Graduate Studies at the

Graduate Aerospace LaboratoriesCalifornia Institute of Technology

(GALCIT)

G. “ Ravi” Ravichandran Option Representativeaerospace@caltech.edu

September 29, 2008

Guggenheim Aeronautical Labs

• Founded in 1928 - advanced degrees only• Ten-foot wind tunnel completed in 1929• von Kármán appointed first director in 1930

GALCIT Administration

• Director – Ares J. Rosakis

• Associate Director/Option Representative– G. “Ravi” Ravichandran (109 Firestone)

• Aerospace office (225 Guggenheim)– Dimity Nelson (GALCIT Administrator)– Christine Ramirez (Option Coordinator)

aerospace@caltech.edu www.galcit.caltech.edu

Faculty• Fluid Mechanics

– John Dabiri– Paul Dimotakis– Mory Gharib– Beverley McKeon– Dale Pullin– Joe Shepherd– Sandra Troian

• Emeritus– Donald Coles– Hans Hornung– Tony Leonard– Hans Liepmann– Anatol Roshko

• Solid Mechanics– Chiara Daraio– Michael Ortiz– Sergio Pellegrino– G. “Ravi” Ravichandran– Ares Rosakis

• Emeritus– Wolfgang Knauss

• Jet Propulsion Center (Emeritus)– Fred Culick– Frank Marble

Population over 100

• Faculty• Administrative and Secretarial• Machine shop• Engineers • Postdoctoral scholars• Research staff• Graduate students• Visitors

Degree Programs• Master of Science (MS) in Aeronautics

– 1 year, non-thesis• Master of Science (MS) in Aerospace Engineering

– 1 year, non-thesis• Aeronautical Engineer (AE)

– 1 year after MS, thesis• Doctorate (PhD)

– average of 4 years after MS– Thesis– Minor (optional)

MS in Aeronautics

• Fluid Mechanics, Ae101 • Solid Mechanics, Ae102• Mathematics (ACM100 or ACM101/102 or AM125)• Experimental Methods, Ae104• Elective

– Ae 103, Ae105, CE/Ae/AM108, Ae115,Ae/ME120, Ae125, Ae160, Ae121

• Aerospace Engineering Seminar, Ae 150

MS in Aerospace Engineering

• Fluid Mechanics Ae101 • Solid Mechanics, Ae102• Mathematics (ACM100, ACM101/102, AM125)• Aerospace Engineering Ae105• Elective

– Ae 103, CE/Ae/AM108, Ae115,Ae/ME120, Ae125, Ae121, CDS110,………. (see list in “Information’’ booklet.)

– Must have approved aerospace content– Students can petition faculty for approval of

proposed electives• Aerospace Engineering Seminar, Ae 150

Seminars

• Aerospace (Ae150) (compulsory for MS students)– Mondays 1 pm, 101 Guggenheim (Lees-Kubota)TA: Philipp Boettcher

• GALCIT Research Seminar (Ae208)– Fridays 3 pm, 101 Guggenheim (Lees-Kubota)TA: Jeff Lehew

Seminar Calendar: www.galcit.caltech.edu/seminars

Special Seminars/Classes• Ae150 Aerospace Seminars

Mondays, 1 PM, Lees-Kubota Lecture Hall (101 Guggenheim)– Graduate Studies at GALCIT– Director’s welcome– Tour of laboratories– Research Review– Outside Speakers

• Ae208 GALCIT ColloquiumFridays, 3 PM, Lees-Kubota Lecture Hall (101 Guggenheim)– Research seminar (Fluids, Solids, Space, Bio)

• Ae104 & Ae105 project presentations (end of spring term)

MS Program Advising

• Academic advisor (assigned)– transition to research advisor in 3rd term

• Registration– separate for each term, advisor approval– first term: Registration card– later terms: Electronic registration

• MS Candidacy– fill out form in first two weeks, submit to GACLIT Office– advisor & option rep approval– changes must be approved

Financial Support• Stipend is financial assistance not a salary

– fellowship - institute or external– GRA Graduate Research Assistantship– GTA Graduate Teaching Assistantship

• External Fellowships - go after them!– NSF– NDSEG– NASA– DOE– See Aero Office and Grad Office– stipend can reward initiative

