A Message From The Dean

As our 40th anniversary celebration continues throughout the year we have adopted the University of North Dakota's 125th anniversary slogan "From Tradition to Tomorrow." Certainly the Odegard School has been on an incredible 40 year journey and the future appears to be even more remarkable. The restoration of our first Cessna 150 and our latest arrival, a Citation Mustang Jet, capture the feeling of just how far we have come over our relatively short lifetime.


We have grown from a single 3 credit class on the Economics of Airway Science taught in the Business College with 2 aircraft and 12 students, to an Aerospace College of nearly 2000 students in 5 major Departments. Our Masters Degree offerings have expanded to include every discipline taught in those 5 departments and we now have Ph. D, Programs in Atmospheric Sciences and Earth Systems Sciences. The future holds a Ph. D. offering in Computational Science and new Bachelors Degrees in Environmental Studies and in Unmanned Aircraft Systems.


Our Center of Excellence for General Aviation, Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, NASA, and other research grants have kept us as the leading Academic College at UND in terms of research funding. Space Studies remains the largest graduate program at UND and Professor Mike Gaffey was named as a Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor which is the highest academic award the University can bestow. And, for the first time the FAA has rated the nation's collegiate Air Traffic Control Training programs and the Odegard School's program was rated at the best in the nation!


This year also marks the significant return of the international students to our College. By the end of the year we will have over 200 students on the flight line and in our classrooms from Beijing, Tokyo, Taipei, and Saudi Arabia. This is not only a benefit to the Odegard School, but also brings special recognition to the University, the State of North Dakota, and the US. International students not only bring the wonderful diversity of their own cultures to UND but they also take an accurate picture of the United States back to their home countries. They are among a select few who are chosen to attend our programs and over time they become the leaders, and more importantly the decision makers, in their organizations. This helps to secure our future. They also provide an opportunity for our students to visit their countries. This spring we had group of 25 Odegard School students and faculty visit Tokyo, Japan as guests of Tokai University and All Nippon Airlines. Our relationship with Tokai University opened the doors to that trip.


"From Tradition to Tomorrow" Our tradition is remarkable and our tomorrow is limitless.

Sincerely,

Bruce Smith, Dean
John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences