Resources & Support for Students

There are a variety of resources for undergraduate and graduate students looking for support, referrals and advice, both within AeroAstro and at the Institute level. It’s important to us that our students know we are here to help with any problems that arise during the course of their studies.

For Graduate Students:

  • AeroAstro Department Heads: Department resource for support and advice on a range of graduate student issues, mostly related to academics, research and advising. Drop-ins welcome or email Department Head Julie Shah or Associate Department Head Olivier de Weck for an appointment.
  • AeroAstro Student Services Office: Departmental resource for support, advice and referrals for student issues. Graduate students, email Erinn Taylor Barroso for an appointment; undergrads, email Marie Stuppard.
  • Local & Institute Reporting Paths:  A summary of reporting path options at MIT if you have a concern or would like to file a complaint. It’s important to us that that you feel safe, respect, and supported as part of the AeroAstro and MIT communities.
  • AeroAstro Communication Lab: Staffed by Communications Fellows, the AeroAstro Communications Lab offers writing, speaking, and visual design support for engineers by engineers!
  • MIT Covid Apps: Download and usage instructions for all Covid-related MIT access and information apps
  • Office of Graduate Education: Centralized resource providing support and referrals for graduate student issues, mostly related to academics
  • MIT GradSupport: Staff in the Office of Graduate Education who provide advice and counsel on a variety of issues including faculty/student relationships, changing your advisor, conflict negotiation, funding, academic progress, interpersonal concerns, and a student’s rights and responsibilities.
  • Office of Graduate Education Fellowship Resources: Centralized resource providing info on internal and external fellowship sources. MIT Director of Graduate Fellowships can also be contacted for help.
  • Title IX and Bias Response Office: Centralized resource for students to report incidents of bias, discrimination or harassment – anonymous reporting available.
  • Violence Prevention and Response: Confidential support for sexual harassment, stalking, assault and other interpersonal issues. Available 24/7 at 617-253-2300
  • MIT Mental Health and Counseling: Resource for mental health counseling sessions and therapy, by walk in and appointment.
  • Heads of House: If you live in an MIT dorm, these faculty members can provide you with support and advice.
  • MIT Chaplains/Office of Religious Life: Resource for confidential counseling and spiritual support in times of crisis.
  • MIT Ombuds: Confidential institute level open to all for support and advice for a range of workplace issues, conflicts and disputes.
  • dREFS: Confidential departmental peer resource for advice and support – students are trained in conflict resolution and can help with a variety of issues. (Confidential for graduate students only.)
  • Student Disability Services: Resource to help students with disabilities with access to all of MIT’s programs, activities and services.
  • Grad Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics (GA^3): Departmental graduate student group who can help provide information about the department, student life and research labs. Email them at ask-ga3@mit.edu.
  • International Students Office: Institute resource for advice and support for international students. Drop by or contact Janka Moss, AeroAstro’s liaison at janka@mit.edu.
  • Student Groups

For Undergraduate Students:

