical & Aerospace > Master's Theses

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Master's Theses

All master’s theses completed through the Graduate College of Western Michigan University since 2012 have been entered into ScholarWorks. Some may be embargoed or restricted by the authors and may be only available from on-campus computers. Print copies from earlier years are available through interlibrary loan. We have a few digital copies of earlier years. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Retrofitting the American Football Helmet with Energy Absorbing Metals , João Pedro Beleza Pereira Seixas e Sousa

Improving Future Vehicle Fuel Economy and Operational Design Domain Through Novel Data Pipelines , Kyle James Carow

Advancing Winter Weather ADAS: Tire Track Identification and Road Snow Coverage Estimation Using Deep Learning and Sensor Integration , Parth Kadav

Nonlinear finite element model for functionally graded porous circular/annular micro-plates under thermal and mechanical load , Enrique Nava Munoz

3D Printed Poly Lactic Acid Structures for Cell Growth and Nanoparticle Transport-Simulation and Experimental Validation , Shrikrushna Vinayak Sonawane

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Dynamic Maneuvers For Satellite On-Orbit Servicing Utilizing Novel Continuum Robotics: Development & Experimentation , Nathan Dalton

Design, Manufacture, and Characterization of a Novel Miniature Coaxial Ion Trap Mass Analyzer , Kyle Davis Lyman

The Design and Development of a Miniature Gridded ECR Ion Thruster , Nicholas Nuzzo

Design and Optimization of An Electron Cyclotron Resonance Thruster , Austen Thomas

Measurement of Low-Speed Impinging Jet Structure Using Temperature Sensitive Paint , Arthur Dean Woodworth

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Standardized 1x6U CubeSat Structure Design , Maximilian H. Brummel

Simulation and Analysis of Engine Torque – Measurement and Study of Its Effect on Heavy Duty Vehicles , Iqbal Singh Chahal

Probabilistic Approach to Predict Contact Fatigue of Straight Toothed Net-Shape Forged Bevel Gears , Caleb Gurd

3D Printing of Lab on Chip Structures for Cell Growth and Experimental Validation of Magnetic Nanoparticle Flow Simulations , Prabhjot Singh

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Vehicle Performance Analysis of an Autonomous Electric Shuttle Modified for Wheelchair Accessibility , Johan Fanas Rojas

Vehicle Velocity Prediction Using Artificial Neural Networks and Effect of Real-World Signals on Prediction Window , Tushar Dnyaneshwar Gaikwad

Optimized System for On-Route Charging of Battery Electric Buses and High-Fidelity Modelling and Simulation of In-Motion Wireless Power Transfer , Yogesh Bappasaheb Jagdale

Development of a Single Emitter Ionic Liquid Ion Source Research Platform , Thomas V. Kerber

Fatigue Damage Characterization by Surface Roughness and Instrumented Micro – Hardness Measurements , Suraj Sanjay Nikam

Comparison of Optimal Energy Management Strategies Using Dynamic Programming, Model Predictive Control, and Constant Velocity Prediction , Amol Arvind Patil

Development of a Finite Element Model of the Stamping Process to Predict the Natural Frequencies of Dimpled Beams , Varad Vasudeo Pendse

Prediction of Isotropic Strain Hardening Material Properties Using Gradient Boosted Regression Tree Method and Hyperparameter Optimization , Darren R. Promer

Transition to Renewable Energy Generation to Mitigate Climate Change: Implications on Japanese and Indian Energy Policies , Vaibhav S. Pujari

Theoretical and Experimental Study on Thermoelectric Generators Using Liquid-To-Liquid Flow Ducts at a Temperature Range Between 10ºC and 100ºC , Sudarshan Rawale

A Multiscale Thermomechanical Metal Additive Manufacturing Simulation and the Impact of Geometry on Residual Stress and Distortion , Luis Fernando Silva Velasco

Synthesis and Characterization of Non-PGM Catalysts for Fuel Cell Applications , Sudharsan Sridhar

Mission Architecture Analysis: Exploring Long-Period Comets From Multiple Staging Orbits , Gabriel Prescinotti Vivan

Skin Friction Topology in Junction Flow Affected By Upstream Rod , Bo Ching Wong

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Gearbox Baffle Optimization , Megan Arduin

Estimation of the Fatigue Life of Additively Manufactured Metallic Components Using Modified Strain Life Parameters Based on Surface Roughness , Peter Grohs

Optimal Energy Management for Forward-Looking Serial-Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle Using Rule-Based Control Strategy , Abhijit Bhaskar Jadhav

Inconel 625 Additive Manufacturing Process Parameter Investigation on an EOS M290 , Joseph W. Johnson

Modeling and Simulation with Optimal Gear Ratio for a Forward-Looking, Velocity-Driven, Power-Split Hybrid Electric Vehicle , Sonal Babasaheb Kanap

Model Based Development of Enhanced Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator and Effect of Thermoelectric Leg Length on eMMRTG , Swapnil Dnyandev Magdum

Design, Fabrication and Testing of 3D Printed Lab-On-Chip Devices for Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Applications , Piyush Prakash Pokharna

Model Predictive Control Synthesis for the Innovative Control Effector Tailless Fighter Aircraft , Christopher Proctor

Training Set Density Estimation for Trajectory Predictions Using Artificial Neural Networks , Zachary Reinke

Hybrid Optical-Flow-Cross-Correlation Method for Particle Image Velocimetry , David Moussa Salazar

Control Law Synthesis for Lockheed Martin’s Innovative Control Effectors Aircraft Concept , Cameron James Segard

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Forward-Looking, Velocity-Driven, Powertrain Modeling and Optimal Control for Continuous Variable Transmission , Paresh Deshmukh

Liquid-To-Liquid Low Grade Waste Heat Recovery Using a Two-Channel Loop , Waleed Farwana

Variable Reluctance Virtual Torque Sensor for Automotive Applications , Vivek Iddum

Design of a Portable Biogas Purification and Storage System , Anilkumar Kosna

Control-Oriented Automatic Transmission- Based Powertrain Modeling and Simulation with Judder , Harshal B. Kundale

Investigation of Discrete Element Methods for Stud to Turf Interactions , Justin Rittenhouse

Optimization of Analytical Inverse Heat Transfer Recovery Solution , Nathan Schick

Experimental Comparison Between Hollow Cathodes with Cermet, Lanthanum Hexaboride, and Barium Oxide Insert Materials , Nagual Simmons

Determination of Chemical Notch, K chem on Aluminum and Steel When Subjected Under Slow Strain Rate Test in Corrosive Environment , Joshua Teo Lee Kuok

Multi-Scale Analysis of Composite Materials Using Calculix and the Method of Cells: An Open Source Implementation , Francisco A. Yapor Genao

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Effect of Design Parameters on Thermal Performance of a Vane Type Disc Brake Rotor , Yogesh Satish Dalal

Investigation of Measured Cane Vibrations for Prediction of Blind Pedestrian Performance in Surface Preview Tasks , Aaron Dean

Atmospheric Microbial Community Sampling System for Varying Altitude Collection , Kenneth David Domingue

Finite Element Analysis of Tibiofemoral Contact Mechanics , Erika Fojtik

Development of Empirical and Virtual Tools for the Study of Bicycle Safety , Brent Kostich

A Virtual Reality Based Powered Wheelchair Simulator , Yuliia Sergeeva

Satellite Sequencing Optimization and Observational Orbit Determination Using Genetic Algorithms , Andrew W. Verstraete

Model Predictive Power Management of a Hybrid Electric Propulsion System for Aircraft , Tyler J. Wall

Experimental Study of Global Luminescent Oil-Film (GLOF) Skin-Friction Meter on Delta Wings , Patrick Nicholas Wewengkang

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Second Law of Thermodynamics Analysis of an Internal Combustion Engine Fueled with Methane , Muataz Abotabik

Optimization Methodology for CVT Ratio Scheduling with Consideration of Both Engine and CVT Efficiency , Steven Beuerle

Analytical Study of Miniature Thermoelectric Device , Mohammed Dhannoon

Analytical Modeling and Numerical Simulation of a Thermoelectric Generator Including Contact Resistances , Shripad Dhoopagunta

Optimal Design of a Thermoelectric Cooling/Heating System for Car Seat Climate Control (CSCC) , Abdulmunaem H. Elarusi

Optimal Design of Automotive Exhaust Thermoelectric Generator (AETEG) , Hassan Fagehi

Preliminary Study of Optical-Flow Based Background-Oriented Schlieren Measurements , Hassan A. Ghazwani

Development of an Analytical Model for Beams with Two Dimples in Opposing Directions , Mofareh H. Ghazwani

Modeling, Optimizing and Testing Thermoelectric Generators for Liquid-to-Liquid Low Grade Waste Heat Recovery , Ali Eyddan Hamil

An Exploration of CubeSat Propulsion , Andrew Davis Hine

Design, Modeling and Simulation of a Thermoelectric Cooling System (TEC) , Pooja Iyer Mani

A Genetic Algorithm Incorporating Design Choice for the Preliminary Design of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles , Kenneth Michael Mull

The Decomposition of Hydroxylammonium Nitrate under Vacuum Conditions , Gregory A. Neff

Experimental Characterization and Simulation of Carbon Nanotube Strain Sensing Films , Nagendra Krishna Chaitanya Tummalapalli

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Implementing a Linear Quadratic Spacecraft Attitude Control System , Daniel Kolosa

Wind Oscillator for Power Genration , RS Vewen Ramasamy

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Localization and System Identification of a Quadcopter UAV , Kenneth Befus

Trajectory Optimization for a Misson to the Trojan Asteroids , Shivaji Senapati Gadsing

Simulation of an Intake Manifold Pre-Heater for Cold Diesel Engine Startup , Patrick K. Kreun

Comparative Analysis of Clavicular Tunnel Confìguration for Coracoclavicular Ligament Reconstruction , Mark Omwansa

Electroplating of Nanoengineered Polymer Substrate , Brandon Voelker

Analytical Performance Evaluation of Thermoelectric Modules Using Effective Material Properties , Sean Lwe Leslie Weera

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Analytical Solutions for a Large-Scale Long-Lived Rotating Layer of Fluid Heated Underneath , Pouya Jalilian

BroncoBlade: An Open Source Wind Turbine Blade Analysis Tool , Alex R. Quinlan

Development of CFD Models for the Purposes of Exploring Free Surface Wave Phenomena , Leonard P. Stoehr

Implementation and Analysis of a 1.4L Turbo Liquid Cooled CAC and AC Condenser System , Mitchell Zajac

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

High Capacity Lithium-Ion Battery Characterization for Vehicular Applications , Sazzad Hossain Ahmed

The Effects of Coolant Temperature on Spark Ignition Engine Performance , Alaa M. Attar

Absorber Geometry Optimization for a New Wave Energy Converter , Rachel A. Durren

Design of a Catenoidal Shaped Anechoic Termination , Kyle Myers

Benchmarking of a Single-Cylinder Engine Toward the Development of a Direct Fuel-Injection System , Michael J. Nienhuis

Experimental Determination of Colburn and Friction Factors in Small Plate Heat Exchangers with High Surface Enlargement Factors , Andrew H. Pike

Passive Control of Thin-Wing Flutter , Nicholas L. Pohl

Computational Analysis of a Wing Oscillator , Ryne Derrick Radermacher

Biofuel Characteristics in Micro Turbojet Engine Application , Ing Huang Tan

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Comparison of Martin’s Empirical Correlation with Measurements on a Compact Plate Heat Exchanger , Abdulmohsen A. Alothman

On-Board Monitoring of Engine Oil , Ryan James Clark

Stereo Particle Image Velocimetry Measurements in the Exhaust System of a Motorized Engine , Arman Mirhashemi

Parametric Study of Gear Rattle and the Effect of Flexible Enclosures on Gearbox Vibratory Responses , Joshuah Thomas Racine

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

A Mathematical Algorithm to Isolate Cyclic Variability in Internal Combustion Engines , Curtis S. Krallman

Modeling and Control of Hydraulic Servomechanisms , Ondrej Pekarovic

Detection of Hybrid and Quiet Vehicles by Blind and Visually Impaired Pedestrians , Jay M. Pliskow

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Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Thesis - mechanical and aerospace engineering, student thesis overview.

This overview will describe the thesis, why it is very important to your graduate study, what are the steps that you will need to do and when they should or must be done, how to find an advisor, and the resources that are available to help you along the way. In the following section, questions and answers are provided for some common questions.

A thesis is a "position or proposition that a person (as a candidate for scholastic honors) advances and offers to maintain by argument." and a document containing results of original research and especially supporting a specific view.

What is a Thesis?

The thesis is the most important part of your graduate education. While the course work lays the foundation by providing analytical methods and tools, it is the thesis that provides to you the opportunity to use this knowledge in a new, original and creative manner. During your thesis research you will be able to consolidate what you have already learned, and possibly extend this by further self-study, and to use this body of knowledge to attack a new problem. The thesis will hopefully be your crowning achievement of your graduate study, and will be your introduction to the community of scholars.

