Name: Ashish Patel

Birthplace: New Delhi, India

AAE Major/Minor Concentration: Structures/Dynamics & Control

Student Classification: Junior

Name and location of company/organization where you are on co-op: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Savannah, GA

What are your job duties? Currently, I am on my third rotation and working in the Performance group. I have been tasked with validating aircraft performance data, such as takeoff distances, climb gradients and V speeds. In prior rotations, I worked on projects related to airframe structural design and engineering support for manufacturing.

Why did you want to do this co-op/internship? I chose to work at Gulfstream, as they are known for their excellent reputation in the business aviation industry. I wanted to gain as much experience as possible in multiple aerospace engineering disciplines, so Gulfstream’s program was a perfect fit.

What do you hope to gain from the experience? As a co-op, I hope to gain practical engineering experience and learn how to apply the knowledge I learn at Purdue to real-world projects. I also hope to gain a deeper understanding about the aerospace industry as a whole.

Have you done other co-ops/internships as an AAE student? I interned at Applied Dynamics International (ADI) in Ann Arbor, MI, in summer 2014. At ADI, I worked on model validation of iAircraft, ADI’s flight simulation program. I also developed a framework for future testing of the flight model.

What are your ultimate career goals? Ultimately, I hope to contribute toward human and/or robotic space exploration. Space has fascinated me since childhood, so the prospect of designing spacecraft that will help increase mankind’s understanding of the universe truly excites me. I also dream of assisting in this endeavor by journeying into space one day as an astronaut.