ow does your son like the program thus far? Does he feel there are many opportunities for research and internships/co-ops? Florida Tech’s proximity and relationships with NASA, the emphasis on hands-on work/research, and the ability get into AE work as early as freshman year are all part of the allure for FT. How does UF compare?
@AeroEngParent He likes it. He really doesn’t start taking core AE classes until next Fall, with classes like Aerodynamics, Compressible Flow, and Astrodynamics. Most of your classes, the first two years, are core engineering classes.
Most of his “productive” time is spent between classes and his involvement with the Gator Motorsports team (GMT). On the team, he’s an Aerodynamics Engineer. They design the shape and aerodynamics of the vehicle (via software modeling), as well as construct most of the surfaces. He hasn’t gotten an internship yet (he’s a sophomore), but is still looking. It’s tough before your junior year, as many internships are targeted at juniors and seniors (they are recruiting tools). It’s easier to get a co-op, but they require working Fall and/or Spring terms. He does have friends who are sophomores that will be doing internships this summer, but most don’t get their first until after their junior year. To be honest, that’s the case at most places, these national companies have the same policies, at UF, FT or GT. Smaller, local companies tend to be flexible with offering internships to freshman/sophomores.
One of the benefits of being on a design team, is that he get to meet with recruiters from companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Cummins, etc. (who recruit interns from UF’s design teams, especially the Motorsports team).
Undergraduate research is available, but a student has to talk with the professor about joining their lab. Below is a link to the research that’s available within the Mechanical and Aerospace department. It’s a long list. Some require that you’re a junior or senior, others take freshman.
Next year, my son will likely be a system lead (Aero) with the GMT, and it will take all of his free time. The following year (his senior year), he’ll pull back and let someone else be the lead. At that point, he plans to ask/join one of the research projects.
Your son could follow this path or take another. He can go right into undergraduate research or get involved with one of the many student groups on campus. My daughter (Industrial Engineering) spent her time with leadership roles in her women engineering sorority (and ended up working two summer internships, junior and senior year).
Good Luck!