COVID-19 Update

To All Members of the U-M Aerospace Community,

I am writing to you to share some general updates and thoughts related to the COVID-19 Virus. I recognize that these are stressful times for all, yet I commend our students, faculty, staff, and the entire Michigan Aerospace community for their patience, flexibility, and energy in this unprecedented situation. Above all, safety is the utmost priority of our community. I have been thoroughly impressed with the Department’s steadfast dedication to safety over the past weeks, and I urge you to continue practicing healthy habits such as frequent hand washing and self-quarantining when necessary. By the same token, I cannot emphasize the importance of mental wellness enough. We encourage all to explore the resources provided by the CDC for managing stress and anxiety in these trying times here.

To help resolve this situation as quickly as possible, the Aerospace Department aligns itself with President Schlissel in strongly encouraging all members of the U-M community to follow the guidelines given by Governor Whitmer via the “Stay Home and Stay Safe” order. Staff members have been asked to work from home and we are taking steps to practice social distancing and implement deep cleaning within our facility. While this is an adjustment for all, I would like to assure our alumni and supporters that despite these disruptions, our operations will be minimally interrupted.

It is critical for our students and educational mission that we maintain continuity of research and operations during this uncertain time via teleworking. I implore workplaces to be as flexible as needed as we further integrate technology solutions into our day-to-day. I highly suggest everyone to refer to our full array of COVID-19 College of Engineering Resources, which can be found here.

As engineers, collaboration is our specialty. I have no doubt that in continuing to work together, adapting and adjusting each day as a community, we will successfully overcome this obstacle. 

Go Blue and Stay Safe.

Sincerely,

Anthony M. Waas

Richard A. Auhll Department Chair of Aerospace Engineering

Felix Pawlowski Collegiate Professor