Program Overview

Aerospace Engineering Sciences Program

The Aerospace Engineering Sciences program at the University of Colorado Boulder prepares students for successful and rewarding careers in aerospace and other high-tech industries, national research laboratories, government services, and academia. This program provides students with unique opportunities to develop in-depth technical knowledge, effective communication skills, and a systems engineering perspective that enables them to develop creative solutions to complex problems.

Program Description

The curriculum encompasses core aerospace engineering subjects, including fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, materials and structures, dynamical systems, orbital mechanics, air and space vehicle design, and multidisciplinary applications such as bioastronautics, unmanned systems, remote sensing, and GPS.

Mission

The mission of the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences is to provide students with the highest quality education in aerospace engineering sciences, emphasizing hands-on learning, and to conduct fundamental, applied, and interdisciplinary research to meet societal needs through analysis, design, and implementation of aerospace systems, leveraging synergies between aerospace engineering and related sciences.

Department Characteristics

The department is uniquely characterized by:

• Blending aeronautics, astronautics, and science applications.
• Providing an undergraduate experience characterized by rigorous preparation in mathematics and engineering sciences, a hands-on experiential approach to learning, and an extensive emphasis on design in a systems context.
• Emphasizing graduate education and research programs in the forefront of aerospace fundamentals, technology development, and integration of engineering and science activities to solve critical problems in the earth and space sciences.
• Creating graduates who are broadly educated, interdisciplinary, agile, team-oriented engineers and scientists, with end-to-end mission and systems perspectives.

Course Code

The course code for this program is ASEN.

Faculty

The faculty members in the Aerospace Engineering Sciences department are experts in their fields, with many teaching both undergraduate and graduate students. Some faculty members instruct students at the undergraduate level only.

