2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Aerospace and automotive technology programs at the collegiate level are a vital extension of the
greater engineering fields in which they serve. Their function is typically more applied in focus,
emphasizing hands-on skills, implementation, and the practical application of existing engineering
principles. Suggested course materials for these educational tracks of study include physical testing,
structural dynamics, sensors, and data acquisition electronics. Often, these programs are deviations of
engineering curricula at R1 research institutions and as such, face significant challenges with respect to
resources, funding, student retention, and facilities with which to conduct high-level research. As a
consequence of these challenges, there is a conspicuous deficiency in the number of engineering
technology related programs offered within the greater expanse of higher education. At North Carolina
A&T State University, the development of Automotive Technology, a more clinical undergraduate
program originating from the now defunct Motorsports Technology, aims to resolve some of these
difficulties. Research laboratories within the department center around undergraduate education while
simultaneously offering facilities in which graduate research can be conducted. While somewhat
effective, the limitations of these dual-use facilities do present problems for graduate researchers
seeking to produce valuable data. Budget limitations restrict the amount of equipment available to
accomplish these objectives while existing biases may altogether limit the exposure that data and
publications produced from these facilities receives. In the face of these challenges the Department of
Applied Engineering still contributes to the greater disciplines of aerospace and automotive technology
by leveraging advanced and additive manufacturing processes. The presence of high-level research
being conducted within a primarily undergraduate serving department has garnered the interest of
those very undergraduates, interacting with and in many cases assisting the research of graduate
students.