The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the professional society for aerospace engineering. The AIAA recognized that the U.S.
The AIAA Student Branch at the University of Michigan seeks to educate and excite students about aerospace technologies and science. aerospace industry is facing a rapidly aging workforce, and recently has begun pushing to recruit new students to the field. Student branches tend to be on the front lines of this task. AIAA currently has over 160 active student branches, including 12 foreign student
branches, with a total active membership of over 6,500 students worldwide. The University of Michigan Student Branch of AIAA seeks "to educate and excite students at U-M about aerospace technologies and science, and to promote fellowship among students interested in these topics." The objective of the U-M AIAA is "to advance the arts, sciences, and technology of aeronautics and astronautics. AIAA fosters the professional development of those engaged in scientific and engineering activities." Activities/Events: The U-M AIAA holds monthly meetings with high-profile industry speakers, field trips to air shows (e.g. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Selfridge Air Show), museums (e.g. Nat'l Air & Space Museum, National Air Force Museum), and industry facilities for in-depth tours (e.g. NASA, Lockheed Martin, GE), resume critiquing and career workshop events, and many networking opportunities. The U-M Student Branch also hosts the fall and spring Aero Dept Picnics, aero social events (e.g. bowling, movie nights, paper airplane competitions), and informal lunches with professors - to name a few. The U-M AIAA Student Branch is open to all University of Michigan students interested in the aerospace industry - it is not necessary to be an aerospace engineering major. AIAA has members throughout all class standings - from first-year freshmen to PhD students and beyond!
