From the Mines Newsroom: An aerospace engineering minor, along with two other minors, will be offered in Fall 2021 after being approved by the Mines Board of Trustees in February 2021.
As the aerospace industry continues to grow in Colorado, it now represents five of the top 10 employers for mechanical engineers in the state. While a full degree in aerospace engineering is not a requirement for these jobs – as shown by the number of Mines graduates currently working in the industry – a dedicated minor will help make Mines students even more competitive in the field.
The Aerospace Engineering minor is designed to support students interested in aerospace engineering careers who are majoring in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, metallurgical and materials engineering, physics and other areas. The program will be housed under the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
“The minor is in response to our constituents’ needs, both industry and current students,” said Kristine Csavina, assistant department head for undergraduate studies and teaching professor in mechanical engineering. “In discussions with managers and alumni in the aerospace industry, they reiterated their desire to hire our Mines engineers, but they feel new employees would have a better start in their companies with a background of fundamental knowledge in aerospace engineering.”
The new Aerospace Engineering minor will capitalize on three existing mechanical engineering courses important to aerospace fundamentals and add three additional courses in space-related topics and systems engineering.
“Industry desires fundamental aerospace engineering training in such topics as astrodynamics, propulsion, the space environment, mission design and analysis, structures, materials, and space systems engineering,” Csavina said. “We are excited to expand our offering of courses in aerospace engineering.”