Choosing Your Topic and Advisor

The first step in the thesis process is choosing an advisor and a topic. While your formal thesis slots may be in the last 2 or 3 quarters at NPS, it is very important that you have a thesis advisor and topic chosen well before this, preferably a year or so before you plan to graduate. During the time between choosing an advisor/topic and the start of your thesis slots, you should meet regularly with your advisor and spend a few hours a week reading background material and thinking about the problem.

The method for choosing your topic and advisor is completely up to you. However, you are strongly advised to talk to every faculty member in all the areas that you have any interest before making decisions. There are several questions you might want to ask yourself, before talking to the faculty. What type of work do you most enjoy? Generally, thesis research may be categorized as analytical (e.g. using a pencil and paper for mathematical modeling and derivation of solutions), computational (e.g. using finite element technique or computational fluid mechanics to find solutions), experimental (e.g. designing, building, or modifying an existing set-up to obtain new data) or some combination of the three. It is generally advisable that you take a course from a professor before you make a commitment to work for him or her. The Mechanical Engineering Faculty periodically schedule thesis opportunity presentations, where they will discuss their current research interests and the available topics. In addition, there is a ME website which contains short written descriptions for current thesis topics of ME faculty. You may talk to fellow students, who are close to graduating to discuss what they have done and how they enjoyed their experience. However, they probably will not be as good a source of what the available research topics are as the faculty members, themselves. Finally, you may wish to review previous thesis, as well as conference and journal publications from the various faculty members.  After you find an advisor and agree on the topic, you are required to fill out a thesis approval form, which must be signed by the thesis advisor, the Academic Associate and the Chairman of the Mechanical Engineering Department.

Common Pitfalls and Advice

While your advisor will help you along the way and provide broad guidance and feedback, it is the responsibility of the student to be self-motivated and to initiate all of the steps. Do not expect your advisor to provide a detailed, step-by-step, road map for you. You should be independent and think through problems first, before asking your advisor. However, that does not in any way mean you should avoid meeting with your advisor. You should meet regularly with your advisor to discuss what you have done, what issues have arisen, how you plan to solve them, and what your next steps should be.

One common problem faced by researchers, is the failure to sufficiently limit the scope of their work. Being overly broad can lead to a lack of focus and prevent any contribution from being made. It may seem to you that your advisor has asked you to solve a problem that you consider trivial and your may be inclined to broaden the scope. Stay focused on the immediate problem. If you solve the problem then by all mean go on to a larger problem. But initially, stay focus on a narrow and well-defined problem.

Thesis Proposals

One way that you can help yourself is to write a short Thesis Proposal. It can be useful in helping to consolidate your understanding and focusing your future work. This may be written after you have been working on the problem for several months, have read dozens of articles and it may contain the following elements:

• Introduction to the problem. This describes the problem and why it is important.
• State of the art. Literature review and what is not known.
• Objectives. Your goals for the work. What would be the desired outcome(s). Be specific. Do not say "to better understand something".
• Proposed work. Very limited and specific.

For you to make an original contribution, it generally requires that you have an understanding of what is already known, by experts in your field. Therefore, one of the primary resources on which you will depend is the NPS library and the reference staff. While the world-wide-web is becoming an increasing source of information, and you should make use of it, there are many primary sources, such as books and journals, which are not available on the web. Most of the information on the web is not archival in nature - that is, it might not exist if a certain site is closed. One of the most valuable skills you should learn during your thesis is how to obtain and process information and how to synthesize new results from that original information.

After your research is complete you will be required to write and submit a thesis document. For many of you it will be the longest document that you have written. There are several sources available to help you in writing the document, including "How to Write a Thesis" by the Mechanical Engineering Department and several guidelines and templates available on the NPS web site.

Finally you are required to make an oral presentation of your thesis research to the faculty and students of the Mechanical Engineering Department. The presentation is approximately fifteen minutes with about a 5-minute question and answer period. A document on how to prepare and deliver this presentation is available from the Mechanical Engineering Department.

Common Questions and Answers

Please visit our Thesis Q&A page  to view common questions and answers regarding your Thesis.

Home > MAE > MAE TDs > Masters Theses

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Masters Theses

Theses from 2023 2023.

Tailoring a System Engineering and Management Plan for a University Satellite Team , Jacob D. Anderson

IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE UNIVERSITY - LEVEL SMALL SATELLITE ASSEMBLY, INTEGRATION, AND TESTING PROCEDURES , Tyler Patrick Hoover

AREA AVERAGE SURFACE TRANSFER COEFFICIENTS IN UNIT CELL GEOMETRIES , Benjamin Gabriel Mackey

Flight Software Development for a University-Class Microsatellite Mission , Yumeka Nagano

Theses from 2022 2022

Numerical investigations of 2-D magnetic nozzles on pulsed plasma plumes , Joshua Daniel Burch

Industry 4.0 remanufacturing: a novel approach towards smart remanufacturing , Prashansa Ragampeta

A convolutional neural network (CNN) for defect detection of additively manufactured parts , Musarrat Farzana Rahman

Theses from 2021 2021

Composite-based additive manufacturing applications in the polymer injection molding cycle , Cody Bivens

Multiple-site fatigue cracking methodology to assess structural integrity of aircraft riveted panels , Haroldo Chacon

Fabrication of silicon nitride parts by ceramic on-demand extrusion process , Sachin Choudhary

Research and development of a laser hot wire deposition process , Christopher Croft

Variational inference for morphological modification to 3D geometry : An application to the support generation for metal additive manufacturing , Mugdha Swanand Joshi

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A VARIABLE RESISTANCE HAND EXERCISER USING A COMPLIANT MECHANISM , Jyothi Komatireddy

Investigation of the sensitivity of human arm to small interaction forces during physical human-robot interaction (pHRI) , Fazlur Rashid

Physics-based modeling of lithium-ion batteries for control and estimation applications , Brody J. C. Riemann

Theses from 2020 2020

Comparison of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence models for simulating boundary layers in hypersonic flows , Jorge-Valentino Kurose Bretzke

In-situ x-ray imaging of the selective laser melting process , Meelap M. Coday

Modal analysis as non-destructive testing technique for additively manufactured 304L stainless steel parts , Tristan N. Cullom

Characterization of a plasma source simulating solar wind plasma in a vacuum chamber , Blake Anthony Folta

Mid-infrared chiral metsurface coupling with molecular vibration , Md Shamim Mahmud

Performance evaluation of AlSi10Mg fabricated by a selective laser melting process , David Michael Murphy

Influence of input energy on mechanical properties of laser powder bed fused AISI 304L stainless steel , Tan Pan

Combining laser aided ablation and polishing to minimize surface roughness of additively manufactured aluminium components , Sahil Bipinkumar Patel

Theses from 2019 2019

Propagation of uncertainty through coning, sculling, and scrolling corrections for inertial navigation , James Daniel Alan Brouk

Aerosol-jet printing and flash sintering of conformal conductors on non-planar surfaces , I-Meng Chen

Multiphysics prediction model of microwave curing for thick polymer composites , Siva Dasari

Laser machining countersinks in carbon fiber reinforced polymer , Leon James Neely Hill

Characterization of the surface condition in AA6061 resulting from deep rolling as a function of common industrial parameters , Andrew Kenneth Layer

Controlled switching in Kalman filtering and iterative learning controls , He Li

The effect of cell size and surface roughness on the compressive properties of ABS lattice structures fabricated by fused deposition modeling , Leah Hope Mason

Small satellite earth-to-moon direct transfer trajectories using the CR3BP , Garrett Levi McMillan

Effects of uncertainty refinement on satellite collision probability , Bruce Thomas Morrison

Performance evaluation of BMI resin system for thin-ply composites , Manoj Kumar Reddy Rangapuram

Analyzing the effects of attitude errors when quantifying the on-orbit performance of a CubeSat micropropulsion system , Andrew Orion Watson

Program management for concurrent university satellite programs, including propellant feed system design elements , Shannah Withrow-Maser

Theses from 2018 2018

Thermal analysis and control of small satellites in low Earth orbit , Katelyn Elizabeth Boushon

Developing computational models for pulsed-inductive plasma formation , Zachary Aaron Gill

Laser-aided additive manufacturing of glass , John Michael Hostetler

Advanced process to embed optical fiber sensors into casting mold for smart manufacturing , Raghavender Reddy Jakka

Computational investigation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell with nature-inspired Fibonacci spiral flow field , Suleyman Kose

Effects of terrain-based altimetry on navigation performance , Kenneth Michael Kratzer

Smart augmented reality instructional system for mechanical assembly , Ze-Hao Lai

Designed extrudate for ceramic additive manufacturing , Devin McMillen

Quantifying on-orbit performance of CubeSat micropropulsion systems by observing orbital element variations , Bradyn William Morton

Characterization of ionic liquid monopropellants for a multi-mode propulsion system , Alex J. Mundahl

Controlling phase fractions of 304L-SS in selective laser melting using cooling rate , Eberechukwu Anthony Okoro

Investigation of the information provided by light touch for balance improvement in humans , Anirudh Saini

Multiscale approaches toward advanced lithium-ion battery: From nano to meso scale , Susmita Sarkar

Development of a CFD model of the catalytic combustion of a microtube multi-mode propulsion system , Andrew Paul Taylor

Enhancement of performance of micro direct ethanol fuel cells by structural modification , Sindhuja Valluri

Theses from 2017 2017

Entropy-based performance analysis of jet engines; Methodology and application to a generic single-spool turbojet , Mohammad Abbas

Wrinkling of functionally graded sandwich structures subject to biaxial and in-plane shear loads , Harold Costa

Cathodic protection measurement through inline inspection technology uses and observations , Briana Ley Ferguson

Liquid pulsed plasma thruster plasma plume investigation and MR-SAT cold gas propulsion system performance analysis , Jeremiah Daniel Hanna

Dynamic electromechanical characterization of ferroelectrics at cryogenic temperatures , William Kent Hays

Bio-inspired flow fields for pem fuel cells- decoupling pressure and distribution effects on performance and identifying design opportunities , Joshua David Heck

Cyber-physical manufacturing cloud: An efficient method of building digital twin for 3D printer by adapting MTConnect protocol , Liwen Hu

In-situ control of substrate temperature in additive manufacturing to homogenize micro-hardness of laser clad deposits using thermo-electric cooling , Raghu Ram Kolla

Error mapping of build volume in selective laser melting , Ninad Kulkarni

Ti-Fe intermetallics analysis and control in joining titanium alloy and stainless steel by laser metal deposition , Wei Li

3D bioprinting a PCL/13-93B3 glass composite and its potential use as a bio-ink , Caroline Blair Murphy

Development and implementation of star tracker based attitude determination , Casey Grant Smith

Diffusion and mechanical characterization of nanoparticle-enabled diffusion controlled materials , Joseph Louis Volpe

Theses from 2016 2016

Prediction of surface roughness in abrasive waterjet cutting of graphite composite using response surface methodology , Prabhakar Bala

Mixing dynamics in municipal water storage tanks , Pramod Narayan Bangalore

Design and analysis of an axisymmetric aerospike supersonic micro-nozzle for a refrigerant-based cold-gas propulsion system for small satellites , Abdalla Ali Bani

Addressing the influence of carbon monoxide on the behavior of an HCCI engine , Allen Charles Ernst

Hybrid manufacturing processes for fusion welding and friction stir welding of aerospace grade aluminum alloys , Megan Alexandra Gegesky

Design and fabrication of a system for the additive manufacturing of transparent glass , Luke John Gilbert

Characterization of electric solid propellant pulsed microthrusters , Matthew Scott Glascock

Laser sintering and aerosol printing of conductive nanoparticles , Mahati Guntupalli

An IMU-based spacecraft navigation architecture using a robust multi-sensor fault detection scheme , Samuel J. Haberberger

Multifunctional wearable epidermal device for physiological signal monitoring in sleep study , J V M S Avinash Kankipati

The evaluation of sequential optimization and reliability analysis , Guannan Liu

Synthesis and photonic sintering of bioresorbable zinc nanoparticle ink for transient electronics manufacturing , Bikram K. Mahajan

Effect of sparse-build internal structure on performance of fused deposition modeling parts , Shixuan Meng

Effect of build parameters on mechanical properties of ultem 9085 parts by fused deposition modeling , Krishna Prasanth Motaparti

Intensity control of dielectric barrier discharge filaments , Matthew Crawford Paliwoda

Development and testing of a fracture energy-based model of explosive asteroid deflection , James A. Veerkamp

A linear matrix inequality-based approach for the computation of actuator bandwidth limits in adaptive control , Daniel Robert Wagner

