Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics—Summer 2022 Newsletter

DEPARTMENT OF

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS Department Update - Summer 2022

Dear Friends, In lieu of a winter 2022 edition of the AEM Newsletter, we hope you will enjoy our Summer 2022 issue. It has been an eventful year thus far as we welcomed students, faculty, staff and friends back in person for the 2021-2022 academic year.

It is also with sadness that we started out the fall semester with the loss of Thomas S. Lundgren, Professor Emeritus, who passed in October of 2021.

Lundgren was, quietly, a giant in the field of fluid mechanics, and he will be sorely missed by his colleagues and friends in the AEM Department and at the University of Minnesota.

While everyone was excited to return to their labs and classrooms, it seems to me that only recently has the level of comfort with in-person interactions begun moving towards 2019 levels. Throughout the past few years, faculty, staff, and students have been remarkable in finding creative and effective ways not only to do their research, but also to provide students with the instruction and information necessary to continue their academic progress. More, while many restrictions surrounding the pandemic have been lifted, we have been able to use what we learned about via a year of Zooming to improve our teaching and to connect better and more easily with students and colleagues.

With students and faculty fully returned to campus, we are excited to share our recent endeavors and successes with you. We include some of the stories of our undergraduate scholarship recipients, as well as updates on AEM faculty, AEM student groups including the Liquid Propellant Rocketry Design (LPRD) team, and AEM outreach activities through the Minnesota Space Grant Consortium. We also feature recent work by Professor James and an international team of researchers on shape memory ceramics.

Once again, we want to thank our wonderful and supportive donors for everything they have done for the AEM Department. It is because of you we are all able to achieve so much.

What’s Inside...

2 Thank You Donors 3 Faculty Spotlight 6 AEM Undergraduate Scholarship & Fellowship Recipients 11 Academic News & Events 12 Student Teams 14 Senior Exit Survey 15 In Memoriam

Stay safe and be well!

Perry Leo Department Head

College of Science and Engineering Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics www.cse.umn.edu/aem

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THANK YOU DONORS From the Development Office:

The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics thanks the many generous alumni, faculty, companies, and friends listed below for their donations and commitments to support the department and our students. We are so grateful.

The last two years have been quite a challenge, to say the least. The campus was quiet as most students, faculty, and staff were working from home to remain safe and healthy. It was not easy to make the adjustment to distance learning and ensure our students were getting the instruction and opportunities they needed. But we did it!

Our faculty and staff were remarkable. They found creative and effective ways to provide students with the instruction and information necessary to continue their academic progress. The AEM department was able to adapt and

Individual Donors Ron Adrian David Anderson James Anderson Stuart Antman Vibhor Bageshwar Anil Bajaj Jeffrey Barker Daniel Baseman Robert Bateman Cynthia Bellefeuille Sharon Benton Julie Benton William Brandt Nicholas Brockman Richard Buretta

replicate classwork entirely in a virtual format to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, and staff… thanks in great part to the continued support we received from AEM alumni, faculty, and friends.

We are grateful for our generous alumni and friends who have supported the Department of Aerospace Engineering & Mechanics.

These outright gifts, future gifts, and gifts of time and talent helping our students with projects, serving on boards and committees, and participating in the mentor program, are invaluable to AEM.

Michael Carpenter Gary Chapman Heming Chen John Cheung James Clausen John Clemens Dana Collins Dennis Cronin Della Curtis Glenn Dalman Thomas Douma Clinton Eckstrom Roger Engdahl Kenneth Ewald James Flaten John Forrette

Janet Fransen Paul Freeman William Garrard Dan Garrison Judith Gaskell Kristen Gerzina John Girard Qiang Guo M A Hajji Robert Halverson Alford Hanson Carl Hanson Gregory Happ James Hartung Ieva Hartwell Brenda Haven

Your gifts will directly support students and the student experience, helping us continue preparing the next generations of top aerospace engineers with our transformative research and innovative teaching.

Please consider supporting the department of aerospace engineering. Gifts of every size make a difference.

