Benjamin Towle is majoring in mechanical engineering, but his fascination with aerospace engineering is driving both his extra curricular and professional dreams.

Towle joined the Michigan Aeronautical Science Association, or MASA, three years ago when the group had just formed. It was here he got a taste for leadership, serving as lead airframe & propulsion and lead of mechanical engineering. Over the years, the group allowed him to find his passion and develop skills needed for a career in the aerospace industry.

“It has been excellent to gain experience managing people, project timelines, and figuring out how to motivate the team to take on the demanding challenges that we have,” said Towle. Since UM-Dearborn does not offer an aerospace engineering major, much of Towle’s learning came through working out problems with his team members. Over the course of three years, the team has made significant progress, an achievement he is most proud of. Now that he’s a senior, his main focus is on recruiting new students for the club, ensuring that MASA continues to thrive into the future.

As for his own future, Towle’s dream career consists of working in the aerospace industry, with a focus on pushing human space exploration. He’s already completed an internship at NASA Langley Research Center, and would love the opportunity to work with NASA on cutting-edge research. And after becoming part of the first UM-Dearborn student team to successfully launch a rocket, Towle has another, long-term life goal: to develop a liquid bipropellant rocket and launch it to the edge of space.

“This has never been done before by an individual,” revealed Towle. With a love for building things and a fascination with aerospace engineering, he just might be the first to do it.