Composite model representation for Computer Aided Design of Functionally Gradient Materials , Fangquan Wang

Engine sound simulation and generation in driving simulator , Shuang Wu

Theses from 2015 2015

A force feedback haptic interface for atomic force microscopy , Abdulmohsen Alabdulmuhsin

Experimental and computational analysis of thermosyphon based water heaters , Siddarth Ashokkumar

Numerical study of upstream and downstream regions of one dimensional detonation wave in a dusty gas medium , Shubhadeep Banik

Generation and validation of optimal topologies for solid freeform fabrication , Purnajyoti Bhaumik

On the dynamic analysis of compliant mechanisms based on the pseudo-rigid-body model , Andrew Christian

American Sign Language alphabet recognition using Microsoft Kinect , Cao Dong

Thermodynamic and chemical kinetic coupled modeling for the determination of cyclic combustion phasing in HCCI engines , Krishawn Michele Goodwin

Adjoint-based airfoil shape optimization in transonic flow , Joe-Ray Gramanzini

Emission and energy analysis of self-sufficient biomass power plant to achieve near net zero CO₂ emission , Baburaj Kanagarajan

On the design of a nearly constant-force modular device based on a compliant slider mechanism , Krutika Karthik

Space-based relative multitarget tracking , Keith Allen LeGrand

An experimental study of fabrication temperature effect on aqueous extrusion freeform fabrication , Jie Li

Hybrid manufacturing process of SiC f /SiC composite using preceramic polymer , Robert Raymond Meinders

Spatial and temporal modulation of heat source using light modulator for advanced thermography , Arvindvivek Ravichandran

Experimental and computational evaluation of water management and performance of a bio-inspired PEM fuel cell in comparison to a conventional flow field , Venkatanaga Bhaskar Prakash Saripella

Uncertainty quantification of turbulence model closure coefficients for transonic wall-bounded flows , John Anthony Schaefer

Discrete-time neural network based state observer with neural network based control formulation for a class of systems with unmatched uncertainties , Jason Michael Stumfoll

Parameter determination and experimental validation of a wire feed additive manufacturing model , Kannan Suresh Kumar

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Home > Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources > MECHAERO > Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

A Numerical Investigation of a Spark Ignition Opposed Piston Linear Engine Fueled by Hydrogen , Mustapha Alao Animashaun

Multimaterial, Core-Shell Direct Ink Writing of Flexible Strain Sensors for Pneumatically-Actuated Soft Robotic Hinge Joints , John Michael Burke

LOCALIZATION OF PEOPLE IN GNSS-DENIED ENVIRONMENTS USING NEURAL-INERTIAL PREDICTION AND KALMAN FILTER CORRECTION , Lauren N. Cash

DESIGN AND VALIDATION OF AN AERODYNAMIC SYSTEM FOR A FORMULA SAE® VEHICLE USING VEHICLE DYNAMIC SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTATION , Evan S. Cole

System Analysis of an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) – Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Hybrid Cycle , Jose Javier Colon Rodriguez

3D Printed Microfluidic Devices for Advanced Fluid Manipulation in Biomedical Applications , Kathrine Curtin

PROBABILISTIC SHORT TERM SOLAR DRIVER FORECASTING WITH NEURAL NETWORK ENSEMBLES , Joshua Daniell

Robust state estimation methods for robotics applications , Shounak Das

STABILITY OF RUDDLESDEN-POPPER PHASE LANTHANUM NICKELATE AS AIR ELECTRODE FOR REVERSIBLE SOLID OXIDE CELLS , Daniel de Lorenzo Moreira

Spin Recovery Analysis on a Simulation Model of the NASA F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) Using Thrust Vectoring , Brock M. Dolly

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF COASTDOWN TESTING METHODS FROM AN ELECTRIC DRIVE UNIT ENGAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE USING A STUDENT-DESIGNED PARALLEL HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE , Dawson Everett Dunnuck

Missile Modeling and Simulation of Nominal and Abnormal Scenarios Resulting from External Damage , James Manuel Floyd III

Investigation of Oxidation and Corrosion Resistance of Ni-based Alloys and Stainless Steels Under CO2 Environments at Elevated Temperatures , Spencer Roy Fultineer

Design and Manufacture of an Aerodynamic Body that Meets Scaling Law Requirements and Survives Severe G-load Environment for Free-Flight Testing , Anthony R. Gonzalez

Spiking Neural Network that Maps from Generalized Coordinates to Cartesian Coordinates , Chloe K. Guie

Imitation Learning for Swarm Control using Variational Inference , Hafeez Olafisayo Jimoh

Development of a Quasi-Dimension GCI Combustion Model Aided by CFD , Jinsu Kim

Internal Surface Nanostructure and Chemistry Modification on Porous Cathode of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell to Mitigate Cr Contamination from Interconnect , Liang Liang

Manganese-based A-site high-entropy perovskite oxides for solar thermochemical hydrogen production , Cijie Liu

Material Characterization of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) and Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) for Development of 3D-Printed Surrogate Organs for Medical Training , Anastasia Elizabeth Lucci

DEVELOPMENT OF INCONEL 718F And INCONEL 718E POWDERS FOR PARTS MANUFACTURING UTILIZING BINDER JET THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING AND COMPRESSED PELLET METHODS , Duncan Eric Manor II

Motion Planning in Artificial and Natural Vector Fields , Bernardo Martinez Rocamora Junior

Integrated Immunity-based Methodology for UAV Monitoring and Control , Ryan G. McLaughlin

Analytical Heat Transfer Modeling of the Microwave Heating Process: A Focus on Carbon Black , Craig Offutt

Lithium-ion Battery Safety Analysis with Physical Sub-models , Samuel Abimbola Ogunfuye

Optimal Deployment of Air Vehicle as Communication Relay for Multiple Ground Vehicles , Juan David Pabon Arias

Optimal Path Planning for Aerial Robots Using Genetic Algorithm , Anna Puigvert I Juan

Exploiting the Advantages and Overcoming the Challenges of the Cable in a Tethered Drone System , Rogerio Rodrigues Lima

Methane Emissions Produced by Pneumatic Devices and Produced Water Tanks on Natural Gas Wellsites , Benjamin William Thornton

Structural Health Monitoring Using Machine Learning and Synthetic Data , Michail Tzimas

Combustion Characteristics of Methane, Ethane, Propane, and Butane Blends Under Conditions Relevant of a Dual-Fuel Diesel and Natural Gas Engine , Christopher Joseph Ulishney

Biologically – Plausible Load Feedback from Dynamically Scaled Robotic Model Insect Legs , William Zyhowski

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Influence of Saturation Nonequilibrium and Variable Operation Conditions on the Electromechanical Performance of Ionic Polymer Metal Composite Actuator Architectures , Allison Maria Arnold

Development and Verification of Flight Data Informed Performance Estimation and Prediction Simulation Tool for Small Electrical Multi-rotor UAV , Nicholas Scott Borelle

Comparison of Maintenance Cost of Medium and Heavy-Duty Alternative Fuel and Diesel Vehicles , Isaac C. Boyce

System Development of an Unmanned Ground Vehicle and Implementation of an Autonomous Navigation Module in a Mine Environment , Jonas Amoama Bredu Jnr

Development of a Thermal Desalination System Using Low Quality Thermal Energy , Takudzwa C. Chipunza

Direct Ink Writing Printability – Ashby-like Plots for Guided Design , Domenic Cipollone

Top-Down & Bottom-Up Approaches to Robot Design , Dylan Michael Covell

Aerodynamic Analysis of Damage State Missiles using Overset Meshing Techniques for Application to Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation , Jonathan A. D'Alessio

Microwave-Assisted Carbon Nanotube Growth from Methane on Surface Catalyst Exsolving Perovskite Oxide , Angela M. Deibel

Thermochemical Water-Splitting using Novel High-Entropy Perovskite Oxides , Hector Alexis De Santiago Hernandez

Aerodynamic Performance of a Biologically Inspired Hybrid Plasma-Mechanical Flow Control and Sensing Device , Joseph Dygert

Low-Temperature Hot Corrosion of Boilers in the Coal-Fired Power Plant , Artem Gavrilev

Post-Processing Precise Point Positioning Solutions with Parameter Optimization , Maria A. Gonzalez Castaneda

Decentralized Cooperative Localization for Multi-Robot Systems in Challenging Environments , Eduardo Gutierrez

Modeling Nonlinear Dynamic Systems Using BSS-ANOVA Gaussian Process , Kyle Matthew Hayes

Theoretical investigation of SOFC/SOEC degradation mechanisms and mitigations , Fuming Jiang

Combustion Feature Characterization using Computer Vision Diagnostics within Rotating Detonation Combustors , Kristyn B. Johnson May

DEVELOPMENT OF MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHM TO IDENTIFY HIGH-EMITTERS FROM ON-ROAD DATA FOR HEAVY-DUTY (HD) VEHICLES , Filiz KAZAN

Computational Analysis of the Stability Limits of Premixed Methane-air Combustion in Micro-channels , Almoutazbellah Adnan Kutkut

Probabilistic Space Weather Modeling and Forecasting for the Challenge of Orbital Drag in Space Traffic Management , Richard J. Licata III

Development of Methane Emissions Model to Assess Fuel Recovery Potential at Gas Well Sites Using On Site Compression , Nicholas G. Lindenfeldar

Development of Oxide Dispersion Strengthening (ODS) Alloys Powder for Additive Manufacturing , Changyu Ma

Design and Development of a Novel Launch System with Energetic Materials for Unstable Free-Flight Testing , Steven Christopher McCallister

Improving Robotic Decision-Making in Unmodeled Situations , Nicholas Scott Ohi

Development of a Machine Learning model to characterize the performance of a Selective Catalytic Reduction on Filter after-treatment system for a Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine , Samuel A. Okeleye

UAV Position Estimation using a LiDAR-based 3D Object Detection Method , Uthman Oladipo Olawoye

Controlling the Thermal and Electrical Properties of CaMnO3-δ Based Perovskite Ceramics , Sergio Andres Paredes Navia

PRECISE LANDING OF VTOL UAVS USING A TETHER , Jeremy W. Rathjen

UAV Path Planning and Multi-Modal Localization for Mapping in a Subterranean Environment , Kieren Yoshiki Samarakoon

Artificial Intelligence based Approach for Rapid Material Discovery: From Chemical Synthesis to Quantum Materials , Robert Tempke

Modeling, Fabrication, And Characterization Of Rf-Based Passive Wireless Sensors Composed Of Refractory Semiconducting Ceramics For High Temperature Applications , Kavin Sivaneri Varadharajan Idhaiam

DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF A BIOCHAR COMBUSTOR FOR A STIRLING ENGINE , Kyle Bryant Vickery

Carbon Monoxide Sensing of Nickel Oxide at 1000 ℃ to 1200 ℃ for in situ Combustion Control: Behavior, Mechanism, and Application , Yi Wang

Analysis of Emissions Profiles of Hydraulic Fracturing Engine Technologies , Nicholas Joseph Wells

Minimizing Cr-evaporation from Balance of Plant Components by Utilizing Cost-Effective Alumina-Forming Austenitic Steels , Lingfeng Zhou

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Design of a Heat Exchanger for a Supercritical CO2 Turbine System , Kehinde Oluwatobi Adenuga

Comparative Analysis of Different Classes of On-line State Estimators for Aerodynamics Angles and True Airspeed Sensors for Applications to the Sensor Failure Problem , Alexandra Anne Augsberger

A Road Grade Based Weighting System for Calculating On-Road Distance-Specific Oxides of Nitrogen Emissions of Light-Duty Diesel Vehicles , Jason D. Bolyard

Designs and Practical Control Methods for Soft Parallel Robots , Benjamin T. Buzzo

Improving Real-time Methane Monitoring in Longwall Coal Mines Through System Response Characterization of a Multi-Nodal Methane Detection Network , Brian Philip Cappellini

Dry Reforming of Methane Using Microwave Irradiated Metal Oxide/Coal Char Catalysts , Anthony Carter

Developments of Advanced Cathodes and Stabilized Zinc Anodes for High-performance Aqueous Zinc-ion Batteries , Xiujuan Chen

Planning Algorithms Under Uncertainty for a Team of a UAV and a UGV for Underground Exploration , Matteo De Petrillo

Implementation Of Fuzzy Logic Control Into An Equivalent Minimization Strategy For Adaptive Energy Management Of A Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle , Jared Alexander Diethorn

Analysis on Combined Heat and Power, and Combined Heat and Power Hybrid Systems for Unconventional Drilling Operations , Diego G. Dranuta Ferrer

Increasing the Seebeck Coefficient of Thermoelectric Calcium Cobaltite Ceramics through Incorporation of Rare-Earth Elements , Andre Fabian Fernandes

Development of Synthetic Coal Char Simulant for Microwave Conversion Studies: A Computationally-Driven Approach , Kevin A. Hager

