a few NASA links for you to explore, no convenient lists of best-connected aero eng schools yet, but I bet you can get a glipse of some research providers from these sites.
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forrese...res/index.html http://www.sti.nasa.gov/STI_Program_Plan_2005.pdf http://www.sti.nasa.gov/Pubs/star/star0524.pdf
Also, the NASA research labs, e.g., Ames & Langley, will have their prefferred researchers, probably some being relatively local (like Stanford for Ames)....suggest you study these labs, get to know which each does, and figure out which colleges support those that interest you.