A 90-Year Milestone: 91传媒 Department of Aerospace Engineering celebrates near century of trailblazing education, research
Contact: Camille Carskadon and Harriet Laird
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擳he Department of Aerospace Engineering at 91传媒 is celebrating its 90th anniversary with an invitation for students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to an Oct. 4 milestone event鈥攁 day marking almost a century of groundbreaking teaching, research and service.
The day begins at 9 a.m. with registration, leading to guided tours at the Bagley College of Engineering鈥攈ome to the department鈥攁nd Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, a nationally recognized leader in the field of experimental aviation exploration. An alumni roundtable, celebratory picnic, and evening reception and dinner conclude the event. More information and registration are at .
Having garnered national recognition for its cutting-edge research in aerodynamics, flight mechanics, computational fluid dynamics, and composite materials and structures, the trailblazing department has continually paved the way for advancements in aerospace applications. A multi-building complex, mostly located along the university鈥檚 鈥淓ngineering Row,鈥 has fostered collaboration among faculty and students on groundbreaking projects addressing real-world challenges, hands-on experience necessary in today鈥檚 job market.
Past to Present
Founded in 1934, as the Aeronautical Engineering Department under the leadership of Kenneth Withington, the department began with limited resources鈥攏o direct funding for labs, faculty or equipment. Now, 90 years later, the National Science Foundation HERD FY22 report shows university aerospace-related research at $18 million.
Today, there are almost 20 full-time faculty positions and numerous graduate research assistants, many who are national and international award winners and honorees.
Rani Sullivan, who has led aerospace at 91传媒 since 2021, said, 鈥淎s a fellow 91传媒 aerospace graduate, I have a long and varied history with this department鈥攆rom running in Walker Hall鈥檚 corridors as a 7-year-old while my father Zahir Warsi worked in his office鈥攖o a college student pulling late nights. I鈥檓 just one of many who has benefited from the strong tradition that continues today of faculty extending the classroom into valuable laboratory research experiences.鈥
Robert Green, Bagley College of Engineering interim dean, said the department 鈥渢ruly embodies Mississippi State鈥檚 mission of teaching, research and service.鈥 He described the faculty and staff as passionate and dedicated to shaping the next generation of aerospace engineers, while being 鈥渃ommitted to equipping talented minds with the skills and knowledge to make a meaningful difference in the world.鈥
Just one year after its founding, the ASE department awarded degrees to its first graduates. In 1937, it made history by enrolling Lucretia Davis, the first female student in the School of Engineering. Three years later, Cora McDonald became the first female graduate with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in aeronautical engineering, progressing into her career as a ferry pilot during WWII and amassing an impressive 44,000 flight hours. The department continued to break new ground, awarding its first master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in 1951 and 1960, respectively.
Throughout its history, the department has established numerous alliances with public and private sector industries and agencies, solidifying its reputation as a frontrunner in aerospace engineering. Among these collaborations are development of the MARVEL XV-11A, the world鈥檚 first all-composite aircraft; and collaboration in the 1990s on the Honda MH-02, the world鈥檚 first all-composite business jet. Others include creation of a one-third model, or 50-foot mockup, of the National Aerospace Plane, an experimental aircraft designed for exploration of the entire hypersonic velocity flight range; and development of an ultra-light, long-endurance optionally piloted aerial vehicle in the 2000s.
One of the most storied accomplishments came in 1998 when 91传媒 worked with NASA on a space shuttle Discovery reentry simulation that brought former Senator John Glenn and other astronauts home safely after a steel plate protecting the drag chute was dislodged during launch.
Alumni and Partnerships
Currently, the department has a community of over 440 students and, as of 2023, a sizeable alumni network of 1,745 living graduates. These former 91传媒 students can be found in industries worldwide, including government, military and private sectors, with many making their mark in Fortune 500 companies.
鈥淥ur students have gone on to work with world-class faculty, university research centers across the country, federal laboratories, and local and global companies in high-impact research areas. Many of them continue to be engaged as we remain committed to providing the very best program to prepare the future engineering workforce,鈥 Sullivan said.
91传媒鈥檚 own research centers, like Raspet Flight Lab, have rapidly grown over the years as another means to prepare ASE graduates for the workforce. Others affiliated with the ASE department are Magnetohydrodynamic Energy Center, now the Institute for Clean Energy Technology, and the NSF Engineering Research Center for Computational Field Simulation, known today as the High Performance Computing Collaboratory, and the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems.
Green said, 鈥淢y career began as a research engineer with the MHD Energy Center, which at that time was one of the three largest at the university. Over the years, their missions and some of their names have changed to meet new needs and demands, and in the process, they have demonstrated the ability of the Bagley College鈥檚 faculty, staff and students to quickly adapt. They continue to serve as a testament to the world-class research the college and Mississippi State can conduct.鈥
Sullivan echoed Green, adding that as the 90-year celebration comes and goes, aerospace engineering at 91传媒 is confident in carrying forward its impactful work in this fast-paced, technology-infused environment.
鈥淲ith ongoing research and strong industry partnerships, the department is ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow鈥檚 aerospace industry, provide its current and future students with hands-on learning, and prepare them for careers in a rapidly evolving aerospace landscape.鈥
91传媒鈥檚 Department of Aerospace Engineering is online at and is on and Instagram. Bagley College of Engineering is online at 听and is on听,听听听and听听at @msuengineering.
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