On the Improvement of the Indirect Quantification of Methane Emissions: A Stationary Single Sensor Approach , Robert Scott Heltzel

Development of Thermal Management Strategies Using Cylinder Deactivation for Low-Load Operation in Heavy-Duty Diesel Trucks , Christian M. Hushion

Planetary Rover Inertial Navigation Applications: Pseudo Measurements and Wheel Terrain Interactions , Cagri Kilic

Development of Collision Resilient Drone for Flying in Cluttered Environment , AL MAHMUD

Application of Project Management Strategies and Tools for an Efficient and Successful Competition-based Engineering Senior Capstone Design Project , Benton Duane Morris

Powertrain Fuel Consumption Modeling and Benchmark Analysis of a Parallel P4 Hybrid Electric Vehicle Using Dynamic Programming , Aaron Robert Mull

Static and Dynamic Analysis of Composite Plates using the MONNA Finite Element , Mohamed Omar

Flow Field Measurement and Qualification of the West Virginia University Environmental Wind Tunnel , Katherine Mary Reid

Uncertainty Estimation for Stereo Visual Odometry , Derek W. Ross

Investigating NOx vs CO2 Tradeoff in Heavy Duty Emissions Through the Years Under the Scope of CARB’s 3-Bin Moving Average Window Method , Ghadi Sadek

A Solution for Overcoming Transradial Prosthetic Control Limitations with Additive Manufacturing and Modeling Techniques , Olivia Layne Santee

Updates and Improvements to the Satellite Drag Coefficient Response Surface Modeling Toolkit , Phillip Logan Sheridan

Next-Generation Re-Entry Aerothermodynamic Modeling of Space Debris Using Machine Learning , Nicholas Sia

Active Localization for Robotic Systems: Algorithms and Cost Metrics , Jared Strader

Improving Performance and Durability of Intermediate Temperature Proton‐Conducting Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells Via Materials Design and Catalyst Surface Engineering , Hanchen Tian

Metal Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Using Proton Conducting Electrolyte for Direct Ammonia Utilization , Edwin Vega Hiraldo

Localization Algorithms for GNSS-denied and Challenging Environments , Chizhao Yang

The Role of Structure Evolution for PrBaCo2O6-δ in Oxygen Reduction Reaction Kinetics at SOFC Cathode , Nan Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Fully Compressible Hydrodynamic Simulation of Non-Equidiffusive Premixed Flames Propagation in Channels , Olatunde A. Abidakun

Route Planning for Long-Term Robotics Missions , Christopher Alexander Arend Tatsch

Measured and Modeled Performance of a Spring Dominant Free Piston Engine Generator , Ramanjaneya Mehar Baba Bade

Page 1 of 9

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Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

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Masters of Science in Aerospace Engineering (Thesis Option)

Admission requirements.

Please contact Admissions at [email protected] for admission requirements.

Selecting a Graduate Advisor

The Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs will advise the student regarding his/her academic program during the first semester, or until the student selects a Graduate Advisor. When a student selects a Graduate Advisor, the student must submit a Graduate Advisor Form to the Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs. In situations where two faculty members are actively involved in advising a student, the student may have a Graduate Advisor and a Graduate Co–Advisor. After the student selects a Graduate Advisor, the responsibility of advising the student in regards to his/her academic and research programs will reside with the Graduate Advisor until the student graduates. The Graduate Advisor or Co–Advisor must be a faculty member of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Department.

A graduate student is strongly discouraged from changing graduate advisors. When an unavoidable circumstance arises and warrants consideration for a change, the student and his/her Graduate Advisor must meet with the Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs to resolve the issue before the student may select another Graduate Advisor.

Program Requirements

In order to obtain a Masters of Science degree (thesis option) in Aerospace Engineering, a student must:

• complete at least 30 total credit hours
• complete at least 21 credit hours of lecture courses
• complete at least 6 credit hours of AE 6099
• complete at least 9 credit hours of lecture courses in the MAE department, at least 3 credit hours of which is at the 6xxx level
• complete at least 3 credit hours of mathematics, statistics, or computer science; AE/ME: 5830 Applied Computational Methods may be used to satisfy this requirement
• complete at least 6 credit hours of 6xxx lecture courses
• complete thesis (see below)
• pass oral examination (see below)
• meet seminar requirements (see below)

No course below the 5xxx level may be applied to the degree requirements. A graduate student accumulating 10 or more credit hours of C and F grades shall no longer be a candidate for an advanced degree from Missouri S&T.

In order to earn a graduate degree, all students must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in all graduate work taken at Missouri S&T, as well as for all graduate courses listed on the program of study (Form 1 for master’s students and Form 5 for doctoral students).

Thesis Requirements

The thesis is a document embodying the results of the student’s original investigation under the guidance of his/her Advisory Committee. It is expected that this document will yield scholarly products, typically one or more articles worthy of publication in high-quality archival journals. The student’s Advisory Committee will examine the student’s thesis closely for both scientific content and format. The thesis must be formatted appropriately. Formatting specifications and further information regarding theses are available at Formatting Resources .

Oral Examination Requirements

The oral examination is an oral defense of the student’s thesis. When the thesis is completed, the student distributes a copy to each member of his/her Advisory Committee and arranges a time and place for the oral examination. Each Advisory Committee member should be allowed to examine the thesis for at least seven working days before the oral examination. In order for the student to pass the oral examination, every member of the student’s Advisory Committee must vote affirmatively. Further information regarding the oral examination is available in the Graduate Catalog .

Seminar Requirements

All graduate students are required to attend the Department Seminar Series. 

• Register for classes, after consulting with your Graduate Advisor, before each semester. If you do not have a Graduate Advisor, the Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs will act as your academic advisor until you select a Graduate Advisor. It is expected that you will select a Graduate Advisor before the end of your second semester at the latest. Once you select a Graduate Advisor, you submit the Graduate Advisor Form‌‌ to the Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs.
• Select, in consultation with your Graduate Advisor, your Advisory Committee. This committee will consist of at least three faculty members, including your Graduate Advisor. At least one half of your Advisory Committee must belong to the graduate faculty. The Chair of the Advisory Committee is your Graduate Advisor.
• Complete, in consultation with your Graduate Advisor, Graduate Form 1 . This form lists all of the courses you have taken and plan to take, as well as your Advisory Committee members. Your Graduate Form 1 must be submitted to the Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs within the semester in which you take your 9th graduate credit hour. If there are any changes in your coursework or Advisory Committee, you must submit Graduate Form 1A . This form should be done once you are absolutely sure there will be no further changes. The Graduate Form 1 (thesis) Checklist‌‌ can be used to aid this process.
• Submit the Application for Graduation by the end of the fourth week of the semester in which you will graduate (second week if you plan to graduate in the Summer semester) to the Office of the Registrar.
• Select the date, time, and place of your oral examination, in consultation with your Graduate Advisor. Note: you must be enrolled the semester in which you take your oral examination. Your Graduate Advisor reports the results of your oral examination by submitting Graduate Form 2 to the Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs.
• Submit a final copy of your thesis to the Office of Graduate Education.

Pre-Graduation Checklist

The following pre-graduation checklist can be used to plan the final steps of your program: Graduation Checklist MS Thesis

Follow Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering

College of engineering, msae degree with a thesis.

The Thesis Master's degree option requires students to complete 24 credit-hours of classes and nine (9) credit-hours of research. In addition, MS thesis students must fulfill the requirements of the thesis proposal and the thesis defense processes, each described below.

Master's Thesis Proposal

Once you have settled on a research area, you should work with your advisor to select a proposal review committee and set a thesis proposal date. The following guidelines should be followed:

• Your M.S. proposal committee must consist of three committee members: the academic advisor as the committee chairperson and two others who are well qualified in the subject matter of the research. At least two members of your committee must be general faculty from School of Aerospace Engineering and hold an earned Ph.D. degree;
• Your M.S. proposal announcement has to be submitted to AE’s Academic Office no later than two weeks prior to the date of the proposal. 
• Your M.S. proposal announcement is publicly announced. You must submit your announcement in a text document that includes the your name, your proposal title, the date/place/time of your proposal, a one-paragraph abstract, and a list of your committee members. You are encouraged to use this template ;
• You should expect to have your proposal critiqued as a way of sharpening the focus of your research plan;
• Carefully review the information found on the Thesis & Dissertation Forms page.  Afterwards, click on the corresponding form to send an invitation to sign.
• O n DocuSign, add your signature and send the completed document in an envelope to Georgia Tech Office of Graduate Studies.   (Manuals on DocuSign are elaborated here: https://esignature.gatech.edu/cfeis/docusign/ ) 
• Have it certified by the thesis advisor at [email protected] and email a final copy tGeorgia Tech Office of Graduate Studies a final copy,
• There must be at least a six (6) month lag between the proposal and the defense: time for the student to implement suggested improvements and seek ongoing guidance from the advisor and/or committee.

Master's Defense

About six months after you have submitted a successful proposal, you will be expected to schedule a thesis defense. Your M.S. defense committee must consist of three committee members: the advisor (as the committee chairperson), and two others who are well qualified in the subject matter of the thesis. At least two of the committee members must be faculty in Georgia Tech's School of Aerospace Engineering.  

• Most master's defense committees are similarly composed to the proposal committee;
• The student is responsible for scheduling the defense place and date. Announcements should include your name, your thesis title, the date/place/time of your defense, a one-paragraph abstract, and a list of your committee members. You are encouraged to use this template ;
• The defense committee will render a decision on the granting of the master's degree after due consideration;
• Carefully review the information in Office of Graduate Studies' Thesis & Dissertation Form page. Afterwards, click on the corresponding form to send an invitation to sign.
• On DocuSign, add your signature and send the completed document in an envelope to Georgia Tech Office of Graduate Studies.   (Manuals on DocuSign are elaborated here: https://esignature.gatech.edu/cfeis/docusign/ ) 
• Have your thesis certified by your thesis advisor at [email protected] and then email a final copy to the  Georgia Tech Office of Graduate Studies.

Graduate Courses

AE Useful Forms

Graduate Advising

Graduate Research and Teaching Opportunities

MAE Master of Science Programs

Explore flexible m.s. programs in mechanical & aerospace engineering at uc san diego, which focus on cutting-edge mechanical engineering innovation. embrace the possibilities of the next generation of engineering. .

Mechanical Engineering is one of the most diverse fields in engineering. Today, successful M.S.-level engineers must:

• Have command of fundamental MAE core subjects
• Have a working knowledge of contemporarily relevant subjects

MS students in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at UC San Diego have the option to conduct research with a faculty member while taking classes, culminating in a Master's Thesis (Plan I), or the option to focus on specifically-designed coursework curriculums culminating in a Comprehensive Examination (Plan II).

The MAE MS Coursework programs (Plan II) at UC San Diego are uniquely designed curriculums that lead to a well-rounded background in engineering fundamentals while providing exposure and working knowledge of contemporary subjects, preparing our students to become the next generation of industry-leading Mechanical Engineers.

MS Time Limit Policy: Full-time MS students have a maximum of seven quarters to fulfill all degree requirements (the minimum duration being three quarters or one Academic Year). Part-time students do not have specific written time limits; however, the department reserves the right to establish individual deadlines if required.

• Please contact [email protected]  if you have any questions regarding this policy

Master's Plan I - Thesis Defense

MS students who pursue Plan I have the option to earn an MS Degree in any of the following UC San Diego Graduate Major Codes : 

•    MC75 - Engineering Sciences (Aerospace Engineering) •    MC76 - Engineering Sciences (Applied Mechanics) •    MC78 - Engineering Sciences (Applied Ocean Science) •    MC80 - Engineering Sciences (Engineering Physics) •    MC81 - Engineering Sciences (Mechanical Engineering) •    MC91 - Engineering Sciences (Computational Engineering & Science) •    MC92 - Engineering Sciences (Power & Energy Systems) •    MC93 - Engineering Sciences (Controls & Mechatronics) •    MC94 - Engineering Sciences (Biomechanics & Biomedical Engineering)

MAE MS Program Requirements Checklist - Plan I (Thesis Defense)  - This checklist serves as a guide for students to plan their Master's program coursework and ensure compliance with degree requirements. Regardless of the Major Code chosen, Plan I Students will adhere to the coursework requirements outlined below.