• Ahmed, Nisar R. - Associate Professor, Director; PhD, Cornell University
• Akos, Dennis M. - Professor; PhD, Ohio University
• Ali, Hisham - Assistant Professor; PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Argrow, Brian M. - Distinguished Professor, Director, Endowed/Named Professor; PhD, University of Oklahoma
• Arquilla, Katya - Assistant Professor; PhD, University of Colorado
• Arya, Vischala - Assistant Professor; PhD, Texas A&M University
• Axelrad, Penina - Distinguished Professor, Endowed/Named Professor; PhD, Stanford University
• Bosanac, Natasha - Assistant Professor; PhD, Purdue University
• Boyd, Iain - Professor, Director, Endowed/Named Professor; PhD, University of Southampton (England)
• Brasseur, James G. - Research Professor; PhD, Stanford University
• Chu, Xinzhao - Professor; PhD, Peking University (China)
• Clark, Torin K. - Associate Professor, Associate Chair; PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Culp, Robert D. - Professor Emeritus; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Doostan, Alireza - Professor, Faculty Fellow; PhD, Johns Hopkins University
• Emery, William J. - Professor Emeritus; PhD, University of Hawaii
• Evans, John A. - Associate Professor, Associate Chair, Faculty Fellow; PhD, University of Texas at Austin
• Farnsworth, John A. - Associate Professor; PhD, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Felippa, Carlos A. - Professor Emeritus; PhD, University of California, Berkeley
• Forbes, Jeffrey M. - Professor Emeritus; PhD, Harvard University
• Frew, Eric W. - Professor; PhD, Stanford University
• Gerren, Donna S. - Teaching Professor Emerita; PhD, University of Kansas
• Ghobadi-Far, Khosro - Assistant Professor; PhD, University of Newcastle
• Glusman, F. Jeff - Assistant Teaching Professor; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Gremban, Keith - Research Professor; PhD, Carnegie Mellon University
• Hayman, Allison P. - Associate Professor; PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Hodgkinson, Robert F. - Associate Teaching Professor; MS, University of Colorado Boulder
• Hoke, Charles - Associate Teaching Professor; PhD, University of New South Wales
• Holzinger, Marcus J. - Professor, Endowed/Named Professor; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Hussein, Mahmoud I. - Professor, Endowed/Named Professor; PhD, University of Michigan Ann Arbor
• Jansen, Kenneth E. - Professor, Endowed/Named Professor; PhD, Stanford University
• Kantha, Lakshmi H. - Professor Emeritus; PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Khan, Alia - Associate Professor; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Klaus, David M. - Professor Emeritus; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Knipp, Delores Jane - Research Professor; PhD, University of California, Los Angeles
• Knudsen, Erik - Associate Teaching Professor; PhD, University of Florida
• Koster, Jean N. - Professor Emeritus; PhD, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (Germany)
• Lahijanian, Morteza Mehdi - Assistant Professor; PhD, Boston University
• Larson, Kristine M. - Professor Emerita; PhD, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
• Lawrence, Dale A. - Professor Emeritus; PhD, Cornell University
• Le Moine, Alexandra - Assistant Teaching Professor; MS, University of Wisconsin
• Leben, Robert R. - Research Professor Emeritus; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Li, Xinlin - Professor; PhD, Dartmouth College
• Lopez Jimenez, Francisco - Assistant Professor; PhD, California Institute of Technology
• Macdonald, Robyn - Assistant Professor; PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Mah, John K. - Associate Teaching Professor; MS, Stanford University
• Marshall, David B. - Research Professor; PhD, Monash University (Australia)
• Marshall, Robert A. - Associate Professor, Associate Chair; PhD, Stanford University
• Matsuo, Tomoko - Associate Professor, Faculty Fellow; PhD, SUNY at Stony Brook
• Maute, Kurt - Professor, Associate Dean, Endowed/Named Professor; PhD, University of Stuttgart (Germany)
• McMahon, Jay W. - Associate Professor, Faculty Fellow; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Minton, Timothy K. - Professor; PhD, University of California Berkeley
• Morton, Yu Jade - Professor, Endowed/Named Professor; PhD, The Pennsylvania State University
• Nabity, James A. - Associate Professor, Associate Chair; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Neogi, Sanghamitra - Associate Professor; PhD, Pennsylvania State University
• Nerem, R. Steven - Professor, Director; PhD, University of Texas at Austin
• Niederwieser, Tobias - Assistant Research Professor; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Palo, Scott E. - Professor, Endowed/Named Professor; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Peters, Sean - Assistant Professor; PhD, Stanford University
• Rafi, Melvin - Assistant Teaching Professor; PhD, Wichita State University
• Rhode, Matthew - Assistant Teaching Professor; BS, University of Colorado
• Schaub, Hanspeter - Distinguished Professor, Endowed/Named Professor, Chair; PhD, Texas A&M University
• Scheeres, Daniel J. - Distinguished Professor, Endowed/Named Professor; PhD, University of Michigan Ann Arbor
• Schwartz, Trudy L. - Teaching Professor, Associate Chair; MS, University of Colorado Boulder
• Shakiba, Maryam - Assistant Professor; PhD, Texas A&M University
• Sirangelo, Mark - Entrepreneur in Residence; JD, Seton Hall University
• Sternovsky, Zoltan - Professor; PhD, Charles University (Czech Republic)
• Stodieck, Louis S. - Research Professor; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Sunberg, Zachary - Assistant Professor; PhD, Stanford University
• Thayer, Jeffrey P. - Professor Emeritus, Research Professor, Director; PhD, University of Michigan Ann Arbor
• Williams, Christopher - Research Professor; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder
• Wingate, Kathryn - Associate Teaching Professor; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder

