Student mentor and coach wins 2020 Distinguished Alumni Service Award
Corey Brooker, distinguished Department of Aerospace Engineering alumnus, is honored by the Michigan Engineering Alumni Board.
Michigan Engineering News
For long-standing dedication as a mentor and coach to aerospace students at Michigan Engineering, longtime Lockheed Martin engineer Corey Brooker has been awarded the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Service Award.
Brooker earned a bachelor of science in aerospace engineering in 1994 and a master of science in aerospace engineering in 1995. After completing his degrees at Michigan Engineering, Brooker went on to work at Lockheed Martin where he currently has 24 years of experience working in systems analysis on NASA’s Orion spacecraft as well as the Atlas V and Delta IV rockets.
Every fall for the last two decades, Brooker has arranged to be a speaker in the departmental undergraduate seminar series presented by the Department of Aerospace Engineering. In addition to working as a lecturer and recruiter, he also advises student project teams as a reviewer, advisor and mentor.
Brooker was also an early advocate for moving computing tools into the undergraduate curriculum, leading to the development of AERO 205, a required course for aerospace students.
“I regularly get feedback from students that the reason they got an internship or even permanent position is precisely because they had significant experience with these computer tools,” said Antony Waas, the Richard A. Auhll Department Chair of Aerospace Engineering and Felix W Pawlowski Collegiate Professor of Aerospace Engineering. “The origin of this pedagogy, in our department, can be traced back to Corey.”
“I can think of no one better to be recognized with this honor,” Waas added.
The 2020 Alumni Awards, including the Alumni Medal, Alumni Distinguished Service Award and Outstanding Recent Alumni Award, are typically presented at an Alumni Awards Dinner on campus during Homecoming week. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the event will not be held this fall. However, the college is looking into other options for honoring awardees.