This plan of study involves both coursework and research, culminating in the preparation of a thesis. A total of 36 units of credit are required: 24 units (6 courses) must be in coursework, and 12 units must be in research. The student's program is arranged, with approval of the Faculty Advisor, according to the following policies:

• A maximum of 8 units of MAE 296 and 298 may be applied toward the coursework requirements.
• A maximum of 12 units of upper-division 100-level courses may be applied toward the coursework requirements. However, opting for 12 units of 100-level courses may not provide you with the necessary knowledge and expertise required to achieve a successful thesis completion. This includes upper division undergraduate coursework in MAE or other relevant departments.
• Students must maintain at least a B average (3.00 GPA) in the courses taken to fulfill the degree requirements. 
• All courses that are used to satisfy degree requirements must be taken for a letter grade, with the exception of MAE 299 research units, which can only be taken as S/U.
• The 36 units should be arranged into three areas, organized as follows:

   Specialization 1: 3 courses (4 units per course)

   Specialization 2: 3 courses (4 units per course)

   Thesis Research: 12 units of MAE 299 research

Current MAE Specialization Areas:

• Adaptive Systems and Dynamic Modeling
• Applied Plasma Physics
• Biomechanics
• Thermal Sciences & Combustion
• Environmental Engineering
• Fluid Mechanics
• Linear & Optimal Control
• Materials Science
• Solid Mechanics
• Applied Atmospheric Sciences
• Basic Science
• Mathematics

Students should reference the MAE Graduate Course Structure for MS and P.hD. Students  to help determine which courses they will select to complete the specialization coursework (but are not limited to these suggestions). Course plans must satisfy the coursework requirements described above and must be reviewed and approved by the student’s MAE Faculty Advisor . 

Students selecting Plan I must submit and defend a Thesis. Students are responsible for completing all of the requirements described above as well as those described on the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA)  Dissertation & Thesis Submission website.

Students are allowed to take the oral defense twice. In the event that a student does not pass the oral exam on the second attempt, a third exam will not be offered, and they will not be eligible to continue in the program, resulting in disqualification from the MS degree.

For the oral defense, students are advised to collaborate with their Faculty Advisor to decide the defense format, schedule (including time, date, and location), and the responsibility for generating the Zoom invitation.

If you need assistance reserving an on-campus space for a Defense or an Exam, please contact [email protected]  and provide the date/time/purpose/expected number of attendees. 

Thesis Committee

The thesis committee, selected by the student and their Faculty Advisor, consists of at least three UC San Diego faculty members, at least two of which must be MAE faculty members. The thesis committee must adhere to the requirements outlined on the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA)  Doctoral and Master’s Committees website.

Example MS Thesis Committee

• Committee Member 1 (Committee Chair) - MAE Faculty Advisor
• Committee Member 2 - MAE Faculty Member
• Committee Member 3 - MAE Faculty Member or Faculty Member from another UC San Diego Department

Students must notify the MAE Graduate Coordinator of their intent to hold the MS Thesis Defense at least four weeks prior to the defense by submitting the  MAE Graduate Exam Form .

For all questions related to the MS Plan I, please contact [email protected] or  1-1 Graduate Advising . 

Students should refer to the  MAE MS Plan I Thesis Defense Checklist to ensure they completed all steps required for their MAE MS Thesis Defense.

Master’s Plan II - Comprehensive Exam

In order to satisfy degree requirements, students must:

• Fulfill the coursework requirement by successfully completing 36 units of coursework in accordance with the program specifications outlined below.
• All courses used to satisfy degree requirements must be taken for a letter grade, and students must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0.
• Satisfy the Comprehensive Examination requirement by earning a passing grade in at least three examination components. Each program has five courses that include a Comprehensive Examination component, and the format of the component will be described in the course syllabus. It is recommended that students attempt all Comprehensive Examination components until they satisfy the requirement.
• Satisfy the minimum residence requirement by successfully completing at least 6 units per quarter, for at least 3 quarters. The Department recommends that students register full-time (12 units) each quarter.
• Students are required to advance to candidacy by week 3 of the intended graduation quarter. Detailed instructions on the process are sent out by the department on a quarterly basis.

Core Program

The Core MS program is uniquely designed to provide students with the opportunity to design a customized curriculum leading to a well-rounded background in engineering fundamentals while providing exposure and working knowledge of contemporary subjects preparing them to become the next generation of industry-leading Mechanical Engineers.

MC81 - MAE MS Program Requirements Checklist - Plan II (Comprehensive Exam) - Students will use this checklist to plan their Master's program coursework and to ensure they are meeting degree requirements.

Curriculum Requirements I. ONE REQUIRED CORE COURSE

MAE 208 Mathematics for Engineers*

II. FOUR EMPHASIS COURSES

Select 4 courses (16 units) from the following list:

• MAE 200 Controls* 
• MAE 201 Mechanics of Fluids*
• MAE 202 Thermal Processes*
• MAE 203 Solid Mechanics & Materials*
• MAE 204 Robotics*
• MAE 206 Energy Systems*
• MAE 209 Continuum Mechanics Applied to Medicine/Biology*

III. FOUR PERMITTED ELECTIVES Select 4 courses (16 units) in MAE or another STEM field

• At least 1 course (4 units) must be a 200-level course in MAE or another STEM field.
• No more than 3 courses (12 units) of upper-division, 100-level coursework in a STEM field may be used to satisfy elective requirements.
• Units for seminar courses (ex. MAE 205) or units for graduate research (ex. MAE 299) may not be used to satisfy elective requirements.
• No more than 8 units of MAE 296 and/or MAE 298 may be used to satisfy elective requirements.
• No more than 4 units from the ENG series may be used to satisfy elective requirements.

* Course includes a comprehensive exam component

Aerospace Engineering Systems  

Mae faculty program lead - professor antonio sanchez.

The engineering systems employed in aeronautical and space applications are characterized by their high efficiency and reliability. They must be able to operate in adverse environments under varying ambient conditions and meet stringent weight and operational cost constraints. As a result, their design is a challenging task that requires a deep understanding of the complex underlying physics and chemical processes involved in their operation. In most cases, the design includes an important optimization component that requires the application of advanced quantitative techniques. The AES track is designed to respond to these needs by providing students with fundamental knowledge pertaining to the processes involved in aerospace systems, along with a set of advanced computational tools that are currently used in the aerospace industry.

Target Skill Sets and Learning Outcomes

Students are exposed to a rigorous curriculum covering fundamental aspects of aerospace engineering. Courses cover advanced concepts in quantitative methods, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, combustion and propulsion, and space engineering.

MC75 - MAE MS Program Requirements Checklist - Plan II (Comprehensive Exam) - Students will use this checklist to plan their Master's program coursework and to ensure they are meeting degree requirements.

Curriculum Requirements

*Course includes a comprehensive exam component

Permitted Electives:

MAE 210B Fluid Mechanics II, MAE 210C Fluid Mechanics III, MAE 211 Introduction to Combustion, MAE 213 Mechanics of Propulsion, MAE 214A Introduction to Turbulence and Turbulent Mixing, MAE 215 (MAE 207) Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer

→ RE: MAE 210 A, B, C  

Students planning to complete the fluid mechanics courses offered in Winter (MAE 210B) and/or Spring (MAE 210C) can take MAE 210A* in place of MAE 201* (MAE 210A* will also include a Comp Exam component).

→ RE: MAE 221 A, B, C

Students planning to complete the heat and mass transfer courses offered in Winter (MAE 221B) and/or Spring (MAE 221C) can take MAE 221A* in place of MAE 202* (MAE 221A* will also include a Comp Exam component).

• MAE 207 Advanced Astrodynamics
• MAE 210B Fluid Mechanics II
• MAE 210C Fluid Mechanics III
• MAE 211 Introduction to Combustion
• MAE 213 Mechanics of Propulsion
• MAE 214A Introduction to Turbulence and Turbulent Mixing
• MAE 215 Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer
• MAE 221B Mass Transfer
• MAE 221C Convection Heat Transfer
• MAE 221D Radiation Heat Transfer
• MAE 270 Multidisciplinary Design Optimization
• MAE 279 Uncertainty Quantification
• MAE 290B Numerical Methods for Differential Equations
• MAE 290C Computational Fluid Dynamics
• MAE 294B Introduction to Applied Mathematics II
• MAE 294C Introduction to Applied Mathematics III

Materials & Robotic Design

Mae faculty program lead - professor shengqiang cai.

Robots are typically designed to be as rigid as possible, which simplifies the design and control of these systems. However, there is growing interest in the use of advanced materials in the design of sensors, actuators, and mechanisms for robotics that provide capabilities seen previously only in biological systems. This MS program focuses on the range of topics required to design and analyze this new kind of robotic system including the mechanical behavior of materials, the numerical simulation of deformation and stress fields in various structures, and the design and fabrication of novel robotic devices. The courses of the program prepare students to understand the mechanical properties of materials and key design principles for robotics. 

Successful completion of this MS degree will enable students from various backgrounds to quantitatively characterize and analyze the mechanical performance of structures and design/fabricate robots for real applications. From the courses, students will learn the fundamental theories to model the deformation and motion of materials and robotic structures.

MC76 - MAE MS Program Requirements Checklist - Plan II (Comprehensive Exam)  -Students will use this checklist to plan their Master's program coursework and to ensure they are meeting degree requirements.

• MAE 207 (MAE 219) Design and Control of Haptic Systems
• MAE 231A Foundations of Solid Mechanics
• MAE 231B Elasticity
• MAE 232B Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics II
• MAE 232C Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics III
• MAE 249 Soft Robotics
• MAE 276 Mechanics of Soft Materials
• MATS 261B Mechanical Behavior of Polymers and Composites

Applied Ocean Science / Environmental Flows

Mae faculty program lead - p rofessor geno pawlak.

Applied Ocean Science (AOS) is an interdisciplinary track focused on the application of advanced technology to ocean research, exploration, and observation. In addition to the ongoing necessities linked with traditional marine applications, the shifting climate, risks arising from extreme weather events, and novel marine energy ventures have led to unprecedented demands for engineers well-versed in oceanic matters. The AOS specialization aims to build on existing synergies with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to produce graduates who combine strong engineering fundamentals with knowledge of ocean processes, data analysis, and ocean instrumentation.

This track will provide students with a strong foundation in ocean physics and environmental flows along with preparation in important ocean engineering topics including acoustics and marine instrumentation. The AOS track will allow students to choose course sequences focused on ocean physics, signal processing, data analysis, or numerical methods. Robotics and controls will provide a foundation for autonomous and remotely operated underwater vehicle applications.

MC78 - MAE MS Program Requirements Checklist - Plan II (Comprehensive Exam)  -Students will use this checklist to plan their Master's program coursework and to ensure they are meeting degree requirements.

Curriculum Requirements  *Updated for 2023-24 Academic Year*

Students must complete four different elective courses from the list below including both courses from at least one sequence.

Ocean Physics Sequence:

• SIOC 210 Physical Oceanography
• SIOC 202A Fundamentals of Wave Physics

Signal Processing Sequence:

• SIOC 207A Fundamentals of Digital Signal Processing
• ECE 251A Digital Signal Processing I or SIOC 207B Digital Signal Processing I

Data Analysis Sequence:

• SIOC 221A Analysis of Physical Oceanographic Data A
• ECE 228 Machine Learning for Physical Applications

Numerical Methods Sequence:

• MAE 290A Numerical Methods for Linear Algebra and ODE Simulation

Additional Permitted Electives:

• MAE 204 Robotics
• MAE 206 Energy Systems
• SIOC 202A Fundamentals of Wave Physics 
• SIOC 202B Fundamentals of Wave Physics
• SIOC 204 Underwater Acoustics
• SIOC 205 Estuarine and Coastal Processes
• SIOC 211A Ocean Waves I
• SIOC 261 Nearshore Physical Oceanography

Energy & Climate

Mae faculty program lead - professor carlos coimbra.

Students in the Energy & Climate track are exposed to a rigorous curriculum on the science and technology of abrupt climate change mitigation. This MS program focuses on thermal processes that drive climate change and the energy technologies that can help alleviate the radiative forcing on the atmosphere caused by greenhouse gases, clouds, and aerosols. Course selection is designed to prepare students to understand and quantify radiative forcing processes and their effect on large-scale renewable power plants. The program is not specifically focused on Global Circulation Models (GCMs), but rather on the quantitative analysis required to understand the thermal forcing mechanisms that drive radiative imbalances at planetary and local scales.

Successful completion of this MS degree will enable students from various backgrounds to quantitatively analyze the potential for scalable renewable energy solutions in disrupting energy industry carbon emissions. Students will acquire theoretical and computational skills to evaluate the role of different greenhouse gases, clouds, and aerosols on climate forcing, and will develop a solid appreciation for the role that scalable renewable technologies need to play in the effort to decarbonize the atmosphere. Both engineers and atmospheric scientists will benefit from the coursework as it covers the fundamental principles underlying the complex thermal relationships between energy conversion and abrupt climate change, as well as the impact of large-scale renewable power generation on the local environment.

MC80 - MAE MS Program Requirements Checklist - Plan II (Comprehensive Exam)  -Students will use this checklist to plan their Master's program coursework and to ensure they are meeting degree requirements.

Computational Engineering & Science

Mae faculty program lead - professor oliver schmidt.

