Olivier L. de Weck

Specialization and Research Interests

• Systems Engineering
• Technology Management
• Astronautics and Space Logistics
• Multidisciplinary Design Optimization
• Remote Sensing
• Earth Observation

Teaching Interests

• 16.851 Satellite Engineering
• 16.887 Technology Roadmapping and Development
• 16.888 Multidisciplinary Design Optimization
• 16.89 Space Mission Design
• 6.914 Project Engineering

Academic Degrees

Dipl. Ingenieur m.A., Industrial Engineering, 1993, ETH Zurich, Switzerland S.M., 1999, Aeronautics & Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ph.D., 2001, Aerospace Systems, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Society Memberships

Fellow, INCOSE; Fellow, AIAA; AIAA Space Logistics Technical Committee (chair); Member ASEE, ASME, Sigma Xi, MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, MIT System Design and Management

Positions Held at MIT

Faculty Co-Director, MIT Gordon Engineering Leadership Program
Faculty Co-Director, Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program
Faculty Director, MIT-Switzerland Program

Positions Held outside MIT

Swiss Air Force Officer, 1987-2000; ETH Zurich, Research Assistant, 1987-1992; Swiss Aircraft & Systems Co., R&D Staff Engineer, 1992-1997; McDonnell Douglas, Swiss F/A-18 Engineering Program Manager, 1995-1997; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Visiting Scientist, 1998; Co-founder Intelligent Action Inc., 2007; Editor-in-Chief, journal Systems Engineering 2013-2018; Senior Vice President for Technology Planning and Roadmapping, Airbus, 2016-2018

Biography

Olivier de Weck is the Apollo Program Professor of Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he is the Associate Department Head of Aero Astro. His research is in Systems Engineering with a focus on how complex technological systems are designed and how they evolve over time. He is a Fellow of INCOSE and AIAA and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets. His textbook “Technology Roadmapping and Development” received a most promising textbook of 2024 award.