ABET Self-Study Report for the Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering Program at the University of Washington June 25, 2013 CONFIDENTIAL The information supplied in this self-study report is for the confidential use of ABET and its authorized agents, and will not be disclosed without authorization of the institution concerned, except for summary data not identifiable to a specific institution. Table of Contents BACKGROUND INFORMATION………………………………………………………………1 GENERAL CRITERIA………………………………………………………………………...…4 CRITERION 1. STUDENTS…………………………………………………………………….4 CRITERION 2. PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES………………………………..14 CRITERION 3. STUDENT OUTCOMES……………………………………………………...18 CRITERION 4. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT……………………………………………20 CRITERION 5. CURRICULUM……………………………………………………………….50 CRITERION 6. FACULTY……………………………………………………………………..64 CRITERION 7. FACILITIES…………………………………………………………………...72 CRITERION 8. INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT………………………………………………...80 PROGRAM CRITERIA…………………………………………………………………………87 APPENDICES…………………………………………………………………………………...88 APPENDIX A. Course Syllabi……………………………………………………………...88 APPENDIX B. Faculty Vitae……………………………………………………………...176 APPENDIX C. Facilities and Equipment………………………………………………… 209 APPENDIX D. Institutional Summary…………………………………………………….215 APPENDIX E. List of Visiting Committee Members...……………………………...……229 APPENDIX F. Sample Surveys...………………………..……………………………...…231 Signature Attesting to Compliance……………………………………………………………..250 BACKGROUND INFORMATION A. Contact Information Department Chair James C. Hermanson William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics University of Washington, Box 352400 Seattle, WA 98195-2400 (206) 616-7033 [email protected] Undergraduate Committee Chair (Primary Pre-Visit Contact) Adam P. Bruckner William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics University of Washington, Box 352250 Seattle, WA 98195-2250 (206) 543-6143 [email protected] B. Program History The program began in October 1929 with the founding of the Department of Aeronautical Engineering in the newly-built Guggenheim Hall. It was one of the eight such programs enabled by the Guggenheim Foundation for the Advancement of Aeronautics. In 1946 a Master’s degrees program was initiated, and 1959 saw the beginning of our PhD program. In 1962 the department’s name was changed to Aeronautics & Astronautics, in recognition of the advancements being made in space exploration (the degree program’s name was accordingly changed to Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering). In November 2012, the department was named after William E. Boeing, founder of the Boeing Company, who through his generosity made possible the initiation of instruction in aeronautics at the University of Washington (UW) in 1917. Our program has been continuously accredited since 1936, and the last general review took place December 2-4, 2007. Since the last ABET review there have been a number of changes. One faculty member left the department for a position in industry but two new faculty were added. Another faculty member changed his affiliation from tenure-track to research faculty status. Furthermore, two additional faculty, in the areas of controls and structural mechanics, were hired in spring 2013 and will join the department in mid-August. In addition, the new Dean of Engineering (Michael Bragg), who will start his tenure at the UW in July 2013, will become a member of our faculty. Following the arrival of these three new faculty, the department will have a total of 17 tenured or tenure track faculty and two research faculty by the time of the ABET site visit in Autumn 2013. Our undergraduate program’s core curriculum has undergone some refinement, largely focused on the junior-level laboratory courses, in which writing has been made a key aspect, in response to the phasing out of technical writing courses that had been offered through the department of Human-Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE). Our graduate program developed a new 1 Master of Aerospace Engineering track in Composite Materials and Structures, and recently initiated a new, professional Master’s degree program that will be taught in the evenings. C. Options The only options available in the undergraduate program relate to the student’s choice of the senior capstone design course between the two that are offered: Airplane Design and Space Systems Design. Students select electives that best support the capstone design course of their choice. D. Organizational Structure The Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering program resides in the William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics, in the College of Engineering (COE) at the UW. In addition to the undergraduate program, the