Computational Engineering & Science (CE&S) is an interdisciplinary program that uses mathematical modeling and advanced computing to solve complex physical problems arising in engineering. Next to theory and experimentation, the use of high-fidelity numerical simulations that leverage high-performance computing environments has become the third paradigm of scientific discovery. Used for computer-based optimization, the same numerical tools are drivers for technological progress in mechanical and aerospace engineering.

The Computational Engineering & Science specialization provides students with a strong foundation in the development of the application of numerical methods and tools for the computer-based solution of complex engineering problems. The core curriculum encompasses comprehensive training in computational fluid dynamics, solid mechanics, and model reduction. In a parallel sequence of courses, the students can specialize in either large-scale computing, controls, or applied mathematics.

MC91 - MAE MS Program Requirements Checklist - Plan II (Comprehensive Exam) Students will use this checklist to plan their Master's program coursework and to ensure they are meeting degree requirements.

• MAE 146 Introduction to Machine Learning Algorithms 
• MAE 227 Convex Optimization for Engineers
• MAE 237 FEA for Coupled Problems
• MAE 259 Numerical Linear Algebra
• MAE 274 Model Reduction
• MAE 280A Linear Systems Theory
• MAE 288A Optimal Control
• MAE 288B Optimal Estimation
• MAE 294A Introduction to Applied Mathematics
• SE 232 Machine Learning in Computational Mechanics

Power & Energy Systems

Mae faculty program lead - p rofessor jan kleissl.

Students in the Energy Systems track are exposed to a rigorous curriculum on fundamentals and applications in the optimization of electric power systems. As the penetration of variable renewables (solar and wind) on the electric power grid has increased, economic and reliable integration into the power system has become the principal engineering challenge. Power systems are also increasingly shifting away from an overly conservative, insufficiently metered, and inflexible operation. Modern power systems instead reduce operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions through flexible distributed energy resources (energy storage, electric vehicles, and flexible loads), abundant metering, and easier market access. The field of optimization lies at the intersection of these thrusts.

Successful completion of this MS degree will enable students from various backgrounds to understand and optimize the operation of electric power systems. Students will develop skills in solar and wind resource characterization and modeling, power systems modeling, and optimization theory and applications to advance the field of electric power system planning and operation. Target employers are in the fields of renewables planning, energy systems consulting, and transmission system operation.

MC92 - MAE MS Program Requirements Checklist - Plan II (Comprehensive Exam) Students will use this checklist to plan their Master's program coursework and to ensure they are meeting degree requirements.

• MAE 119 Introduction to Renewable Energy: Solar & Wind
• MAE 125 Building Energy Efficiency
• MAE 146 Introduction to Machine Learning Algorithms
• MAE 244 Renewable Energy Integration
• MAE 255 Boundary Layer and Renewable Energy Meteorology
• MAE 256 Radiative Transfer for Energy Applications
• MAE 280B Linear Control Design
• MAE 281A Nonlinear Systems
• MAE 281B Nonlinear Control
• MAE 283A Parametric Identification: Theory and Methods
• MAE 283B Approximate Identification and Control

Winter 2024 Permitted Elective Options:

• MAE 118 Introduction to Energy and Environment
• MAE 200 Controls
• MAE 290B Numerical Methods for Differential Equations
• ECE 121B Energy Conversion
• ECE 125A Introduction to Power Electronics I
• ECE 128B Power Grid Modernization
• SIO 172 Physics of the Atmosphere

Controls & Mechatronics

Mae faculty program lead - professor jorge cortes.

The opportunities to apply control principles and methods are exploding. Computation, communication, and sensing are becoming ubiquitous, with accelerating advances in the fabrication of devices including embedded processors, sensors, storage, and communication hardware. The increasing complexity of technological systems demands inter- and cross-disciplinary research and development. The realized impact of control technology is matched by its anticipated future impact. Control is not only considered instrumental for evolutionary improvements in today's products, solutions, and systems; it is also considered a fundamental enabling technology for realizing future visions and ambitions in emerging areas such as biomedicine, renewable energy, and critical infrastructures. Based on the current level of MS enrollment in the courses that compose the C&M specialization, this is already a hugely successful specialization, and its formalization will provide students with more value in regard to the job market.

The MS degree in C&M will enable students to develop the skills necessary to deal with multi-faceted systems and applications.  Students will be exposed to a multidisciplinary curriculum where they will develop an appreciation for building reliable systems, designing algorithms, analyzing dynamics, and formulating qualitative and quantitative properties. The C&M track puts particular emphasis on applications to robotics, haptics, and learning, but students will benefit from acquiring critical analytical thinking, practical understanding, and systems perspective that is applicable to other disciplines in the development of other large-scale, safety-critical, and mission-critical systems.

MC93 - MAE MS Program Requirements Checklist - Plan II (Comprehensive Exam) Students will use this checklist to plan their Master's program coursework and to ensure they are meeting degree requirements.

• MAE 144 Embedded Control and Robotics
• MAE 145 Introduction to Robotic Planning and Estimation
• MAE 226 Advanced Dynamics
• MAE 248 Safety for Autonomous Systems
• MAE 269 Bioinspired Mobile Robotics

Biomechanics & Biomedical Engineering

Mae faculty program lead - professor james friend.

Today we are witnessing rapid advancements in healthcare from understanding and using the mechanical behavior of biological entities across a tremendous range of scales, from molecules to organelles, cells, organs, and organisms. The multidisciplinary curriculum of B&BE, as a relatively new and exciting discipline, offers comprehensive training from the fundamental structure and function of biological systems to the applied design of medical devices to overcome unmet needs in healthcare. By virtue of the breadth of courses in B&BE from rigorous fundamentals to applied engineering, students can construct a program tailored to their career aspirations, whether it be in research or industry. With an emphasis on the mechanical engineering perspective of B&BE, mathematics, and physical analysis dominate training in fluid, continuum, cell, and molecular mechanics alongside training in biomaterials, computational methods, practical back-of-the-envelope design, immersion in the clinical environment alongside practitioners, and the handling of intellectual property and regulatory issues.

Completion of the B&BE MS degree will confer an ability to define and solve engineering problems in the creation of new medical technologies, and to have sufficient knowledge of what is known and unknown of the fundamental mechanisms underpinning biological systems to work towards creating new knowledge and exploiting current knowledge to benefit society. Direct interaction with clinical practitioners will provide the student with valuable experience in understanding and solving problems in healthcare. Students with training from other engineering disciplines particularly electrical, computer, and bioengineering will gain uniquely valuable multidisciplinary skills to lead or work in the burgeoning medical device industry. Those with training in allied fields of physics, chemistry, and biology will find themselves with the key knowledge needed to enter and lead research and development work in B&BE, with the MS degree serving as the gateway to this new discipline.

MC94 - MAE MS Program Requirements Checklist - Plan II (Comprehensive Exam) Students will use this checklist to plan their Master's program coursework and to ensure they are meeting degree requirements.

Aerospace engineering (MS, PhD)

A nationally ranked program with a focus on innovating how we study, develop and design the future of aircraft and spacecraft. ASU’s aerospace engineering graduate studies put an emphasis on preparing students for doctoral work or stepping into vital roles in the industry.

Whether pursuing master’s studies or doctoral research, all graduate programs are built on a foundation in technical fundamentals, communication and professionalism. Outfitted with the latest tools and resources to better research, test and innovate the future of aerospace, our programs offer broad-based curriculum and support timely research investigations.

Degrees offered

Aerospace engineering, ms.

Following undergraduate studies, students have the option to choose between two Masters of Science tracks: a thesis option and non-thesis option.

• MS students are admitted by default in the non-thesis option
• MS students can transfer to the thesis option once they are active in the program and have secured a MS thesis faculty advisor
• The non-thesis option allows students two experiences including a portfolio and an applied project.

Aerospace engineering, PhD

The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering take pride in innovation through research, discovery and design of new ideas. The Ph.D. program is directed toward just that with original research and creating and defending a dissertation that describes an original contribution within the chosen discipline.

Graduate resources

• Course Descriptions
• Accelerated Master’s programs
• Class Search/Course Catalog
• Graduate College FAQs
• Online Advising Appointments
• Graduate Forms
• Fellowships and Funding
• International Applicants
• All Graduate Programs

Program information

• Graduate Course Information
• Graduate Faculty
• Research Areas

Application and admission information

Application information.

The following application materials must be submitted directly to Graduate Admission Services:

If your institution sends electronic official transcripts, we accept the following electronic transcript services: E-Scrip, Parchment, Credentials Inc., and National Student Clearinghouse. All E-Scrip, Parchment, and National Student Clearinghouse transcripts must be sent directly to [email protected] from those transcript services or from the institutions that use those services. If you can and choose to use these services, you should apply online to the ASU Graduate Admission Services application prior to having your official e-transcripts sent.

If your institution does not use one of those transcript services, you will need to mail an official transcript. Your six digit application ID should be on the transcript envelope if possible.

Graduate Admission Services Tel: 480-965-6113 Web: students.asu.edu/graduate

Application for Admission

The application can only be accessed online. Click here to go to Application for Admission

Application Priority   Deadline

Fall Semester – December 31 Spring Semester – August 1

A priority deadline means that applications submitted and completed before the priority deadline will receive priority consideration. Applications submitted after the priority deadlines will be reviewed in the order in which they were completed. An application is complete after all materials are received by Graduate Admissions.

Application Fee

US citizens $70 Non-US citizens $115

This is a processing fee assessed by Graduate Admission Services and cannot be waived or deferred: graduate.asu.edu/admissions/how_to_apply

Transcripts and GRE scores

Transcripts.

Only official transcripts are accepted; no photocopies. These must be mailed to Graduate Admissions Services (see address above). For international students, transcripts must be in the original language, along with an official English translation. Also see:

Graduate Admissions Services: students.asu.edu/graduate/apply

Official score sent by ETS only. Guideline for the GRE: verbal 146+, quantitative 159+, analytical 3.5+. Institution code for ASU: 4007; there is no department code. 

GRE Waiver : GRE scores are useful, but not required for MS students.  GRE waivers do not apply to PhD applications. 

Resume, personal statement and letters of recommendation

A resume is useful but not required. Upload a resume in the online application process.

Personal statement

Essay describing your background, academic achievements, research interests, career goals, and why you wish to pursue graduate study in Aerospace Engineering at ASU. You will be asked to upload your personal statement in the online application process. .

Three (3) recommendation letters

The online application will ask you for three names and three email addresses for three recommenders; and the company/school for which they work. Your recommenders will receive an email and must submit their letter of recommendation electronically.

International applicants

Additional admission requirements for international applicants.

Admissions:  students.asu.edu/graduate/international

Visa/Immigration information 

students.asu.edu/international/immigration

English proficiency (for international graduate applicants)

A TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score is required by the graduate Aerospace Engineering program, in order to be considered for admission.

• Official TOEFL sent by ETS only. Minimum scores: iBT 80; pBT 550. Institution code for ASU: 4007; for department code, applicant may enter 0000
• Official IELTS sent by issuing institution only. Minimum score: 6.5. No institution code is needed
• Official PTE sent by Pearson only. Minimum Score: 60

You could qualify for an exemption from this requirement by one of the following two options:

• This requirement would be met if you successfully complete the highest level at the Global Launch Intensive English Program with grades of B or better; AND in addition, acquire a score of 50 or better on the Speak Test (must be taken at Arizona State University).
• You successfully complete the highest level at the Global Launch Intensive English Program with grades of B or better  OR
• Attended in person a regionally accredited college or university in the United States and earned a bachelor’s degree or higher in the U.S.,  OR
• Attended in person a regionally accredited college or university in the United States and completed at least 12 credit hours of graduate course work with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale or higher (all credits must be earned in the U.S.),  OR
• Attended in person a regionally accredited college or university in the United States and completed at least 90 credit hours of undergraduate course work with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale or higher (all 90 hours must be earned in the U.S.)

For  more information, visit the Graduate Admission Services English Proficiency Requirement and Exemption website .

Still have a question? Contact Advising

If you still have questions regarding admission requirements and procedures, please contact the SEMTE graduate advising office:

Phone: 480.965.2335 Email:  [email protected]

Educational Objectives for Graduate Program

Admissions requirements, requirements for advancement to graduate candidacy.

Requirements for Graduation

MS - Aerospace Engineering Graduation Requirements

Master’s requirements (30 units).

• Program Learning Outcomes    

The MSAE Program, offered by the  Department of Aerospace Engineering   , is designed to prepare students for professional careers in industry or advanced study in Ph.D. programs. Students develop skills in research, design, development, experiment design, testing, and systems integration in air and space transportation systems. In addition to advanced aerospace engineering courses, electives are available in science, business, and other engineering fields. Class schedules are designed for the convenience of employed engineers who wish to pursue graduate work on a part-time basis. The MSAE Program welcomes students with undergraduate degrees in other engineering or science disciplines. For more information visit sjsu.edu/ae/programs/msae .

