汤头条鈥檚 Merrett connects students to aviation history through innovative museum collaboration across US
Contact: Camille Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥Craig Merrett, a Mississippi State associate professor of aerospace engineering, is spearheading a current initiative to bridge the gap between aerospace education and the rich history preserved in aviation museums across North America.
Five years ago, to mark the 75th anniversary of World War II鈥檚 end, Merrett contacted dozens of museums across the U.S. and Canada, asking them to allow students to analyze information and details about the WWII-era aircraft from their collections.
鈥淭hey were able to dive deep into the structural details of these historic aircraft, creating CAD drawings, renderings and technical reports the museums can then use to update their displays and archives,鈥 Merrett said of the initiative鈥檚 first year. 鈥淭he project evolved to include a personal connection, with students learning about the individuals associated with each aircraft.鈥
In the project鈥檚 second year, students researched and presented on underrepresented minority pilots and engineers integral to developing these iconic planes.
鈥淭his project is incredibly valuable for our students, allowing them to apply their aerospace engineering knowledge to real-world artifacts while also exploring the human stories behind these historic vehicles,鈥 Merrett said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 equally rewarding for the museums, who have gained new content and educational resources to share with their visitors.鈥
Since the project鈥檚 inception, about two dozen museums have participated, including the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, the National Air and Space Museum, the Air Force Flight Test Museum, the National Naval Aviation Museum and the National Air Force Museum of Canada. Merrett鈥檚 long-term goal is to expand the network of participating museums, with representation from every U.S. state. Additionally, he seeks funding to enable student field trips to the museums, where they can conduct hands-on research and interact directly with museum staff and archives.
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