Program Feature: A New Course In Aerospace Engineering
In the fall of 2017, Avon Old Farms will be adding a new course to its growing list of engineering-related course offerings. The newest class will be enticing and informative for students interested in exploring the field of engineering.
"When we were looking to add a new course to our list of current offerings, it was a combination of looking at what staff we had available, what their expertise is in, and what we thought would be interesting to our boys," said Beth McCubbin, engineering and physics teacher at Avon Old Farms. "A course in Aerospace Engineering seemed to be the perfect fit."
In the year-long science course, students will progress through four units of study: Introduction to Aerospace, Aerospace Design, Propulsion, and Alternative Applications. That translates into a variety of hands-on learning, including practicing on flight simulators using special software and game controller joysticks; designing airfoils to study fluid mechanics; learning about propulsion through flying model rockets; and even designing airplane components and printing them on a 3D printer. Students will learn basic orbital mechanics using industry-standard software, and will even explore robot systems through projects such as remotely operated vehicles.
"While I was in my own college career I had the opportunity to touch upon a lot of what this class will introduce to our boys, which I think will help me bring this course to life," said McCubbin.
McCubbin attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she received a B.S. in Engineering Physics and minors in Mathematics and Meteorology in 2009. After college, McCubbin joined the Department of Space at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to research the upper atmosphere and ionosphere. She continued her research at Dartmouth College, where she earned an M.S. in Engineering Science in 2012.
"I joined the faculty of Avon Old Farms School to assist with launching and developing our engineering and robotics program," explained McCubbin. "I believe it's important to challenge our boys academically, physically, and mentally while they discover themselves in pursuing to become a man of Avon who embraces integrity, inclusion, justice, and service."
At Avon, we believe students need access to real-world, applied learning experiences that empower them to gain the skills they need to thrive in college, career, and beyond.
"We have come to embrace Project Lead The Way courses because they have been carefully crafted to provide students with leading-edge knowledge and expertise, as well as transportable skills they can apply no matter how the career landscape evolves," said McCubbin.
About Project Lead The Way
Project Lead The Way is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience across the U.S. The organization creates an engaging classroom environment unlike any other and empowers students to develop and apply in-demand, transportable skills by exploring real-world challenges.