To provide MSAE graduates with

• A strong foundation beyond the undergraduate level in their chosen focus area as well as in mathematics, basic science, and engineering fundamentals, to be able to solve current aerospace engineering problems.
• Contemporary professional and lifelong learning skills to successfully compete for technical engineering positions in the local, national, and global engineering market, advance in their current position or pursue doctoral studies.
• Expertise necessary to work in the analysis, design, development, and testing of aerospace engineering systems with possible specialization in areas such as aircraft design or space transportation and exploration.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to write engineering reports.
• Ability to perform research and work independently to solve open-ended aerospace engineering problems.

Candidates must meet all the university admission requirements   . Students can be admitted in either classified or conditionally classified standing. If an applicant’s preparation for advanced graduate work is considered inadequate to meet the course prerequisites or other departmental requirements, the conditions will include taking preparatory courses to meet these requirements. Such courses will not count as part of the master’s degree program requirements.

To be admitted to classified standing, a student must possess a BS degree in Aerospace Engineering or related field (e.g., Aeronautical Engineering, Astronautical Engineering or Space Engineering, etc.) from an accredited institution with a grade point average of 2.75 or better in the last 60 units.

Students may be admitted with conditionally classified standing if they have a BS degree in any engineering or science discipline from an accredited institution. Students with conditionally classified standing will take a series of BSAE core courses based on their evaluation by the AE Graduate Coordinator.

If an applicant’s bachelor’s degree is not from a US or Canadian university, a GRE must be taken; minimum scores acceptable for admission are listed on the Graduate Program Test Requirements webpage at GAPE. Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English must achieve a minimum English-language proficiency test score as indicated on the Graduate Program Test Requirements webpage at GAPE.

Prior to registering for the first time (or upon re-entering), a student should consult with the AE Graduate Coordinator to develop a schedule of courses. Students admitted as conditionally classified must satisfy the requirements listed in their letter of acceptance. Students who have completed matriculation and achieved classified standing in the master’s degree curriculum must next advance to candidacy for the degree. A student may advance to candidacy after completing a minimum of 9 units of graded work as a graduate student in letter-graded 100- or 200-level courses acceptable to the AE Department as well as fulfilling the other university requirements for advancement to candidacy    for the MS degree, as detailed in the Graduate Policies and Procedures    section. Candidacy includes the successful completion of the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)   .

University Graduation Requirements

Students must complete all residency, curriculum, unit, GPA, and culminating experience requirements as outlined in the Graduation Requirements    section of the Graduate Policies and Procedures   .

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement

At SJSU, students must pass the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)   .

The AE Department offers courses designed to provide a flexible curriculum structure that allows students to follow a course of study to meet their individual career goals. As shown below, the program consists of 30 semester units of approved work, including 6 units devoted to a thesis or project. The required coursework includes 3 units of advanced mathematics, 12 units of aerospace core subjects, and 9 units of electives.

In selecting a project/thesis topic, the student must first identify a faculty member in his or her area of interest. Once the faculty member agrees to act as the student’s project/thesis advisor, a program of study is established, including the project/thesis topic.

Culminating Experience (Plan A or Plan B)

In selecting a Plan A (Thesis) or Plan B (Project) topic, the student must first identify a faculty member in his / her area of interest. Once the faculty member agrees to act as the student’s advisor, a program of study is established, including the thesis or project topic. In either option students perform graduate-level research and/or design and/ or development, involving aerospace systems or components of aerospace systems under the supervision of an AE faculty member. Students are encouraged to submit and present their work at student and/or professional conferences.

A project or thesis proposal is due to the AE 295A   / AE 299    Course Coordinator no later than the 2nd week of class. A written progress report is due at the end of each month. The first progress report must include a review of the relevant literature. An end-of-semester written report is expected at the end of the 1st semester.

Plan A (Thesis)

A thesis requires approval by a committee of three members. Two of the thesis committee members must be SJSU faculty. An AE faculty member must agree to serve as the chair of the committee. Students must secure the commitment of all three members of their thesis committee. The committee must approve the student’s thesis proposal no later than the 2nd week of the 1st semester. The thesis must meet university requirements as stipulated in this catalog and in the SJSU Master’s Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation Guidelines . It will be written under the guidance of the candidate’s thesis committee chair with the assistance of the other committee members. The candidate for the MSAE degree must successfully pass a final oral defense of the thesis.

Plan B (Project)

In the Project Option students work under the supervision of an AE faculty member.

Advanced Mathematics (3 units)

• AE 200 - Engineering Analysis of Aerospace Systems 3 unit(s)

Core Courses (12 units)

Complete at least one course from each of the four areas described below.

Propulsion (3 units)

Students who have completed  AE 167    or equivalent at the undergraduate level  and are completing the Aircraft Design specialization may complete an additional graduate-level elective (3 units) in lieu of AE 267   . Students completing the Space Transportation and Exploration specialization must complete AE 267   .

• AE 267 - Space Propulsion Systems 3 unit(s)

Dynamics and Control (3 units)

• AE 242 - Orbital Mechanics and Mission Design 3 unit(s)
• AE 243 - Advanced Astrodynamics 3 unit(s)
• AE 245 - Spacecraft Dynamics and Control 3 unit(s)
• AE 246 - Advanced Aircraft Stability and Control 3 unit(s)
• AE 247 - Trajectory Optimization in Aerospace Applications 3 unit(s)

Structures and Materials (3 units)

• AE 250 - Advanced Structures and Materials 3 unit(s)
• AE 251 - Structural Vibrations for Aerospace Applications 3 unit(s)

Fluid Dynamics (3 units)

• AE 262 - Advanced Aerodynamics 3 unit(s)
• AE 264 - Gas Dynamics 3 unit(s)
• AE 265 - Boundary Layers 3 unit(s)
• AE 266 - Hypersonics 3 unit(s)
• AE 269 - Advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics 3 unit(s)

Area of Specialization (9 units)

Complete three electives from one of the specialization areas below in consultation with the AE Graduate Coordinator.

Aircraft Design (9 units)

Complete either AE 271     or   AE 273    and an additional 2 courses from below for a total of 9 units.

• AE 271 - Advanced Aircraft Design 3 unit(s) (GWAR)
• AE 273 - Aircraft Subsystems 3 unit(s) (GWAR)

Space Transportation and Exploration (9 units)

Complete AE 210    and an additional 2 courses from below for a total of 9 units.

• AE 210 - Advanced Space Systems Engineering 3 unit(s) (GWAR)

Culminating Experience (6 units)

Complete one option (Plan A or Plan B):

• AE 299 - Aerospace Engineering Masters Thesis 3 unit(s) (Students take AE 299    twice.)
• AE 295A - Aerospace Engineering Masters Project I 3 unit(s)
• AE 295B - Aerospace Engineering Masters Project II 3 unit(s)

Total Units Required (30 units)

Elective courses must be planned in consultation with the AE Graduate Coordinator. Students may also choose electives from other engineering fields, science, or business.

The maximum number of upper-division undergraduate units that can be applied toward the master’s degree is 15.

Upon completion of the degree requirements, the student must have achieved minimum candidacy and SJSU cumulative grade point averages of 3.0 in order to graduate.

University Catalog 2023-2024

Aerospace engineering (ms), master of science degree requirements, non-thesis option, thesis option, accelerated bachelor's/master's degree requirements.

The Accelerated Bachelors/Master’s (ABM) degree program allows exceptional undergraduate students at NC State an opportunity to complete the requirements for both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at an accelerated pace. These undergraduate students may double count up to 12 credits and obtain a non-thesis Master’s degree in the same field within 12 months of completing the Bachelor’s degree, or obtain a thesis-based Master’s degree in the same field within 18 months of completing the Bachelor’s degree.

This degree program also provides an opportunity for the Directors of Graduate Programs (DGPs) at NC State to recruit rising juniors in their major to their graduate programs. However, permission to pursue an ABM degree program does not guarantee admission to the Graduate School. Admission is contingent on meeting eligibility requirements at the time of entering the graduate program.

Full Professors

• Gregory D. Buckner
• Tarek Echekki
• Farhan Saifuddin Gandhi
• Tasnim Hassan
• Jack Ray Edwards Jr.
• Srinath Varadarajan Ekkad
• Tiegang Fang
• Ashok Gopalarathnam
• Richard David Gould
• Xiaoning Jiang
• Richard F. Keltie
• Clement Kleinstreuer
• Andrey Valerevich Kuznetsov
• James Woodrow Leach
• Kevin M. Lyons
• Gracious Ngaile
• Kara Jo Peters
• Afsaneh Rabiei
• Lawrence M. Silverberg
• Juei Feng Tu
• Fuh-Gwo Yuan
• Mohammed A. Zikry

Associate Professors

• Michael A. Boles
• Matthew Bryant
• Jeffrey W. Eischen
• Scott M. Ferguson
• Charles Edward Hall Jr.
• Hsiao-Ying Shadow Huang
• Andre P. Mazzoleni
• Marie Muller
• Venkateswaran Narayanaswamy
• Brendan Timothy O'Connor
• Mark R. Pankow
• Katherine Saul
• Alexei V. Saveliev
• Rohan A. Shirwalker
• Hooman Vahedi Tafreshi
• Christopher Raymond Vermillion
• Chengying Xu

Assistant Professors

• James Braun
• Darius Carter
• Mingtai Chen
• Landon Grace
• Kenneth Granlund
• Veeraraghava Raju Hasti
• Mohammad Heiranian
• Timothy Joseph Horn
• Arun Kumar Kota
• Andrew Jeungahn Lee
• Donggun Lee
• Jason F. Patrick
• Pramod Kumar Veera Subbareddy
• Henry Oliver Tenadooah Ware

Emeritus Faculty

• Thomas A. Dow
• Herbert Martin Eckerlin
• Hassan A. Hassan
• David S. McRae
• Robert T. Nagel
• John S. Strenkowski

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A PDF of the entire 2023-2024 Graduate catalog.

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Major Master's Thesis

The Two Years Master Aerospace Engineering introduced the possibility to develop a Major Master's Thesis.

• Invia ad un amico

If the student choose a " Major Master's Thesis ”, the Thesis Preparation Committee will proceed to designate an independent Examiner in order to assess the final degree thesis.

The application for the Major Master Thesis must be submitted to the Engineering Degree Office by using the provided form  at least three months  before the scheduled graduation session taking into account that the Commission meets every first Monday of the month (except August).

The final version of the thesis must be delivered by email in electronic form to the Examiner at least three weeks in advance before the scheduled graduation session, and in copy to (a) the Course Director and (b) the Chairman of the Thesis Preparation Commiteee (see below), as a proof of the completion of the Major Master's thesis within the deadline. If this fails to happen (for any reason), the student loses the status of Major Master's Thesis candidate and automatically returns to the status of Standard Thesis candidate.

The option “Major Master's Thesis” can be chosen even if the student has not sat the exam " Thesis Preparation ".

Thesis Preparation Committee

Prof. Sara Bagassi (Chairman)  Prof. Alessandro Bellani (Member) Prof. Alessandro Ceruti (Member)

The Commission will meet on Friday 3rd May 2024

How to submit the Major Master's Thesis form

The Major Master's thesis application form (in the attachments box) can be  handed in  to the  Engineering Degree Office  during the office hour  or submitted by email  (please send a scan of the signed form to  [email protected] ). 

attachments

Application form_major master's thesis

[ .pdf 212Kb ]

Final Examination Regulation LM Aerospace Engineering

[ .pdf 15Kb ]

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MS Experiential-Track (Project-Based) Program

The Master of Science (MS) Project-Based Program provides a path for obtaining a master's degree with a strong emphasis on pursuing higher education in specific areas and developing the skills to apply the concepts learned in class to solve complex, real-world engineering problems. Students undertake tailored coursework while actively participating in an experiential learning project. The project will showcase their ability to apply theoretical principles to tangible challenges within their respective disciplines. The average length to degree for this program is 1 - 2 years.

Skills Developed

Professional development.

Provide students with opportunities to work with industry partners, giving them valuable networking opportunities, exposure to different career paths, and experience working in multidisciplinary teams.

Personalized Learning

Students in this program will have the opportunity to work with faculty advisors to tailor their learning experience to their specific interests and goals, allowing them to gain expertise in areas that are most relevant to their career aspirations.

Practical Skills

Students develop practical skills that are directly applicable to real-world engineering challenges.

Experiential Project Options

Points of pride.

Students may enroll in the graduate-level design-build course, and complete a team project over the span of 2 consecutive semesters. 

Students may define and complete a research experience directly under the supervision of their MAE faculty advisor. This is typically a one-semester research experience. 

Students may complete a full-time internship outside of the University in an engineering-related field of application, for the duration of one academic period (e.g., Summer period). Students may seek support from their faculty advisor, Engineering Career Services or Graduate Education resources at COE for finding internship opportunities.

