The Summer Program in Aerospace Engineering (SPAce) is a two-year program lead by Professor Gatsonis and funded through direct fellowships to WPI AE students by the NASA Mass Space Grant Consortium. SPAcE combines graduate and undergraduate research, and Outreach in a unique way.

The 2018 Summer Program in Aerospace Engineering (SPAcE) at WPI combined research with outreach activities. SPAcE was led by Professor Gatsonis and along with WPI Professors Cowlagi, Demetriou, Karanjgaokar and Lambert engaged eight (8) WPI Student Fellows in research. The WPI faculty and Student Fellows students provided educational activities to rising seniors from the Mass Academy of Math and Science.

Eight SPAcE Student Fellows funded through fellowships performed research under the supervision of SPAcE Faculty Advisors on various aerospace topics as outline below:
– Professor Blandino, J. advised Direda, Nicholas on Spacecraft Propulsion.
– Professor Demetriou, M. advised Bograd, Nicholas and Waterman, Bailey on Aerospace Vehicle Dynamics.
– Professor Gatsonis, N. advised West, James on Biofluids under Microgravity.
– Professor Cowlagi, R. advised Copper, Benjamin on UAV Navigation.
– Professor Karanjgaokar. N. advised Lapierre, Nicholas and Peters, Jackson on Aerospace Materials.
– Professor Lambert, C. advised Watson, Jared on Biofluids under Microgravity.

From June 4 to June 29, sixteen High School Fellows from Mass Academy of Math and Science were immersed in daily classroom and laboratory activities relevant to aerospace engineering. This four-week, non-residential outreach program was provided free of charge to the High School Fellows and was delivered by SPAcE Faculty Advisors and SPAcE Student Fellows. The goal of SPAcE was to increase awareness in Aerospace Engineering to rising seniors from MAMS who are considering Engineering as their possible major. The program is outlined below:

– June 4-June 8: Aerospace Vehicle Dynamics; Prof. Demetriou with Bograd, Nicholas and Waterman, Bailey.
– June 11-June 15: Aerospace Materials; Prof. Karanjgaokar with Lapierre, Nicholas and Peters, Jackson.
– June 18-22: UAV Navigation; Prof. Cowlagi with Cooper, Benjamin.
– June 25-June 29: Spacecraft Propulsion; Prof. Blandino with DiReda, Nicholas.
– June 4-June 29: Introduction to Aeronautics and Astronautics; Prof. Gatsonis