Stanford University's Aeronautics and Astronautics (AA) Department drives a graduate program that consistently ranks in the top AA graduate programs worldwide. The department networks across disciplines, departments and schools-Applied Physics, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and many others-to solve important problems in industry through fundamental research.

Several AA students offer their own insights into this unique department.

Jinkyu Yang, a doctoral candidate from Korea whose research involves developing health monitoring systems for spacecraft, chose Stanford over other top-ranked schools for more than the research opportunities. "Stanford is a true university, with opportunities for experience in other disciplines, and outside of engineering," he says. "I meet people and work with them outside of my one area, which can bring in a lot of new thoughts. It is a highly interdisciplinary department, which only helps in research."

The AA Department reflects the greater interdisciplinary culture. "Some universities are very strong in the newest research areas, or in basic theory, but Stanford's AA department has both," Yang says. "We have faculty who have been here a long time, who are experts in fundamental theory, and we have faculty who have been here a relatively short time, but who are doing modern research in areas like GPS, smart structures, and automated navigationsystems. This mix of faculty and types of courses is very beneficial to all students."

Ethan Allen Romander, an aerospace engineer at NASA Ames Research Center, appreciates the freedom to choose courses from other departments and disciplines. As a master's degree student, he has taken a variety of courses from other departments, including Math and Computer Sciences. "The program encourages it," says Romander. "I've taken extra courses that I feel are important for enrichment, not just career advantages."

While Romander's undergraduate degree was in AA, he found that some of the more "basic" controls courses deepened his knowledge. "It had been years since I had taken a controls course, and my undergraduate experience had not been terribly fulfilling," he says. "I took Engineering 105 Feedback Control Design to refresh my skills. This was very informative and I took away a great deal of information. Just one controls course at Stanford equals about three at many other schools."

Industry students who may not have a strong AA background benefit from a focus on fundamental theory as well as applications. "My undergraduate degree was in mechanical engineering," says master's student Litun Lisa Hung, a safety and airworthiness engineer for Boeing Aircraft in Washington. "I want to get my Ph.D. and build a career in spacecraft design. A lot of my courses have given me a background and introduction to the field, which has been good for me."

"I'm constantly awed by the level of expertise, and the experience of the professors," says Timothy Cormier, Project Manager for Pratt & Whitney Large Commercial Engines at UTC in Connecticut. "Professor Cantwell's course on propulsion was one of the most useful courses I have taken. He is one who has written the book on propulsion, and a lot of the course was based on both his work and that of his mentors." Others share his enthusiasm.

Michael J. Burgart, a systems engineer for Lockheed Martin Corporation in California, is a master's student. "Professor Kroo looked at specific instances in aircraft control where something went wrong, and then we'd examine why. He has lot of experience in this field," says Burgart. " He would relate the problem back to his own experience and pull out incidents that I remembered. His class in nonlinear controls optimization was the most tangible for me."

Romander has taken both numerical computations courses with Robert MacCormack. "These courses are exactly what I do at work- numeric simulations," he says. "They gave me insight into the nuts and bolts of the software and how it does what it's doing. Professor MacCormack publishes his own notes for the course, which leaves you with a dense body of knowledge. Professor Enge did this as well for his course in space mechanics. It was most helpful."

"Professor Alonso, for AA210 was one of the best professors I have ever had," continues Romander. "He was organized and clear and, as a result, I took a lot away from his course. That kind of organization makes all the difference in the world when you are taking a course at a distance."

Cormier, Hung and Romander take their courses via distance technologies. Cormier, who has viewed almost all his courses on television, remarks, "The technical support from SCPD master control is excellent. Whenever I've had a problem with anything, they've fixed it almost immediately. They are fantastic."

Romander chooses to take courses online even though he lives in the Bay Area. "It frees two hours of my time for any day I'd have to drive to the campus and gives me flexibility. All the professors have been very responsive to phone calls and e-mails, regardless of location."

Hung prefers the online learning experience at this point in her life. "Stanford was one of the few really good schools that offered courses online," says Hung. "I put more effort into courses because I am working by myself. I kind of like it more. I can always review the course again and again until I understand it. It's a good experience for me."

For more AA insider insights, see our spotlights on Controls Courses and the QuakeSat Project, visit the AA Content View page