Students who wish to pursue the non-thesis path must meet the following requirements in order to graduate:

27 total hours of letter graded graduate courses *

At least 3 hours must be 4000+ Math (except Math 4504), 5000+ Stats, or other program approved math equivalency courses ^

At least 12 hours must be 5000+ MAE courses ~

At least 12 hours must be 6000+ courses

At least 3 hours of AE 8998 with your faculty advisor

AE Seminar every semester until graduation

A non-thesis project as decided upon by your MS committee

*:  In addition to the Math requirement, up to 3 hours may be 4000+ non-departmental courses as long as the MAE 5000+ and the 6000+ requirements are still met.

^:  A course being used to satisfy the Math requirement cannot be used to satisfy the other letter graded MS course requirements.

~:  6000+ MAE can be used to satisfy  both  the AE 5000+ and 6000+ requirements.

At least 3 hours of ME 8998 with your faculty advisor

ME Seminar every semester until graduation

~:  6000+ MAE can be used to satisfy  both  the ME 5000+ and 6000+ requirements.

• NUCLREN 5001 ( Interaction of Radiation with Matter )
• NUCLREN 5002 ( Reactor Physics )
• NUCLREN 5003 ( Nuclear Reactor Systems and Analysis )
• NUCLREN 5004 ( Material in Nuclear Systems)
• 12 hours nuclear engineering 5000+ courses beyond the core courses 
• 3 hours Math 4000+, Stats 5000+ or program approved Math Equivalency courses (not Math 4504)
• At least 3 hours of NE 8998 with your faculty advisor
• NUCLREN 6881 ( Nuclear Engineering Seminar ) every semester

Career Outcomes 

The experiential-track MS program leads to diverse and in-demand career prospects in various industries including, but not limited to: 

• American Honda Motor Company, Inc
• Battelle Memorial Institute
• Capital One
• Cummins Inc.
• Ford Motor Company
• General Electric
• General Motors
• MIT Lincoln Labs
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• READY Robotics
• Robins Air Force Base
• United States Air Force
• XALT Energy

Their Research Was Interrupted, But Their Potential Was Not

The 2024 ph.d. hooding and awards ceremony honors 166 new graduates and gourav datta, winner of this year’s best ph.d. thesis..

Gourav Datta, center, the winner of the 2024 William F. Ballhaus, Jr. Prize for Excellence in Graduate Engineering Research, with Dean Yannis Yortsos (left) and Erik Johnson, USC Viterbi vice dean for academic programs (right).

Ryan Bena was only in his second semester as a Ph.D. student at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering when he was forced to leave the Dynamic Robotics and Control Laboratory .

COVID-19, it seemed, cared little for continuity in doctoral research.

Bena, who had just starting achieving “groundbreaking experimental results” with the lab’s insect-size, flying robot, Bee++, suddenly had to abandon all his experiments. What’s worse, his close lab collaborator, Xiufeng Yang, graduated soon after in May 2020.

Like most of the 166 Ph.D. candidates in this year’s graduating class, Bena spent the next six months working remotely. But he used that time profitably – analyzing his experimental results and dedicating himself to writing and submitting papers, which were soon favorably received in the micro-scale robotics community.

Today, Bena was among the four finalists for USC Viterbi’s most coveted Ph.D. award: the William F. Ballhaus, Jr. Prize for Excellence in Graduate Engineering Research.

On Wednesday, May 8, at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s 2024 Ph.D. Hooding and Awards Ceremony, Bovard Auditorium was alive with bright colors, Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance” and family and well-wishers from all over the globe.

The 2024 event saw the newly minted Ph.D.s sport their new cardinal and gold hoods, a tradition that dates back to 12th century monks. This year’s graduates represent countries ranging from China, India, Lebanon, South Korea, Italy and the U.S. — united, according to Yannis Yortsos, USC Viterbi dean, in their “shared talents and diverse areas of expertise.”

Gourav Datta, ’23, ultimately took home the USC Viterbi Ph.D. dissertation award for 2024 for his work: “Towards Efficient Edge Intelligence with Neuromorphic and In-Sensor Computing: Algorithm-Hardware Co-Design.” Alongside his advisor, Professor Peter Beerel, Datta collaborated with Samsung on energy efficient “self-healing cameras” that can fill in the gaps of distorted images.

Yi Huang receives his hood from Ph.D. advisor Eun Ji Chung as Dean Yortsos looks on.

The ceremony coincided with this year’s 20th anniversary of the USC Viterbi School naming , and Dean Yannis Yortsos was quick to remind the attendees of another doctoral student — Andrew Viterbi, Ph.D. ’62 — who was also no stranger to overcoming adversity.

Viterbi, one of the school’s early Ph.D. students, had a dream of becoming a university professor. But that dream was tempered by a necessity to work full time, providing for his wife, two young kids and two sets of elderly parents. USC, he soon discovered, was the place where he could do both.

Hussein Hammoud receives his hood from Professor Tony Levi, chair of the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

“Now, his Ph.D. defense was not an easy one,” said Yortsos. “It was the only time in his life he dreaded getting out of bed. When it was all done, he was certain that he’d failed…Indeed, Andrew Viterbi, according to his own autobiography, felt that his dissertation was far from his best work. It would be another four years before he felt he made a meaningful contribution to his field. But what he did, we’re still celebrating 50 years later!”

Yortsos added: “As Socrates said: “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. My hope for all of you is that your time at USC helped the kindling of a flame that will burn brightly in all your life. That flame will hopefully give warmth to other places, cities, industries, and maybe even worlds.”

Datta’s flame has now moved on to Amazon, where he serves as an applied scientist.

Rashid Alavi, Ph.D. ’23, another candidate for this year’s best Ph.D. thesis award, has been an innovator in using non-invasive methods like iPhone cameras to detect super silent heart attacks . Alavi continues his work as a James Boswell Postdoctoral Fellow at Caltech.

“When you feel chest pain,” said Alavi, “you can place your iPhone over your neck, and it can tell you if the chest pain is related to a heart attack.”

Zalan Fabian, Ph.D. ’23, the remaining Ballhaus Prize finalist, found new insights in accelerating MRI and medical imaging scans. His proposed methods could aid radiologists and other medical doctors in two ways: improving the diagnostic value of medical images and reducing the duration of MRI scans, potentially making such scans cheaper and more efficient.

Hiba Kahouli, a new Ph.D. in aerospace and mechanical engineering, poses with family at USC Viterbi’s 2024 Ph.D. Hooding and Awards event.

Published on May 9th, 2024

Last updated on May 9th, 2024

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Aerospace Engineering

MSAE Project & Thesis Reports: 2020

Spring 2020, summer 2020.

Design Build Fly team finishes strong, motivated for next year

5/7/2024 Debra Levey Larson

Written by Debra Levey Larson

This year’s Design Build Fly team finished 25 th out of 107 teams in the annual American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics DBF flight competition in Wichita, Kansas. The team’s president attributes the success to a combination of two main efforts—one technical and one psychological—while keeping to a strict schedule.

“This year, we hit the ground running. The rules came out after Labor Day and we built a prototype within two weeks of that,” said aerospace engineering senior and DBF President Michal Marciniak.

Over the course of the year, the team built four planes. The first prototype couldn't hold passengers but had the shape to be able to hold them. They built a second prototype last fall.

“That one unfortunately crashed after multiple flight tests, but we learned from our mistakes,” Marciniak said.

A third plane was more refined for the mission systems design. And the fourth was the competition aircraft where final fixes were done and a careful monokote job so it also looked good on the outside.

This year’s AIAA objective was to design and build a remote-controlled plane for urban air mobility purposes. For the ground mission, the team was timed while loading a medical supply cabinet as cargo, two EMTs, and a passenger on a gurney onto the plane. There were also three flight missions.

“The first flight mission was with just the crew in the cockpit. That went really well. It was an easy takeoff, a smooth landing, and we met the 20-foot takeoff requirement. That one was easy because the plane was empty on the inside, making it lightweight,” Marciniak said.

Building a lightweight aircraft was the team’s primary technical goal.

“Every pound or half a pound we could lose on the structural weight, we could add in the medical supply cabinet or passengers. One thing we changed was to build with plywood trussing as opposed to balsa wood which requires more bulkheads and structure inside the plane. Switching to plywood sheeting for a trussing allows for easier build and fewer redundant structural features.”

Marciniak said the team was fortunate to have Stephanie Dutra, who graduated this past December, as the design lead and vice president for the fall semester.

“She kept telling the team, ‘My design says it has to be X weight.’ We’d weigh every part and make sure it came in within that weight. We still overbuilt it a bit, but the testing and plywood truss allowed us to minimize the weight and have a stronger aircraft.”

Marciniak realized there was more to the team’s success than just excellent technical skills.

“Another big effort this year was to not just build a plane but to build the team’s confidence in their ability to build a more lightweight plane, which we needed for this mission,” he said. When their second prototype crashed, he said morale was low.

“Hearing that the plane crashed impacted us all. A lot of time and effort goes into each build. However, I knew that we still had lots of time until competition and we got a lot of data from the second prototype during previous flight tests.”

Last year, Marciniak was the team’s treasurer. The year before, he was part of the build team. Although, he said building is where his heart is, as president this year went on emergency shopping trips and had to do more project management.

“I visited the sub teams, attended CAD sessions and build sessions and helped out wherever I was needed. Once, during the build of our first prototype, our build lead Jessy Singh called and said there was something missing. So, I stopped what I'm doing and went to Home Depot to buy more epoxy. It was a lot of that.

“But a big part of my job, too, was making sure the team built the prototypes on a strict schedule. There was a lot of coordination with flight tests, Professor  Merret ’s availability to pilot the plane, and the weather.”

The competition in Wichita had the largest-ever flyoff participation, with more than a thousand students on 93 university teams from 12 countries, including 32 states in the U.S. Because of the size of the event, Marciniak and team member Nicole Ornoff decided to make an effort to form collaborations.

“We wanted the team to make friends, to network and thought we’d start with the other Big 10 schools,” Marciniak said. “We said we could help them if they needed it and we could ask them for help. We went to dinner with Penn State last year and this year, so they were on board. Purdue thought it was a great idea. In the Textron hangar, we looped around and found Maryland and Michigan. Nicole made a group chat and coordinated a photo of all five teams together.”

Marciniak graduated this month and accepted a job at United Airlines in Houston, but he believes the DBF team is in a great position to do well next year.

“We've been growing rapidly. The year before last we didn't go to the competition. Last year’s goal was to go and compete. Did that. I had to continue the momentum, so our goal this year was to complete all four missions, which we accomplished. Next year the big goal is to be in the top 10.

“Recruitment was something I worked on this year and it will need a big effort next year to get first-year students to join who can continue with the club for the next four years. With only two seniors graduating this year, me and Jessy, it’ll be a strong team next year.”

Design Build Fly is a registered student organization at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It is open to anyone interested in building aircraft, but its members are largely students in the Department of Aerospace Engineering.

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This story was published May 7, 2024.

Layne Watson honored with emeritus status

• Mark Owczarski
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Layne Watson, professor of computer science in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of professor emeritus by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors .

The emeritus title may be conferred on retired faculty members who are specially recommended to the board by Virginia Tech President Tim Sands in recognition of exemplary service to the university. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive a copy of the resolution and a certificate of appreciation.

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1978, Watson also holds professorships in the departments of mathematics and aerospace and ocean engineering . He was principal or co-principal investigator on grants totaling nearly $28 million, and his scholarship has been wide ranging.

Watson has collaborated with students and faculty from almost every department in the colleges of engineering and science, as well as several other colleges on campus. He helped start the bioinformatics program in computer science, brought the first parallel high-end computer to Virginia Tech, and started the transdisciplinary collaboration that has become a model for the department. 

Today Watson is a member of about 20 centers and programs across the university, ranging from forestry to aerospace engineering to medicine. He has authored or co-authored more than 600 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers, and edited 10 books.

Watson has received many professional honors and awards, including his most recent fellowship in the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics . He has also been named a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and received numerous best paper awards, the Virginia Tech Alumni Award for Excellence in Research, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency BioSPICE Special Recognition Award, the Society for Wood Science and Technology George Marra Award for Excellence in Writing, and the College of Engineering Dean's Award for Excellence in Research.

In the classroom, Watson taught both undergraduate- and graduate-level courses. He directed 61 master’s degree and Ph.D. theses — nine of which won departmental best thesis awards — and served on hundreds of master’s degree and Ph.D. committees across multiple colleges.

Watson received his bachelor's degree from the University of Evansville and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.

Chelsea Seeber

540-231-2108

• Aerospace and Ocean Engineering
• College of Engineering
• College of Science
• Computer Science
• Emeritus and Emerita Faculty
• Faculty Excellence
• Mathematics

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