MAE young alum receives Sigma Gamma Tau 2017 Great Lakes Region Award
Michael Strauch’s interest in aviation began at age 7, when he decided to give soccer a try. He found himself more fascinated with the planes and their engines roaring above him than his opponents on the field. Strauch’s grandfather — a longtime engineer — saw his passion for flight and introduced him to the idea of designing airplanes.
On April 24, Strauch was named the 2017 recipient of Sigma Gamma Tau’s Harry H. Hilton Great Lakes Region Award. Sigma Gamma Tau, an aerospace engineering honorary, aims to identify and award achievement and excellence among students, alumni and professionals in the field of aeronautical and astronautical engineering.
Each year, Sigma Gamma Tau recognizes outstanding undergraduate students at both the regional and national levels, and Strauch’s achievements both on and off Ohio State’s campus earned him the 2017 honor. The award recognizing him as the top student in Sigma Gamma Tau within the region.
Nominated by the university’s Sigma Gamma Tau chapter, Strauch’s accomplishments include being selected as a Buckeye Leadership Fellow (BLF). Through his role as a fellow, he laid the groundwork for a potential aerospace startup company called EcoTaxi. Strauch hopes that his company will provide an alternative method of aircraft ground transportation.
“That desire to help is really the essence of why I want to innovate, and what had me hooked on the idea of becoming an engineer all along,” he said.
Strauch also served as the subsystems team lead for Ohio State’s Design/Build/Fly team.
His passion for aerospace engineering wasn’t just limited to campus. Strauch has gone out of his way to find opportunities to gain real-world experience. He interned at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, where he worked to master the core competencies of aeronautics. He also participated in cooperative, or co-op, educational experiences with GE Aviation, the Warsaw Institute of Aviation and GE’s Middle River Aircraft Systems subsidiary.
While in Warsaw, Poland, Strauch joined MAE graduate Matt Arnott (‘17 Aerospace Engineering) in developing a basic computer model to predict the performance of a theoretical aircraft at different sizes.
After graduating this spring, Strauch joined GE Aviation’s Edison Engineering Development Program in Boston, Massachusetts. In this program, he will complete three year-long engineering rotations while simultaneously attaining a master’s degree in aerospace engineering.
“I now believe that in order to become an innovator and a disruptive force in this industry, a sound technical foundation is necessary,” said Strauch. “I am excited to be a part of the next generation of aerospace innovators.”
- Kam King, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