Kathy Peters-Martell External Relations Officer College of Science and Engineering

Mark Haven Harwood Hegna Richard Heisler David Holger Yucheng Hou Michael Jackson James & Deborah Deuser Jeffy Jeffy Gregory Johnson Robert Kadlec Ben-Gang Kao Richard Kerner Kenneth Kline Hank Kollross Cody Laakkonen Gerald LeBeau

This listing includes all donation to the AEM department received July 1, 2020 – April 25, 2022. For information on giving or alumni involvement, please visit our web page cse.umn.edu/aem/give, or contact Kathy Peters-Martell at kpeters@umn.edu or 612-626-8282 in the College of Science and Engineering in Dean's Office.

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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Aparna Leena David Lindeman Shaobo Liu Peter Lohn Ellen Longmire David Longren Hazel Longren Joel Luker Brian Lundquist Gary Malecek James Malone Darren Mason Angela Meltzer Beth Myren Kurt Niederluecke Gregory Ohrt Charles Oleson Ahmet Ozdemir Nicholas Pahl Michelle Paravano

Daniel Peltzman Kathy Peters-Martell Douglas Petesch David Quam Kenneth Quejadas David Radtke Hannah Reilly Kristen Reilly Ronald Ricci David Roberts Nicolas Schellpfeffer David Selvig Suneel Sheikh Jong Shin David Sippel Sheila Smude Eric Snustad Todd Stevens Peter Torvik Marsha Upson

Ketema promoted to Professor Yohannes Ketema was promoted to the rank of Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics (AEM).

Ketema, who serves as Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUGS) in AEM, will begin his appointment as Professor with the start of Fall 2022 semester.

Professor Ketema began teaching in AEM as a temporary Assistant Professor in 1993, after receiving his Ph.D. in Mechanics from the Royal Institute of Technology

James Urnes Nicole Vadvik Andrew Vano Sophia Vedvik Kevin Vedvik Michele Veneri John Virnig Dona Wagner Gregory Weirs Anita Westberg Jeanne Williamson Larry Wittig Chien Heng Wu

Corporate and Foundation Gifts 3M Aerospace Fabrication & Materials Aster Labs

in Stockholm, Sweden. He is widely regarded as one of the top instructors in the department, where he has taught courses ranging from introductory courses in engineering mechanics and dynamics to advanced graduate courses in dynamics. He has made vital contributions to both the undergraduate and graduate programs including his current role as DUGS. Ketema also serves as the department’s safety officer and as adviser to the student chapter of AIAA.

BAE Systems Bateman Family Foundation Benevity Community Impact Fund Blackbaud Giving Fund Boeing Cargill Clifton B. & Anne Stuart Batchelder Foundation Compact Consulting Corp.

Roger Engdahl & Susan Green Charitable Fund GE Foundation Honeywell Intel Foundation Medtronic Mitsubishi Electronic Research Labs Northrop Grumman

memory alloys, optimal trajectory generation for unmanned aerial vehicles, dynamics and stability of formations, orbital mechanics, and the mechanics of human walking.

Please join the department in congratulating Professor Ketema. The department looks forward to his continued success.

Professor Ketema's research broadly focuses in the area of dynamics.

He has studied the dynamics of active materials such as shape

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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Exploding and weeping ceramics provide path to new shape-shifting material Discovery could lead to improvements in medical devices and electronics An international team of researchers from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and Kiel University in Germany have discovered a path that could lead to shape-shifting ceramic materials.

This discovery could improve everything from medical devices to electronics. Included in the group was Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics’ Professor Richard James, who served as a co-author of the study.

Many of us are aware of how brittle ceramics can be. While most people know about ceramics because they are used for dishes and bathroom tiles, they are vital components in electronics where, depending on their composition, they may be semiconducting, superconducting, ferroelectric, or insulating.

The research team’s focus was on finding ceramics that could also be used as shape memory alloys (SMAs). SMAs are some of the most deformable or reshapable materials known. The origin of this shapeshifting behavior is a solid-to-solid phase transformation. By changing temperature (or pressure), a crystalline solid can be transformed into another crystalline solid without entering a liquid phase.

While implementing a recipe that involves a delicate tuning of the distances between atoms by

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compositional changes so that the two phases fit together well, the team found that instead of improving the deformability of the ceramic, some specimens exploded when they passed through the phase transformation. Others gradually fell apart into a pile of powder, a phenomenon they termed “weeping.”

At other compositions, however, the team observed that the ceramic exhibited a reversible transformation, easily transforming back and forth between the phases, much like a shape memory material.