Courses

Lower-Division Courses

• ASEN 1000 (1) Introduction to Aerospace Engineering Sciences: Introduces aerospace history, curriculum, ethics, and the many areas of emphasis within aerospace engineering. Academic and industry speakers are invited to address various aerospace topics.
• ASEN 1009 (1) Undergraduate Aerospace Seminar: Introduce aerospace undergraduate students to world-class aerospace researchers and technical, policy, and/or current events topics.
• ASEN 1022 (3) Materials Science for Aerospace Engineers: Covers prerequisite chemistry topics for materials science and introduces material types, properties, and behavior for aerospace engineers.
• ASEN 1030 (3) Introduction to Computing for Aerospace Engineering: Develop a foundational understanding of computational thinking required to approach engineering challenges with systematic problem-solving skills.
• ASEN 1400 (3) Gateway to Space: Introduces the basics of atmosphere and space sciences, space exploration, spacecraft design, rocketry, and orbits. Students design, build, and launch a miniature satellite on a high-altitude balloon.
• ASEN 1403 (3) Introduction to Rocket Engineering: Introduces students to the engineering profession through completion of a team-based project. Students design, build, and static test-fire a liquid-solid hybrid rocket motor.
• ASEN 1969 (3) Pathway to Space: Explore the many paths one can take to be a part of a space-related career in a unique, engaging, and interactive course.
• ASEN 2012 (2) Experimental and Computational Methods in Aerospace Engineering Sciences: Introduces statistical, experimental, and computational methods used in aerospace engineering sciences.
• ASEN 2401 (3) Statics: Introduces applied vector mechanics with an emphasis on static equilibrium.
• ASEN 2402 (3) Thermodynamics: Introduces the fundamental concepts and principles of thermodynamics with an emphasis on understanding how these basic physical principles can be used to solve numerical problems.
• ASEN 2403 (3) Dynamics: Provides students with essential concepts in dynamics, serving as a prerequisite for advanced courses that build upon these foundational principles.
• ASEN 2501 (3) Introduction to Astronautics: Introduces spacecraft mission topics such as orbital mechanics, spacecraft design, rocket propulsion, communications, remote sensing, and the space environment.
• ASEN 2502 (3) Introduction to Aeronautics: Introduces theory and methods for the design and performance analysis of aeronautical vehicles with a focus on fixed-wing aircraft.
• ASEN 2519 (1-3) Special Topics: Studies specialized aspects of the aerospace engineering sciences or innovative treatment of required subject matter at the lower-division level.
• ASEN 2701 (3) Introduction to Statics, Structures, and Materials: Introduces the fundamental analytical tools for statics and structural analysis in the context of the physics of aerospace materials.
• ASEN 2702 (3) Introduction to Thermodynamics and Aerodynamics: Introduces the fundamental principles and concepts of thermodynamics and aerodynamics.
• ASEN 2703 (3) Introduction to Dynamics and Systems: Introduces the principles of particle and planar rigid body dynamics, systems, and controls.
• ASEN 2704 (3) Introduction to Aerospace Vehicle Design and Performance: Introduction to the theory and methods for design and performance analysis of aircraft and spacecraft.
• ASEN 2802 (1) Aerospace Sciences Lab I: Provides an introductory laboratory experience in aerospace sciences, with a focus on statics, structural mechanics, thermodynamics, and aerodynamics.
• ASEN 2803 (1) Dynamics and Controls Lab: Experimental and design laboratory exercises for aerospace applications of dynamics, systems, and controls principles.
• ASEN 2804 (2) Aerospace Vehicle Design Lab: Design lab focused on integrating knowledge of 2000-level aerospace course concepts towards the open-ended exploration of conceptual and preliminary designs of an aerospace vehicle.
• ASEN 2849 (1-3) Independent Study: Study of special projects agreed upon by student and instructor. Department consent required.
• ASEN 3036 (3) Introduction to Human Spaceflight: Introduces students to the challenges of human space flight.
• ASEN 3046 (3) Introduction to Humans in Aviation: Investigates the history of crewed aviation accomplished through a review of the history of flight, the physiological and psychological limitations facing aviators, and investigates the human-related causal factors in aviation accidents.
• ASEN 3300 (4) Aerospace Electronics and Communications: Provides the fundamentals of electronics and communications widely used in aerospace engineering.
• ASEN 3401 (3) Aerospace Structures: Introduces concepts of stress and strain; axial loading, torsion, simple bending, transverse shear, and deflections of beams; analysis of stress and strain in 2-D and 3-D; failure analysis of structural components; and criteria for designing structural elements to meet requirements for aerospace structures.
• ASEN 3402 (3) Aerospace Heat Transfer: Introduces the fundamental concepts and principles of heat transfer in aerospace contexts.
• ASEN 3403 (3) Aerodynamics: Introduces models for the analysis of subsonic, transonic, and supersonic flow.
• ASEN 3404 (3) Aerospace Dynamics and Control: Provides an overview of fundamental topics for aerospace vehicle dynamics and control.
