Terrence Meyer Named Head of the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics

The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics welcomes Terrence R. Meyer as its new department head. Meyer joins the department from Purdue University, where he was professor of mechanical engineering and professor of aeronautics and astronautics. Meyer officially begins his role in August 2026.

Dr. Meyer’s research interests focus on aerothermal flows, with application areas in combustion, propulsion, and high-speed flight. He and his research team specialize in the development and application of novel laser and X-ray diagnostics for understanding the complex multi-physics and reacting flow phenomena that govern the operation, performance, and efficiency of these systems. 

Dr. Meyer was drawn to the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics due to the strength of the multidisciplinary research being conducted within the department in areas such as fluid mechanics, mechanics of materials, and aerospace systems. Meyer is looking forward to working with the faculty, staff, and students to help build on these strengths and the reputation that exists within the department to help meet emerging societal challenges in sustainable aviation, global connectivity, uncrewed aerial systems, access to space, sensing and telecommunications, and many associated technologies.

Meyer is also excited for the opportunity to return to his home state and make a positive impact on his alma mater. Meyer grew up north of the Twin Cities in Duluth, Minnesota, before attending the University of Minnesota, where he earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.

"I really have an affinity for the University as a whole," Meyer said.

As a student, he participated in extracurricular clubs, design teams, mentoring programs and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, which helped inspire his interest in research and pursuing an advanced degree.

After completing his bachelor’s degree, Meyer worked as a design engineer in industry before returning to graduate school and earning master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Meyer then worked as a contract research scientist at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio, before joining the faculty at Iowa State University in 2006 and Purdue University in 2015. During this time, he also served as a visiting assistant professor at École Centrale Paris in France from 2001 to 2003, a guest professor at Friedrich-Alexander University in Germany from 2010 to 2020, and a founding chief technology officer for a start-up company. Meyer credits these varied experiences with giving him an appreciation for different approaches to administering academic and research programs and for understanding how to help those programs work together effectively, especially in areas such as workforce development and building research capacity.

Meyer sees many opportunities to partner with members of the University of Minnesota community and beyond when it comes to advancing the department’s academic, research, and service missions.

"I'm very impressed by the culture in the department. I look forward to partnering with faculty and staff to deliver the best possible experience for our students. Being from Minnesota and having been a student at the University of Minnesota myself, it's very exciting for me to have the opportunity to make an impact on the students here.

I envision the department collaborating with academic partners, industry partners, national laboratories and government agencies to create interdisciplinary teams that can pursue multidisciplinary funding opportunities. The landscape for research and funding is changing, and it's important that we prepare AEM to adapt to that changing environment. 

Academically, there is already a great deal of history and tradition within the department, so I plan to learn more about the specifics of courses and ensure faculty have the resources they need to support their teaching. I also intend to continue to expand experiential learning opportunities for students, an area that is already growing within AEM. Success to me is ensuring the department remains a vibrant place that continues adapting to the needs of our students and faculty."

Meyer has made significant contributions to education and professional development in his areas of expertise. He has chaired or co-chaired more than a dozen technical symposia, published five book chapters and tutorials, and delivered five short courses on diagnostics for highly dynamic flow phenomena. His honors include the SAOT Young Researcher Award, the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the AIAA Aerodynamic Measurement Technology Innovation Award, the Spira Award, and recognition as an Outstanding Engineering Teacher at Purdue University for six semesters. He is an associate fellow of AIAA and a fellow of the Combustion Institute, ASME and Optica, where he also serves as an associate editor.