The mathematical conditions under which reversible transformation occurs can be applied widely and provide a way forward toward the paradoxical shape-memory ceramic.

“We were quite amazed by our results. Shape-memory ceramics would be a completely new kind of functional material,” said Richard James. “There is a great need for shape memory actuators that can function in high temperature or in corrosive environments. But what excites us most is the prospect of new ferroelectric ceramics. In these materials, the phase transformation can be used to generate electricity from small temperature differences.”

James also highlighted the importance of the collaboration

DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS

Creating shape-shifting materials is not an easy process. It involves a delicate tuning of the distances between atoms by compositional changes, so that the two phases fit together well. This diagram shows what happened when researchers implemented this recipe with one sample of ceramic material. Instead of improving the deformability of the ceramic, they observed that some specimens gradually fell apart into a pile of powder, a phenomenon they termed “weeping.” Image credit: Gu, et al., University of Minnesota and Kiel University

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT between the University of Minnesota and Kiel University.

ideas and techniques that expand our collective ability to discover.”

“Our collaboration with Eckhard Quandt’s group at Kiel University has been tremendously productive,” added James. “As in all such collaborations, there is sufficient overlap that we communicate well, but each group brings plenty of

To read the full research paper entitled, “Exploding and weeping ceramics,” visit the Nature website at https://www.nature.com/articles/ s41586-021-03975-5.

This was borrowed from an earlier article by Rhonda Zurn featured in the College of Science and Engineering News at cse.umn.edu/college/news/ exploding-and-weepingceramics-provide-path-newshape-shifting-material

Welcome Suraj Ravindran The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics is pleased to have Suraj Ravindran as the newest addition to its faculty starting Fall 2022. He will join the Experimental Solid Mechanics group as an Assistant Professor focusing on Experimental Mechanics, Material Behavior at Extreme Conditions and Metamaterials.

Ravindran received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Carolina in 2018 and was most recently with the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories of the California Institute of Technology where he served as a Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate (GALCIT). While with GALCIT, his research included studying the strength of materials (magnesium, copper and iron) subjected to high/hyper velocity impact, high pressure behavior of molybdenum using time resolved X-ray diffraction and the shock compression of additive manufactured lattice/porous materials.

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AEM UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP & FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS Congratulations to the 2021-2022 AEM Scholarship Recipients!

This year, the AEM Awards committee, which evaluates all AEM undergraduate students based on financial need, academic merit, and extracurricular involvement to select the scholarship recipients, chose 31 BAEM undergraduate students to receive 14 AEM scholarships for the 2021-2022 school year.

We are excited to share with you a bit about the recipients’ background and future plans.

Chester Gaskell Aeronautical Engineering Scholarship Andrew Arndorfer

Andrew is a senior in his last semester in the AEM undergraduate program. After graduation, he plans to work full time for Leonardo DRS, where he has interned for the past two summers. Andrew says, “This scholarship means so much to me by helping reduce the financial burden of school, allowing me to put more focus on my studies by removing some of the stress that comes with paying for my education.”

Alexander Emich

Alexander is a senior in aerospace engineering who is planning to graduate Spring 2022. After graduation, he plans on starting a career in technology consulting in Minneapolis, hopefully with ties to aerospace. Alexander says that “It means a lot to me that I was chosen as a recipient for the Chester Gaskell Aeronautical Engineering Scholarship, especially because I’ve worked hard these past few years and I’ve made great efforts to apply myself to my studies. To be honest, the scholarship was a surprise, but a good one and it is much appreciated. I’ve learned a lot here at the University of Minnesota and I’m looking forward to starting the next chapter of my life.”

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Richard & Shirley DeLeo Scholarship & Engineering Panos Delton

Panos is a senior in aerospace. He will be attending graduate school at ISAE-SUPAERO in Toulouse, France, where he will be pursuing a Master's in Space Systems, in research related to designing and constructing research instruments and space structures such as satellites, space stations, planetary rovers, and planetary bases. He plans to continue research and work in a related field after completion of the program in France. Panos says, “The scholarship I received meant a lot to me, knowing that my accomplishments in the classroom were being recognized by the department and supported by alumni imparted feelings of confidence and purpose in my studies. I am proud of all that I have learned and the work I have completed for this knowledge, and I am glad that my hard work is being rewarded. Receiving this scholarship reduces the stress related to the financial worries of being a busy college student which in turn benefits my performance inside and outside of the classroom.”

