New aerospace engineering degree launches in Christchurch
Launching this month, the first class of University of Canterbury (UC) students will embark on the new minor in Aerospace Engineering as part of their Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) degree.
The new Aerospace Engineering minor is led by Mechanical Engineering lecturer Dr Natalia Kabaliuk, whose expertise helped a Paralympic skier win gold and silver medals in Beijing this year.
UC offers the only undergraduate Aerospace degree in Aotearoa. Aerospace engineering involves the design, development, testing, and production of aircraft, spacecraft, and related systems and equipment.
Lifting off in Semester 2 2022, the new Mechanical Engineering minor will give 40 students an enhanced pathway into the aerospace industry in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.
Aerospace Engineering is coordinated by Mechanical Engineering lecturer Dr Natalia Kabaliuk, whose expertise includes thermo-fluids engineering within a wide range of applications including combustion systems. She led the innovative UC team that redesigned the sit-ski to ensure athlete Corey Peters had equipment as competitive as he is (Peters used it to win gold and silver medals in the Beijing Winter Paralympics this year).
“We’re thrilled to welcome the first enthusiastic bunch of future Aerospace Engineers to begin learning and grow knowledge in this burgeoning field in Aotearoa New Zealand,” Dr Kabaliuk says.