COOS BAY, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College invites the community to join us on Friday, March 7, 2025, at 6:00 pm, for a special presentation by Oregon State University’s branch of the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA). This is a free event; all ages are welcome.
Coos County residents can join us in-person in the Umpqua Hall lecture room (room 184) on the Coos Campus, 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay.
Curry County residents can join us for a watch party in the Community Room on the Curry Campus, 96082 Lone Ranch Parkway, Brookings.
For those not able to attend in person the lecture will be streamed live on the College’s YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/@southwesternOR/streams.
In 2012, a group of students had a goal: to introduce aerospace and aviation to a campus with no formal program for such studies. Oregon State University’s (OSU) branch of the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) was created to fill that void. OSU AIAA is a student-led organization. Since their humble beginnings, they have grown to be one of the largest groups on the OSU campus, serving over 200 members in the Beaver Nation. We invite you to explore their vision and the incredible network of students that fuel their success. The presentation will involve a detailed description of all eight teams housed within OSU AIAA. They will have segments explaining who they are, what they do, and many of the benefits students get by being part of this organization.
About the Presenters:
Brayden Haldezos: Brayden is a senior in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Oregon State University. He is the President of OSU’s AIAA student chapter and is passionate about rocketry, human spaceflight, and aviation. He has served as a Command and Data Handling Engineering Mentor for the NASA L’SPACE Program and has interned at NASA Johnson Space Center as a Payload Systems Engineer for human research onboard the International Space Station. He enjoys providing students with resources and opportunities for success, specifically within the aerospace field.
SWOCC SPEAR Alumni, Damian Lilienthal: Damian is a senior at Oregon State University, pursuing a degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering. He is the lead of the High-Altitude Rocket Team (HART), where he manages a team focused on designing a two-stage rocket with a goal of reaching an altitude of 100,000 feet. Damian also went through NASA’s NCAS (National Community College Aerospace Scholars) program that ultimately cued his interest in the field. Damian has experience in various aerospace projects with his position in HART, including hands-on expertise in rocket propulsion and structural systems. Passionate about advancing the field, he actively engages in both academic and extracurricular projects to promote the program through presentations and career fairs.
Nicholas Alves: Nick is a junior majoring in electrical engineering at Oregon State University. He serves as the Social Media Coordinator for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) club at OSU and as the avionics co-lead for the High-Altitude Rocket Team (HART). His passion lies in aerospace and advancing humanity’s future in space exploration.
Quade Stiansen: Quade is a senior pursuing a dual Bachelor’s degree in mechanical and manufacturing engineering with a minor in aerospace engineering at Oregon State University. He is on the executive board for the AIAA club and assists the Student Competition Rocket Payload Team. Quade’s passion began in high school after he was introduced to the FIRST Robotics Competition. He hopes to pursue a career in the aerospace industry, potentially working for companies like SpaceX and NASA.
Lukas Knipple: Lukas is in his second year at OSU pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering. As an avid fan of aerospace, he joined AIAA’s Solar Plane Team and HALE Liquid Rocketry Team when he began at Oregon State. In addition to being the Chief Treasurer of AIAA, he works on design, instrumentation, and control of HALE’s flight vehicle and mobile launch pad electrical systems. All things programming and electrical are his interest, and he hopes to take that passion into the aerospace industry after he graduates.
For more information please contact Krystal Hopper Meyers, STEAM Pathways Assistant, at 541-888-7416, or krystal.hopper@socc.edu.
To learn more about STEM degrees at Southwestern visit: https://www.socc.edu/programs-classes/stem/.