Joshua Petersen

Josh is a senior majoring in aerospace engineering from La Crescent, MN. He says, “This scholarship has helped me immensely, allowing me to pursue my goals. I would like to work for a defense contractor like Northrop Grumman or Lockheed Martin.”

AEM UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP & FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS Nathan Pharis

Nathan is a fourth year undergraduate student who plans to continue his education in graduate school in pursuit of a Ph.D in autonomous systems.

Nathan notes, “The scholarship I received means a lot to me-it allows me to continue on my journey to pursue research. With a graduate degree, I hope to be able to become a professor and an astronaut.”

The Eric W. Harslem Scholarship for Aerospace Joseph Poeppel

Joseph is a senior in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, and one of the leaders on the University of Minnesota Rocket Team. He has a job with Honeywell Aerospace in Phoenix, AZ as a test engineer.

Joseph says, “My education at the University of Minnesota has granted me countless opportunities to grow both as a student and as an engineer through both coursework and extracurricular activities. Receiving the Eric W. Harslem Scholarship for Aerospace Engineering was an honor. Besides the monetary value that this scholarship assisted me with, it also represented a recognition of the countless hours of hard work and restless nights that brought me to where I am today.”

Rose Minkin Aerospace Engineering Scholarship Michael Heintz

Michael is a sophomore aerospace engineering major. He says, “I am happy to receive the scholarship. As for future plans I think it would be cool to work on electric aircraft after getting my degree.”

Richard (Jamie) Lyman

the Rose Minkin Scholarship and the AEM department as a whole for recognizing his hard work and allowing him to go further with less financial stress. He plans on doing research in Aerospace Systems for his honors thesis this summer.

Robert H. & Marjorie F. Jewett Fund within AEM Nathan Brown

Nathan is in his senior year of his aerospace engineering education. He plans on pursuing a career as a Propulsion or Systems Engineer, and possibly getting a graduate degree down the road. He says, “Receiving this scholarship means the world to me, as it allows me to pursue my educational goals without worrying as much about the financial side of attending college. It is also my inspiration to be successful in my degree.”

Aaron Gochanour

Aaron is a 4th year student in Aerospace with a minor in Astrophysics. He plans to work as a mechanical design engineer at Blue Origin this summer after he graduates. Aaron commented, “The scholarship has helped me focus more time on exciting projects through the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and my senior design project this year. My team is working to investigate the topic of aeroelastic flutter through the construction of a standard reference vehicle.”

Alfonso Lanauze-Baez

Alfonso is a junior studying aerospace engineering, who wants to pursue a career in the space industry after graduating. He says, “This scholarship has been essential in allowing me to continue my undergraduate studies.”

Jamie is a junior in aerospace and a member of the GNC Subteam of Rocket Team. After two years of PSEO, made more difficult through COVID, Jamie is very grateful for

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AEM UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP & FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS John and Robert McCollom Memorial Scholarship Julia Dunlop

Julia is a senior in aerospace engineering and plans to go into industry after graduation. She says, “The scholarship I received has allowed me to focus on my classwork and provided peace of mind. Because of support through scholarships, I’m on track to complete my degree in three years.”

Kevin Klatt

Kevin is a third-year student in the Aerospace Engineering program. He currently works as an Associate Research Scientist with ASTER Labs and as Avionics Team Lead on a project sponsored by the UAV Lab. After graduation he plans to pursue a career in a similar field, working in instrumentation or controls. He says, “Wherever I end up, having received this scholarship acts as a reminder that I am in the right place.”

Caden Turner

Caden is a senior in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics and hopes to work in the commercial space industry after graduation. He says, “This scholarship helps me achieve that goal by reducing the amount of student loans I have to take out. Allowing me more time to look for post-graduation opportunities, more time focusing on class work, and the ability to actively participate on the Rocket Team.”

AEM Strategic Initiatives Scholarship Isabel Patrick Pacheco

Isabel is a senior in the AEM department and is looking forward to graduating in May. She has been involved with the UMN Rocket Team, as well as the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE UMN), where she currently serves as chapter president. Isabel says, “This scholarship means a lot to me - having helped take financial worry off and has allowed me to continue participating in these student

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groups on top of my academics, and to really enjoy my last year and the community I've found here.”