Typical Stipend History

Teaching Experience

• No GTA or GRA in MS year (exceptions)• Student are encouraged to have GTA

experience, irrespective of financial situation• New GTAs must now attend instructional class

(CPET)• GTA duties:

– No lecturing responsibilities– assisting students in learning & problem solving– homework solutions & grading– running seminars and laboratories

Institute Policy

• Graduate study is a full-time activity– financial support is for 48 weeks– two weeks Institute holidays per year– two weeks vacation per year– arrange holidays with advisor

• No part-time programs, at least 36 units/term

• No outside employment

Student-Faculty Relations

• Student representative– Philipp Boettcher

• Faculty representative– Anatol Roshko

• Meeting– 3rd term – elect new representatives– Feedback session

Sports

• GALCIT Soccer• Institute

– Ice Hockey – Rugby– Alpine– Racquetball– Basketball– etc

Machine Shop

• Supervisor - Joe Haggerty• Access depends on skill/training as evaluated

by Joe Haggerty.– expert - unlimited unsupervised use– intermediate - supervised use of selected machines– novice - no access

• Limited training available• Student training @ ME machine shop

Infrastructure Changes

• Guggenheim building renovation– phase 2 of Guggenheim (floors 1-3)

complete, 9/2008– Cann laboratory for Experimental

Innovation (Ae104)– New classroom and offices– New research laboratories

New Research Facilities

• Adaptive wall wind tunnel– replacement for Ten-foot wind tunnel

• Ludwieg tube– replacement for supersonic tunnel

• Charyk bioinspired design laboratory• Biopropulsion laboratory• Bio and nano mechanics laboratory• Nano-materials and acoustics laboratory• Merrill tunnel• Large Space structures laboratory

Life of a Graduate Student

• MS degree (1YR)– transfer to AE program

• AE program (1-2 years post MS)– transfer to PhD program

• PhD program (3-4 years post-MS)

From MS to AE

• Typical career– enter MS program in Fall– decide to go on in Winter/Spring of MS year– choose research/PhD advisor by Spring of

MS year– petition by Spring to go on to AE degree

• Must have research advisor signature• Can’t enter AE degree program without advisor

– MS degree awarded in June

Research Advisors

• Required for Post-MS study• Student and faculty match-making

– intellectual interest of students– research projects of faculty– funding opportunities

• Fact-finding– attend seminars, research conferences– talk to older graduate students– visit with faculty (February-March)

• Should have an advisor by May• Talk to the option representative if you have

problems finding an advisor• Can’t continue beyond MS if you don’t have an

advisor

From AE to PhD

• Initial 3-member supervisory committee– includes research advisor

• Carry out research (Ae200)– submit progress reports– participate in Research Conferences

• Qualifying Exams in October of 2nd year• Pass: Petition to transfer to PhD program• Post-MS research; supervised by research advisor• Candidacy exam in 1st term of 3rd year

Qualifying Exams• Taken at the beginning of 2nd year of residence in

October• Three 1-hour oral exams

– Fluid mechanics (based on Ae101)– Solid and structural mechanics (based on Ae102)– Mathematics (based on ACM100)– You are responsible for this material

• Two faculty in each exam• All students get the same questions in each exam

PhD Requirements

• 45 units of Ae 200 level classes• Three terms of post ACM 100 level math or

equivalent– e.g., ACM 101, AM 125

• Optional:– Minor in some other discipline – Subject minor– Discuss with Advisor

PhD Candidacy

• Separate from admission to PhD program• Admission to Candidacy

– complete course work– thesis research topic selected – pass candidacy exam

• Typically taken in the 1st term of the 3rd year of residence

• Should be completed by beginning of 4th year of graduate registration

PhD Candidacy Exam

• Usually taken in 1st term of the 3rd year of residence• Four-member committee

– Three Aeronautics members– one outside Department or EAS Division– No mandatory math examiner– petition form – advisor, option rep, division approval– student responsible for organization, scheduling,

and paperwork

Candidacy Exam

• Thesis research – plans– progress– issues

Summary

• MS degree; Oct- June, first year• Find research advisor; March-May, first year• Graduate with MS; June, first year• Petition to transfer to AE degree; June, first year• Qualifying exam; October, second year• Candidacy exam; 1st term of third year• PhD defense; sometime in fourth or fifth year

Good Luck