Hello to everyone connected with the
School of Aeronautics and Astronautics
at Purdue, students, staff, faculty, alumni
and friends. I'm sure you aren't
surprised when I tell you the last two
weeks have been like no other that I've
experienced. Usually the week following
spring break brings energy and commotion
back to campus. That was not the scene
here in West Lafayette. Purdue's campus
was very quiet and is still quiet now
as we all do our best to stay safe and
be mindful of others amidst this
pandemic. It is of utmost importance we
do all we can to maintain the health and
safety of our students, our staff and
faculty and to support the Purdue community. I'm recording this for my newly arranged
home office as I practice social
distancing and work remotely wherever
possible, just like the rest of the
School. We're searching for the new
normal in this unprecedented time for
our School, our University and the world.
While we work on this together, I want to
assure you that our goals have not
changed. We're working to serve our
students with excellence, as we always
have, by using the best options we can to
deliver effective, impactful lessons that will
provide our students the tools and the
knowledge they need to become successful
aerospace engineers. Over spring break,
the faculty instructors and graduate
teaching assistants involved with our
current courses have worked tirelessly
to adapt almost 60 different AAE courses
to remote learning for the rest of the
spring semester. Several faculty members
already had remote teaching experience
through courses that are part of our
successful non-thesis Master of Science
degree for distance students. We continue to perform research in the School.
Computational or analytical research has
gone remote. On campus, in-person research
deemed to be critical is still underway.
We are following the rules for safe
laboratory operations that include
guidelines to mitigate potential
transmission of illness. Where other
experimental research has ramped down, the
teams have moved to tasks that can be
completed remotely. Our undergraduate
advisors are still meeting students, but
virtually, in advance of registration for
the Fall 2020 semester. Our graduate
program office is processing offers to our
incoming graduate students. Lab teams are
meeting via web conferencing software. It
is different, but we are still doing the
things that make us the School of
Aeronautics and Astronautics. I want to
thank our faculty and staff for their
efforts to make this rapid and
extraordinary change to our operations.
I appreciate your patience and
willingness to find a way through this.
Similarly, I want to thank our students
for your flexibility and your
constructive feedback about
how we now operate. I know many of our
alumni and friends in the aerospace
industry broadly are all facing
challenges because of this situation, too. 
We are thinking of you. As always, we are
grateful for your support and for the
legacy you have built for this School.
Our School's development team is also
working remotely. As they work
remotely, they are ready to help you with
questions that our alumni and friends
might have during this time. Please
continue to do what you can to keep
yourself and those close to you safe and
healthy as we, along with the entire
world, make our way through this
situation together in purpose and
mission. Thank you.