  • AeroAstro Student Services Office: Departmental resource for support, advice and referrals for undergraduate student issues. Please email Ms. Marie Stuppard for an appointment. She is on campus on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, but she can also meet virtually on Mondays and Fridays. Beata (Shuster) Tunik is on campus on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, and she is available virtually on Wednesdays and Fridays.
  • Course 16 Undergraduate Chair: Prof. David Darmofal, darmofal@mit.edu
  • AeroAstro Academic Dashboard: The Course 16 dashboard shows student progress towards the GIRS and departmental requirements. Unlike the senior audit in WebSIS, this dashboard lays out the Course 16 core, professional, and capstone/lab subjects, as well as a student’s unrestricted electives. A dashboard for the 16-ENG program is TBA.
  • Course 16 and 16-ENG forms and documents: Pathways for 16 and 16-ENG majors; the 16-ENG program booklet; the16-ENG concentration proposal form; study plan for 16 majors; calendar of AeroAstro capstone and laboratory subjects. These forms are being updated to reflect the new advanced manufacturing lab 16.S811 being offered starting this Fall term and a new autonomy capstone to be offered under 16.81, effective FA25.
  • The AeroAstro Communication Lab: A School of Engineering sponsored program offering writing, speaking, and visual design support for engineers by engineers.
  • AeroAstro Student Groups/Clubs: i.e. AIAA; Design, Build Fly; Rocket Team. Join a student group, connect, and network.
  • Advisor Hub Alumni Career Advising and Networking: MIT Alumni Association can connect you to career advising and networking opportunities within the MIT community and recommend help from MIT experts in your professional areas of interest.
  • AeroAstro Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Initiatives: The Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics is committed to advancing the inclusion of underrepresented groups and women in our community of faculty, students, and staff.
  • MIT Makerworkshop: a student-run makerspace for hobbies, research, classes, and entrepreneurship.
  • Registration Information: registration-information (term academic regulations; subject listings/schedules; cross-registration procedures, Add/Drop/Petition forms; end-of-term subject evaluations; support resources for students)
  • MIT Academic Integrity: A Handbook to Help Students Succeed
  • Canvas: A modern, easy-to-use, cloud-based Learning Management System (LMS)
  • Transfer Credit: Inquiries regarding transfer for Course 16 subjects can be addressed to Marie Stuppard, mas@mit.edu.
  • Petitions for Course 16 subject substitutions: inquiries about the substitution of subjects and the
    petition process should be sent directly to Marie Stuppard, mas@mit.edu.
  • Tutoring: tutoring outside of the classroom is provided in several Course 16 required subjects. To be eligible for tutoring services, a student must be attending lectures and recitations regularly; submitting psets; and attending office hours. Contact: Marie Stuppard, mas@mit.edu.
  • DoingWell: “Caring for your mind and body, fostering meaningful relationships, and finding purpose.”
  • MIT MindHandHeart: A coalition of students, faculty, and staff with fresh insights, new ideas, and diverse perspectives.
  • MIT Academic Advising Center: a plethora of on-campus resources, including Student Support Services (S^3); Disability and Accessibility; MIT Medical, food resources; Baker Foundation advising guidelines for advisors and students.
  • Requesting academic accommodations: Click here for more information.
  • Taking a leave of absence: Click here for more information.
  • Returning from a leave of absence: Click here for more information.
  • Student grading options: Click here for more information.
  • Student grading option deadlines: Click here for more information.
  • The MIT Office of Minority Education: Promoting the goal to facilitate student excellence at MIT and beyond.
  • MIT Student Financial Services: Providing financial aid and customer service to MIT students; coordinating student employment, and advising on financial literacy.
  • Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program: UROP for pay or for credit under 16.UR (PDF grading)
  • Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program/UPOP: UPOP provides teamwork and collaboration training as well as support for students to develop a vision for their own career path.
  • SuperUROP: A two-semester supervised project that takes undergraduates through the complete research cycle with real-world research experience. SuperUROP is administered by EECS.
  • Bernard M. Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program/GEL: educating and developing the character of students as potential future leaders in engineering practice and development.
  • New Engineering Education Transformation/NEET: Provides new hands-on learning experiences, integrating design thinking and prototyping within a cross-departmental community.
  • MIT School of Engineering scholarships: including the Barry Goldwater and Henry Ford II scholarships
  • MISTI: “Where Visionaries Find Global Opportunities”- Through MISTI, Course 16 students can apply to spend the junior year or one semester studying abroad. Current exchanges with Course 16 include Imperial College-London and U. of Pretoria-South Africa. Students can also apply to conduct research at Imperial College through the Imperial-MIT Summer Research Exchange Program.
  • The Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium: A NASA program directed by AeroAstro Prof. Jeffrey Hoffman. The Consortium provides funding for Internships, fellowships, and scholarships.
  • The Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship: A summer internship and executive mentorship program inspiring the next generation of commercial spaceflight leaders.
  • The Brooke Owens Fellowship: A summer internship established to help address a historic gender imbalance in the aerospace field.


Other helpful links and resources