Vivien Zwolfer

Vivien is a fourth-year aerospace engineering student who is excited about her graduation in May 2022 and is looking forward to entering the aerospace industry as a full-time engineer. She notes, “Receiving this scholarship means a great deal to me, as it allows me to prioritize working in the aerospace industry as a student co-op during the school year, rather than working a campus job with more flexibility. I've learned an incredible amount as an intern/co-op at Cirrus Aircraft this school year, and this opportunity is very much supported by this incredible scholarship through the AEM department.”

Louis R. and Dona S. Wagner Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics Scholarship Rick Marcusen

Rick is a junior in the aerospace department. His future plans include entering industry, preferably in the space sector involved with satellite development. He says, “The Louis R. and Dona S. Wagner Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics Scholarship means a lot to me, awards like this really help to lessen the financial burden of school, and I'm really grateful to have received it.”

Richard G. Brasket AEM Scholarship Feodor Blinnikov

Feodor is a sophomore in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, with an interest in flight mechanics, rocketry, and controls. He hopes to work at the interface between air, space, and analytical systems. He says, “I am truly honored and humbled to have my academic achievements recognized through the Richard G. Brasket AEM Scholarship, among many of my equally deserving peers. It has helped propel me on my journey to becoming a more well-rounded engineer and person and has brought me one step closer to my intended career goals. Thank you!”

AEM UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP & FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS Ryan Diachina

Richard D. and Wyona R. Bartsch scholarship as it will help me stay focused as I pursue my degree while helping to give me flexibility in my education. Through the AEM department’s curriculum and student groups, I have been able to pursue and expand my interests in aerospace and have had many opportunities to grow as a student and engineer.”

Ryan is in his senior year at the University of Minnesota. His plans include becoming a naturalized citizen and securing a position for a weapons producer or an aerospace company located in a warmer climate. Ryan remarks, “As a nontraditional student I am very glad that I made the decision to return to school. As I would expect to be the case for any engineering student, I don't have much spare time, but when I do, I can typically be found spending time with my wife, playing guitar, or exercising. It's an honor to have received the scholarship and I'm grateful for it.

I see it as a manifestation of the countless hours I've invested into academics and as evidence that in order to succeed, discipline and time management are crucial.”

Peter is currently a junior in the Aerospace Department. He is involved on the Rocket Team and works at the Flow Field Imaging Lab. He says, “This scholarship means a lot to me because it will help me to pursue my goal of going to graduate school and obtaining a more technical degree.”

Richard D. and Wyona R. Bartsch AEM

Glenn E. Bowie Educational Fund

Macy Bauers

Macy is a junior studying Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics with a minor in Astrophysics. She is a member of the UMN rocket team and currently serves as the communications manager for the team. Macy notes that “This scholarship has helped take some weight off my shoulders this semester by giving me some extra financial support to lean on. I have enjoyed my experience in the professional world and will expand that with another internship this summer as I plan to enter industry upon graduation.”

Tyler Douvier

Tyler is a junior Aerospace Engineering student and a member of the Rocket Team. He says, “I am extremely grateful for this scholarship, it will help me pursue my degree and opportunities in the aerospace field. I hope to one day work on something that leaves the Earth.”

Daniel Halvorson

Daniel is a sophomore in the AEM department. After graduation, he hopes to move into a career in aviation, potentially in structures or aerodynamics. Daniel says, “I am very grateful to have received the

Peter Hartford

Madison Keefe

Madison is a fourth year AEM student. Madison will be moving to Bristol, England to begin working for Airbus in the test department, with fuel systems and landing gear, as a part of Airbus’s Graduate Scheme.

Madison says, “Receiving the Glenn E. Bowie scholarship felt like a recognition of all the hard work I have put in over the past three years and has encouraged me to finish strong in my final year. I am grateful for the support I’ve gotten from the AEM department over the years and excited to be graduating from such a strong program here at the University of Minnesota!”

Paul Wehling

Paul is a fourth-year student hoping to begin a career in high speed aerodynamics. He says, “I am honored to receive the Glenn E. Bowie scholarship in recognition of Professor Bowie's dedication to the students of this department. I've been helped on my way by many talented and caring members of the University community as Professor Bowie did for the students of his time.”