department offers a graduate program leading to the degrees of Master of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Master of Aerospace Engineering, and Doctor of Philosophy. The department is led by a Chair (currently Prof. James C. Hermanson) and is supported by an Associate Chair for Research (currently Prof. Uri Shumlak). The Chair is supported by a Chair’s Assistant and a departmental Administrator. There are also three academic program managers/coordinators, five technical staff, and three fiscal staff. The department has several committees that assist and advise the Chair and the faculty in various administrative areas, each chaired by a faculty member. Policy and curricular decisions are made by the faculty, on the basis of recommendations from the relevant committees. The two committees devoted to educational issues are the Undergraduate Program Committee (currently chaired by Prof. Adam P. Bruckner) and the Graduate Committee (currently chaired by Prof. Kristi Morgansen-Hill). Each of these committees is served by a full-time staff member. Accreditation issues are dealt with by the Undergraduate Program Committee. The department is one of 10 academic departments in the COE, which is led by the Dean. The COE has four Associate Deans, who are responsible for the Offices of Academic Affairs, Advancement, Infrastructure, and Research and Graduate Studies. All but the Associate Dean for Advancement (who is a development officer) are faculty members in departments in the College. The Dean reports to the Provost, the chief academic officer of the Seattle campus. The Provost, in turn, reports to the President, the chief executive officer. The President reports to the Board of Regents, which is the University's governing body whose broad responsibilities are to supervise, coordinate, manage and regulate the University, as provided by state statute. There are 10 regents, who are appointed by the Governor for six-year terms. E. Program Delivery Modes The Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering program requires students to be enrolled full- time on-campus. Courses are offered during daytime hours for all four quarters of the academic year (but with only two lower-division courses during summer quarter). The program is of the traditional lecture / laboratory / recitation type. One senior elective (AA 462, Rocket Propulsion) is also offered synchronously via distance learning. 2 F. Program Locations The program is offered only at the University of Washington’s Seattle Campus. G. Deficiencies, Weaknesses or Concerns from Previous Evaluation(s) and the Actions Taken to Address them There were no shortcomings remaining after the most recent ABET Final Statement. H. Joint Accreditation The program is not jointly accredited nor is it seeking to be accredited by more than one commission. 3 GENERAL CRITERIA CRITERION 1. STUDENTS A. Student Admissions Although direct freshman admission was initiated in 2011 and early admission at the sophomore level has been in place for more than a decade, the majority of students enter our program in their junior year. The junior year admission process gives students the opportunity to complete their prerequisites at a community college, and be able to apply for admission to our program as juniors. The admission process described below applies specifically to juniors but the same criteria are used with students who are admitted as sophomores. The Undergraduate Advising Office coordinates the departmental undergraduate admissions effort. Admission to the department is highly competitive. Students apply to the program after completing a set of program prerequisites (see Table 1.1) and are evaluated based upon grades in prerequisite and general education courses, their application essays, and their potential to contribute to the field of aerospace engineering. An Admissions Committee, comprised of four faculty members, the chair of the Undergraduate Program Committee (faculty), and the manager of the Undergraduate Program (staff academic advisor) evaluate the applications. The committee makes all final decisions by consensus. All departmental admissions forms are on-line and students can complete the process remotely. Once the on-line applications are completed and submitted, students receive email confirmation of their application, and then receive notification from the department about 3 weeks after the application deadline (July 1 for Autumn admission). Table 1.1 Prerequisites for admission to junior class standing AMATH 301, Scientific MATH 124, Calculus I CHEM 142, Chemistry I Computing* MATH 125, Calculus II PHYS 121, Mechanics & Lab AA 210, Statics PHYS 122, Electricity & CEE 220, Mechanics of MATH 126, Calculus III Magnetism & Lab Materials MATH 307, Differential PHYS 123, Waves & Lab ME 230, Dynamics Equations MATH 308, Linear Analysis ENGL, Composition