• ASEN 3405 (3) Astrodynamics: Provides a foundational knowledge of astrodynamics with a focus on spacecraft traveling near a single central body.
• ASEN 3406 (3) Aircraft Dynamics: Provides a framework and methods for analyzing aircraft dynamics and designing aircraft control systems building on fundamental dynamics and control theory.
• ASEN 3501 (3) Aerospace Experimental Methods: Introduces the essential aspects of hands-on experimentation for aerospace engineering applications.
• ASEN 3502 (3) Aerospace Computational Methods: Introduces computational methods commonly employed in the aerospace industry, emphasizing computational cost, accuracy, and error control.
• ASEN 3503 (3) Aerospace Electronics: Provides an overview of the fundamentals of analog and digital electronics widely used in aerospace engineering.
• ASEN 3519 (1-3) Special Topics: Studies specialized aspects of the aerospace engineering sciences or innovative treatment of required subject matter at the upper-division level.
• ASEN 3700 (3) Orbital Mechanics/Attitude Dynamics and Control: Presents the fundamentals of orbital mechanics, 3D rigid body dynamics, and satellite attitude dynamics and controls.
• ASEN 3711 (3) Aerodynamics: Introduces models for the analysis of subsonic, transonic, and supersonic flow.
• ASEN 3712 (3) Structures: Teaches Mechanics of Materials methods of stress and deformation analysis applicable to the design and verification of aircraft and space structures.
• ASEN 3713 (3) Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer: Focuses on the applications of the first and second laws of thermodynamics and teaches the fundamental concepts of different modes of energy and heat transfer.
• ASEN 3728 (3) Aircraft Dynamics: Develops the fundamental concepts of aircraft dynamics.
• ASEN 3801 (1) Aerospace Vehicles Dynamics and Controls Lab: Emphasizes applications of engineering dynamics and control principles for modeling, simulating, designing, analyzing, and evaluating aerospace vehicle systems.
• ASEN 3802 (1) Aerospace Sciences Lab II: Provides an intermediate laboratory experience in aerospace sciences, with a focus on aerodynamics, structural mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat transfer.
• ASEN 3930 (6) Aerospace Engineering Cooperative Education: Students will participate in a previously arranged, department-sponsored cooperative education program with a government agency or industry.
• ASEN 4013 (3) Foundations of Propulsion: Describes aerothermodynamics and design of both rocket and air-breathing engines.
• ASEN 4018 (4) Senior Projects 1: Design Synthesis: Focuses on the synthesis of technical knowledge, project management, design process, leadership, and communications within a team environment.
• ASEN 4028 (4) Senior Projects 2: Design Practicum: Focuses on the fabrication, integration, verification, and validation of designs produced in ASEN 4018.
• ASEN 4057 (3) Aerospace Software: Provides an overview of prevalent software and hardware computing concepts utilized in practice and industry.
• ASEN 4067 (3) Microavionics: Introduction to PIC Microcontrollers for Aerospace Systems: Provide students an introduction into embedded systems that teaches a basic understanding about the fundamental architecture of a microcontroller and how it operates and interfaces with both sensors and actuators applicable to aerospace engineering.
• ASEN 4090 (3) Global Positioning Systems Applications: Focuses on GPS technology, software development, and applications.
• ASEN 4114 (3) Automatic Control Systems: Methods of analysis and design of feedback control for dynamic systems.
• ASEN 4123 (3) Vibration Analysis: Highlights free and forced vibration of discrete and continuous systems.
• ASEN 4128 (3) Human Factors in Engineering and Design: Introduces the field of human factors engineering and investigates human psychological, physiological, and performance limitations in complex systems.
• ASEN 4138 (3) Aircraft Design: Examines principles of aircraft configuration and design to meet given performance specifications, taking into account aerodynamic, stability and control, and flying quality considerations, as well as airworthiness regulations.
• ASEN 4218 (3) Large Space Structures Design: Develops the necessary structural analysis skills for conducting conceptual and preliminary designs of large space structures with a practical emphasis on structures considered by NASA over the past 20 years.
• ASEN 4338 (3) Computer Analysis of Structures: Covers basic structural design concepts and finite element modeling techniques.
• ASEN 4401 (3) Aerospace Communication Systems: Provides students with an understanding of basic wireless communication concepts relevant to aerospace systems and the near-earth atmosphere as well as an understanding of space-environment conditions that impact wireless aerospace communication systems.
• ASEN 4402 (3) Aerospace Materials and Structural Analysis: Reviews essential concepts normally covered in undergraduate solid mechanics or mechanics of materials courses.
• ASEN 4519 (1-3) Special Topics: Studies specialized aspects of the aerospace engineering sciences or innovative treatment of required subject matter at the upper-division level.
• ASEN 4849 (1-3) Independent Study: Special projects agreed upon by student and instructor. Department consent required.
• ASEN 4859 (1-6) Undergraduate Research: Assigns a research problem on an individual basis. Department consent required.