A 90-Year Milestone: MSU Department of Aerospace Engineering celebrates near century of trailblazing education, research

Contact: Camille Carskadon and Harriet Laird

The Marvel, the world’s first all-composite aircraft, equipped with a turboprop, took off for its first flight in 1965. It was designed, developed and built at MSU’s Raspet Flight Lab.

STARKVILLE, Miss.—The Department of Aerospace Engineering at Mississippi State University is celebrating its 90th anniversary with an invitation for students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to an Oct. 4 milestone event—a 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—home to the department—and 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 https://www.ae.msstate.edu/90th.

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’s “Engineering Row,” has fostered collaboration among faculty and students on groundbreaking projects addressing real-world challenges, hands-on experience necessary in today’s 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—no 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.

Kenneth Withington, was the first faculty member and head of what began in 1934 as the Aeronautical Engineering Department at Mississippi State College.

Rani Sullivan, who has led aerospace at MSU since 2021, said, “As a fellow MSU aerospace graduate, I have a long and varied history with this department—from running in Walker Hall’s corridors as a 7-year-old while my father Zahir Warsi worked in his office—to a college student pulling late nights. I’m just one of many who has benefited from the strong tradition that continues today of faculty extending the classroom into valuable laboratory research experiences.”

Robert Green, Bagley College of Engineering interim dean, said the department “truly embodies Mississippi State’s mission of teaching, research and service.” He described the faculty and staff as passionate and dedicated to shaping the next generation of aerospace engineers, while being “committed to equipping talented minds with the skills and knowledge to make a meaningful difference in the world.”

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’s 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’s 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’s first all-composite aircraft; and collaboration in the 1990s on the Honda MH-02, the world’s 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 MSU worked with NASA on a space shuttle Discovery reentry simulation that brought former Senator John Glenn and other astronauts home

The Honda MH-02, the world’s first all-composite experimental business jet, was fabricated, assembled and tested at Mississippi State. It made its first flight from Starkville in 1993.

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 MSU students can be found in industries worldwide, including government, military and private sectors, with many making their mark in Fortune 500 companies.

“Our 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,” Sullivan said.

MSU’s 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, “My 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’s 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.”

Sullivan echoed Green, adding that as the 90-year celebration comes and goes, aerospace engineering at MSU is confident in carrying forward its impactful work in

MSU’s High Performance Computing Collaboratory, or HPC2, originated in 1990 as the NSF Engineering Research Center, with a direct focus on computational field simulation of fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, and structural mechanics for applications to aircraft, spacecraft, ships, automobiles and more.

this fast-paced, technology-infused environment.

“With ongoing research and strong industry partnerships, the department is ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow’s aerospace industry, provide its current and future students with hands-on learning, and prepare them for careers in a rapidly evolving aerospace landscape.”

MSU’s Department of Aerospace Engineering is online at www.ae.msstate.eduand is on Facebook and Instagram. Bagley College of Engineering is online at www.bagley.msstate.edu and is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube at @msuengineering.

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