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AEM UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP & FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS 2021-2022 Graduate Fellows John and Jane Dunning Copper Fellowship Xiaoshan Lin Vinh Nguyen Niles Ribeiro

NASA Fellowship William (Liam) Elke III Olivia Schroeder

NASA NSTRF Michael Kroells

Inclusion Fellowship and National Science Foundation Fellowship

Peter J. Torvik Fellowship Emma Zeller

Jonathan Smith

Lawrence E. Goodman Scholarship John-Paul Heinzen

John-Paul is a senior aerospace student who plans to enroll in a Ph.D. program focusing on computational fluid dynamics He says, “I am deeply grateful for being given the Lawrence E. Goodman Scholarship in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. This generous scholarship allows me some financial freedom to continue focusing on my academic studies in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics.”

James D. Clausen Scholarship Sean Kennedy

Sean is a senior in aerospace engineering who plans on working in the aerospace industry after graduating in the spring. He says, “This scholarship alleviates some of the pressure from having to work and study simultaneously and allows me to focus on my studies.”

Oswald Award Ebise Teshale

Ebise is a junior majoring in Aerospace Engineering who plans to go to a graduate school and pursue a Ph.D. Ebise says, “I was very delighted to receive the Albert George Oswald Prize. I am grateful to the AEM department and my professors for awarding me this scholarship. It has reduced my financial burdens and I was able to attend school this year with my tuition entirely covered.”

First year masters student Emma Zeller receives Peter J. Torvik Fellowship Emma Zeller, a Research Assistant in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, and first year masters student, was awarded the 2021 Peter J. Torvik Fellowship. Zeller performs research under the guidance of Professor Kirsten Strandjord. Their research involves working to improve GPS navigation in urban areas where there is often poor satellite visibility and signal reflections. The goal is to improve

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positioning and navigation in these environments by combining multiple techniques such as direct positioning, specular mapping, and using signals of opportunity alongside the GPS signals that can be obtained. Zeller plans to work in industry after graduation, but has many interests within aerospace systems and controls, and continues to explore her options upon completing her degree.

ACADEMIC NEWS & EVENTS NASA’s MN Space Grant Consortium (MnSGC) holds Hybrid Student Symposium On Saturday, March 26, the Minnesota Space Grant Consortium (MnSGC) held a statewide Student Symposium. The symposium included 25 presentations by students or student groups from eight different schools, who talked about the MnSGC projects they have worked on in the past year. There was also a career panel, as well as two new exhibit sessions in which student groups showed hardware for stratospheric ballooning (including eclipse ballooning), high-power rocketry (including competition rockets), CubeSats, mock-lunar robotics, suborbital rocketry payloads, and UAV research.

The symposium was held in-person this year, with attendees gathered in Akerman Hall on the East Bank of the Twin Cities U of MN campus. An option to attend sessions via Zoom was also available for those interested in participating virtually.

Learn more about this event by reading the Abstract Booklet, with recording links, by going to https://www.mnspacegrant.org/studentsymposium-2022-03-26.

Winds of change in this year’s Aeromechanics Lab (AEM 4602W) The Aeromechanics Lab (AEM 4602W) is a critical piece of the Senior experience for aerospace engineering students. The course includes three experiments from the disciplines of Fluid Mechanics, Solid Mechanics, and Control Theory.

The Fluid Mechanics experiment introduces students to wind tunnels in the AEM department, where they perform aerodynamic measurements on an airfoil profile. The Solid Mechanics experiment introduces students to different material behavior. By testing different materials, the students collect data and calculate fundamental material properties like Young’s Modulus, yield stress, and ultimate strength.

The Solids section of the course also includes a vibration test-bed, where students observe the response of a spring-mass system and cantilever beam under forced vibrations and compare these results with theoretical calculations. Finally, the Control Theory experiment

utilizes Parrot Mambo drones for a demonstration in height control. The software component of the Parrot Drone contains a PD (Proportional, Derivative) controller which is tuned to three types of behavior: underdamped, critically damped and overdamped. The control variable is the drone's height, which is measured with a small ultrasonic sensor aboard the drone.

In order to accurately test the Parrot Mambo, the experiments are held in the recently renovated Drone lab within Shepherd Laboratories.

