Last fall, when Clarkson University’s Analysis of Aircraft Structures class went online due to the pandemic, Assistant Professor of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering Craig Merrett enlisted 10 aircraft museums across the United States and Canada to participate in the students’ group projects with each offering an aircraft from their WWII collection for analysis.
The successful museum partnership continues this fall, although all Clarkson classes are again meeting in person.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of when Bessie Coleman, the first African-American woman and Native American woman to become a licensed pilot, received her license. It is also the 110th anniversary of when Harriet Quimby, the first American woman to receive a pilot’s license, earned hers.
“To recognize these significant individuals, and the importance of diversity and inclusion in aerospace, our class is studying ten pioneers from underrepresented groups and their aircraft,” says Merrett. “The teams of junior aeronautical engineering students are again interacting with our partner museums across Canada and the United States. The selection of this theme helps our students to grow their professional understanding of the field, and recognize some of the field’s current limitations.”
The student groups will study the obstacles that the individuals had to overcome because of the society and culture at the time. The course’s goal is for the students to become active allies in preventing or removing similar obstacles for others. They will also examine the technical ingenuity that the individuals achieved or used to make their mark on history.
“This unique partnership demonstrates our commitment to preserving the history of aviation and inspiring the next generation of aerospace innovators,” says Amanda Goodheart Parks, director of education at the New England Air Museum. “It also represents an exciting new model for distance learning and real-world application of academic concepts.”
The individuals and the aircraft that the students are studying are
– Harriet Quimby and the Bleriot XI at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, N.Y.
– Bessie Coleman and the Curtiss JN4D “Jenny” at the Combat Air Museum in Topeka, Kan.
– Lee Ya-Ching, the first female, Chinese pilot, and the Stinson V-77 Reliant at the Alaska Aviation Museum in Anchorage, Alaska.
– Lt. Col. Olga Custodio, the first female Hispanic military pilot in the U.S. armed forces, and the Northrop T-38 Talon at the Flight Test Museum at Edwards Air Force Base in Edwards, Calif. (new to the collaboration)
– Maj. Micky Colton, the first woman to log over 5,000 flight hours on the C-130E Hercules, and the C-130E Hercules at the National Air Force Museum of Canada at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Trenton, Ontario.
– Amy Johnson, the first woman to fly solo from London, U.K., to Darwin, Australia., and the de Havilland Tiger Moth at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope, Ontario.
– Amelia Earhart and the Lockheed Model 10-A Electra at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Conn.
– Mary Golda Ross, the first Native American female engineer, who designed the Lockheed P-38 Lightning and was one of the founding engineers of the renowned and highly secretive Skunk Works at Lockheed Corporation, and a flying P-38 at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, Calif.
– Lt. Col Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command the space shuttle, and the space shuttle Discovery with the help of the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, N.Y.
– Lt. Nydia Driver, Lt. j.g. Ashley Ellison, Lt. Cmdr. Tara Refo, Lt. Ashley Ruic and Lt. Cmdr. Brandy Jackson, the first all-female combat flight crew in the United States armed forces, and their aircraft, the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla.
“Our Curtiss JN4D Jenny replica has several New York connections,” says Kevin Drewelow, director of the Combat Air Museum. “The Jenny was designed by Glenn Curtiss in Hammondsport, New York. The builder of our replica was Elton Rowley, former chief Boeing flight test engineer, who was born in Bristol Center, New York, in 1911. Mr. Rowley passed in 1997, but would have been delighted to know of the connection between his Jenny and Clarkson students.”
This year, the professional body for aerospace engineers, the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, released its diversity and inclusion strategic plan, which emphasizes the need for the field to have an inclusive culture that supports everyone’s success.
“As Clarkson’s engineering students will be the leaders of tomorrow, it is imperative that they understand the challenges faced by underrepresented minorities,” says Merrett.
