Before 1949, aeronautics research and instruction at the University of Maryland were limited in scope and were carried out by but a few dedicated individuals—most notably Professor John Younger of the mechanical engineering department. Younger shared a similar vision to that of Glenn L. Martin—that is, that commercial passenger flight on a large scale would soon become a reality.
1949 Aerospace Sciences Becomes an Independent Discipline
In fall of 1949, the aeronautical sciences option was separated as a discipline from the mechanical engineering department.
A. Wiley Sherwood was chosen as chair of the new department, beginning what is commonly referred to within the department as the Sherwood Era. During these formative years, most of the department's activity was focused on developing a quality undergraduate curriculum in aeronautical engineering.
With the launch of Russia's Sputnik in 1957, the department, along with the rest of the nation, took a keen interest in aerospace flight. The name of the department was changed from aeronautical engineering to aerospace engineering that same year.
To support instruction in the course work necessary for an aerospace engineering degree, Sherwood used lecturers and faculty from the nearby Naval Ordnance Laboratory and the Institute for Fluid Dynamics.
During those years, the emphasis was on teaching. Professor Gerald Corning taught leading edge courses in aircraft design and was the author of a number of nationally used texts in subsonic and supersonic aircraft design. The newly-constructed and self-supported Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel, under the direction of Donald Gross, was widely used in service testing by the automotive and aviation industries.
One of the most significant accomplishments during this time was the establishment of the master's and doctoral degree programs in aerospace engineering. This led to the department's first master's degree graduate, Dale Scott '50 (deceased). After graduation, Scott went on to a successful engineering career at the Martin Aircraft Co., NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and later as a private consultant. The first doctoral degrees in aerospace engineering were awarded in 1963 to Irvin Pollin and John Nutant.
Aerospace Engineering Headlines from the Diamondback, the University of Maryland student newspaper
March 3, 1939 |
Professor John Younger of Mechanical Engineering Receives Aeronautic Award |
March 24, 1939 |
Flying Course Here Seen As Possibility by Dean Steinberg |
September 19, 1939 |
Maryland Gets CAA Air Course |
October 17, 1939 |
Forty-One Take Aviation Course Offered By CAA |
November 7, 1939 |
CAA Aviation Students Start Flight lessons |
March 15, 1940 |
Engineers Conduct Study of Airplanes |
March 29, 1940 |
Professor John Younger Predicts Great Aviation Future |
October 1, 1940 |
Professor John Younger Begins Aero Experiments |
February 25, 1941 |
Professor Younger Receives Asme "Spirit of St. Louis" Gold Medal for Great Service to Aviation |
September 19, 1947 |
Glenn L. Martin Engineering Building Plans Revealed to Public |
January 13, 1948 |
Glenn L. Martin Engineering School Building Plans Go To Board |
February 25, 1949 |
Four Engineering Buildings Cost $2,700,279.48, New Figures Show |
March 4, 1949 |
Wind Tunnel Opening Slated For April |
April 29, 1949 |
Martin College Occupied |
May 20, 1949 |
Wind Tunnel Starts Operation |
September 22, 1949 |
Aerospace Engineers Now In New Home |
March 3, 1950 |
Pines, Oaks, Shrubs Planted on Martin College Mud Flats |
March 7, 1950 |
Glenn L. Martin Institute of Technology Expands Into $8,000,000 Building Project |
April 1, 1952 |
Engineering College Conducts Tests on Modern Aircraft |
April 19, 1963 |
Outer Space expands Aerospace Engineering |
May 4, 1966 |
Wind Tunnel Assists Experimentation |
1977-78 |
First Full Year of Operation of Wind Tunnel as part of the Department of Aerospace Engineering |
1982 |
Center for Rotorcraft Education and Research is founded |
1987 |
Composites Research Laboratory is founded |
1990 |
Space Systems Laboratory is founded |
1992 |
Composites Research Laboratory moves to a new 5000-square-foot facility in the Manufacturing Building |
1994 |
NASA Center for Excellence in Hypersonics created |
1994 |
Ranger, a four-armed NASA satellite repair robot is rolled out for display |
1995 |
Smart Structures Laboratory created in the J.M. Patterson Building |
1996 |
Rotorcraft Center and Hypersonics Center moved to J.M. Patterson Building |
1997 |
Flight Dynamics and Control Laboratory founded in the Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel Building |
1997 |
Undergraduate students control SAMPEX satellite orbit and attitude determination |
1998 |
Acoustic chamber built for rotorcraft acoustics research |
1998 |
Department's graduate programs are ranked 10th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report |
1999 |
Meyers Building undergoes renovation to house aerospace research activities |