The space is two stories high and contains protective netting that can be raised and lowered. During each test, the height is recorded during several set point changes and students analyze the drone's response. The Drone Lab, which is part of the Minnesota Robotics Institute, was graciously opened to the AEM department for undergraduate labs and research.

Due to the pandemic, small lab groups were needed to avoid crowded lab sessions. The students received individual safety goggles at the beginning of the semester, wore masks throughout the course and disinfected lab surfaces after each lab session. Students were grateful to be able to participate in-person.

“4602W provided lots of chances to get hands-on learning with instruments for experimentation and data collection. It was refreshing to get out of my room and back into the swing of in person learning with engaging and interesting experiments that challenged my understanding and showed the

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STUDENT TEAMS Winds of change... continued from pg 11 impacts of the concepts we learned in class,” said student Jacob Moe. Student Nathan Pharis added, "Aeromechanics Lab felt like a first step from coursework and theory to real application. This made aeromech difficult but rewarding.

There is still a long way to go after the class, but along with senior design, the course was definitely an affirmation that I can apply theory to real experimentation.”

​​ Fall 2021 the course was led by In Assistant Professor Derya Aksaray and Associate Professor Melissa Green.

"AEM 4602W plays an essential role in our undergraduate curriculum by supporting the theoretical foundation of our students with experimental and hands-on work,” said Aksaray.

“This course aims to provide our students the opportunity to observe

some real-life engineering challenges by performing experiments in the three fundamental disciplines under Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics.”

“Despite the major challenges and uncertainty due to the pandemic in Fall 2021, the course was a great success thanks to the dedication and resilience of our students, teaching assistants, staff, and faculty.”

Aksaray added.

Catching up with the Liquid Propellant Rocketry Design (LPRD) team The Liquid Propellant Rocketry Design or LPRD (pronounced “leopard”) continues working on their Mk2 rocket engine. They are currently building a test stand for the rocket, with the goal of firing the engine in the next few months.

The Mk2 rocket engine is fueled by liquid kerosene and gaseous oxygen, which are delivered into a chamber at high pressure and ignited to produce about 250 lbs thrust.

During the past several years, the team has been assembling the stand, which is now nearly complete. Most recently, they were able to assemble the plumbing for the fuel and oxidizer lines.

Once the lines were in place, they attached the thrust chamber on the other side of the steel plate structure that allows it to press up into a force sensor. They bought a fuel tank rated for the high pressures this particular system will endure, and installed valves for fueling, de-fueling, pressurizing, and depressurizing.

The next steps for the team include taking apart all the elements and cleaning them thoroughly. After the stand is reassembled, 12

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it will be ready for pressure testing. The team is concurrently assembling the avionics boards that will control and record data from the system, which will allow them to fire the rocket and collect data about its behavior. Over the next few months they will perform tests on the entire system to make sure the plumbing can handle the high pressure, the sensors are working, and each element activates at exactly the right moment to fire the engine.

The team is also in the process of registering as a Campus Life Program. This will make it easier for them to start design work on the Mk3, which will be a much more powerful engine with additional energetic and cryogenic propellants. They hope that Mk3 will be capable of flight, and because of the great complexities involved in that, they want to have as many resources as possible to make sure they are able to do it safely and effectively.

Any students interested in joining LPRD Rocketry can email myself at surin006@umn. edu, or Garvin Saner at saner009@umn.edu.

No experience is necessary!

-Andrew Surine

STUDENT TEAMS

SAE Micro team update The SAE Micro team is back to work! The design report, which was submitted to the SAE judges on February 25, included research, designs, and justifications for the aircraft they are building.

During the first week of March, they began manufacturing their aircraft. So far the team has received the wing and body molds from their team sponsor, Stratasys.

The molds have already been glued together, and sanding and preparation work of the molds will continue for the wet layups.

“We are doing a composite biplane with balsa wood internals. I believe we are the first University of Minnesota SAE Micro team to attempt making a composite aircraft.” said 4th year student Anna Boldt.

Once the layups were completed, the team quickly assembled the aircraft's electronics system and made a few test flights at the end of

March and beginning of April. The SAE Micro team then headed to a competition in Van Nuys, California April 8 through the 10.

Unfortunately, the airplane experienced damage caused by the trailer that made it unflyable.

