Affiliated Departments

Researchers at the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering conduct research that is of national and international repute while contributing to the economic development of the state. Research activities are concentrated in fluid mechanics and aerodynamics, multi-body dynamics and control, heat transfer, solid mechanics and composite materials, space technology, biomedical engineering and reliability.

Research programs at the College of Optical Sciences encompass rapidly changing areas from the world’s largest telescopes down to quantum nanophotonics. Our technologies impact real-world applications ranging from emerging 3-D systems to biomedical imaging for disease diagnosis and treatment, to the ultrahigh capacity optical fiber communications technologies that will enable the future growth of the Internet.

At the Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory, part of Steward Observatory, a team of scientists and engineers are making giant, lightweight mirrors of unprecedented power for a new generation of telescopes. Mirrors from the Lab have been installed in the world’s most powerful telescopes — including the Large Binocular Telescope, and the Giant Magellan Telescope.

Lunar & Planetary Laboratory (LPL) is an interdisciplinary research unit studying planetary systems with expertise in spacecraft missions, astronomical observations and analyses of extra-terrestrial samples. LPL led and managed surface operations for the Phoenix Mars mission, becoming the first university organization to manage a planetary mission.

Steward Observatory, the research arm of the UA Department of Astronomy, boasts one of the nation’s premier astronomy programs. Researchers are responsible for some of the most groundbreaking astronomical findings of our time including the discovery of new galaxies and finding water on Mars.