However, the team did get the opportunity to go through technical inspection and got lots of insight from industry professionals on the design and manufacturing.

“That was extremely helpful and allowed us to fix up our plane upon arriving back home and fly it last week. The flight went well and the plane performed as expected! It was exciting to see it take off under its own power.” said Boldt.

The SAE Micro team had an incredible experience while in California and are looking forward to future flights.

“We are doing a composite biplane with balsa wood internals. I believe we are the first University of Minnesota SAE Micro team to attempt making a composite aircraft.”

-Anna Boldt

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SENIOR EXIT SURVEY Senior Exit Survey Results Each year, graduating seniors complete a 30-question senior exit survey evaluating the AEM program. The survey is intended to touch on student experiences in both lower division and upper division, and to examine student experiences both in and out of the classroom. Last spring, the number of responses was well down from previous years, likely owing to the on-line format brought on by COVID-19. The responses are listed below, with scores ranging from 1 (worst) to 5 (best). Despite the low number of responses, they indicate that AEM students are pleased with their education. Students had especially positive feedback and comments on the required technical courses, the design course, and the accessibility of the faculty. Areas that students indicated could be improved include the laboratory facilities and turn-around time for grading assignments and exams. As in past years, students also wanted more computational tools and resources.

2021-2022 1. Preparation to use engineering tools like CAD: 2.82 2. Quality of AEM Advising: 2.97

5 4

3. Knowledge of Aerodynamics: 4.6

3

4. Knowledge of Aerospace Structures: 4.31

2

5. Knowledge of Atmospheric Flight Mechanics: 4.43

1

6. Quality of Design Experience: 3.74 7. Quality of Laboratory Facilities: 3.23

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

AEM Undergraduate Program Objectives 1. Consistent with the mission of the University of Minnesota, graduates of the BAEM program will be successfully employed in aerospace or other high technology industries.

2. Graduates admitted to graduate level studies in engineering and other professions will obtain an advanced degree.

Outcomes Upon completion of the AEM degree students will have: 1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics 2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors

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3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences 4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts 5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create

DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS

a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives 6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions 7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

IN MEMORIAM

Remembering Thomas S. Lundgren Thomas S. Lundgren, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics (AEM), died on October 9, 2021. Professor Lundgren had a long and illustrious career in the Department from 1960 until his retirement in 2000.

Professor Lundgren’s entire career was spent at the University of Minnesota. He received his B.S. in 1954 and M.S. in 1956 from the Aeronautical Engineering Department (now Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics) and a Ph.D. in Fluid Mechanics in 1960. After graduating, he joined the Aeronautical Engineering Department as an Assistant Professor. The ranks of Associate Professor and Professor followed in 1963 and 1965. Professor Lundgren was a highly regarded researcher and a popular teacher of advanced courses in fluid dynamics, introducing many into the curriculum. These courses were popular with students of fluid mechanics from several departments throughout the college. Many of his students advanced to high prominence, and his influence was felt by a generation of leading fluid dynamics researchers from Minnesota.

Upon retirement from AEM, Professor Lundgren was given the title of Professor Emeritus. He was further recognized for his contributions when he received an Outstanding Achievement Award from the University in 2006. Professor Lundgren was an outstanding teacher, brilliant researcher, inspiring colleague, and a kind, modest human being. He will be sorely missed by his colleagues and friends in the AEM Department and at the University of Minnesota.

Read the full article on our website: z.umn.edu/7hkt DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS

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Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics University of Minnesota 107 Akerman Hall 110 Union St SE Minneapolis, MN 55455

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The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

This publication is available in alternative formats upon request.

Tel: 612-625-8000 Fax: 612-626-1558 aem-dept@umn.edu

We’d like to hear from you!

AEM is pleased to announce it has launched its own Alumni Notes online submission form. We are excited to hear what you have been up to! Have you recently taken a new position? Won an award? Started a business? Got married or had a child? Or do you just want to let us know what you've been doing lately? If so, please submit a note through our online form on the Alumni page of the AEM website or email aem-communications@umn.edu.

We hope to include Alumni Notes as a regular feature of our Department Updates newsletter. All submissions may be edited for length, content, and clarity. Also, remember you can keep up with the latest College of Science and Engineering news and see what other alumni are doing on the College’s Alumni news page cse.umn.edu/college/alumni-news.

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