University students to present new aerospace propulsion concepts at Air Force Museum

Published April 7, 2025
By Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs

Display model of a turbine engine project from the 2023 Aerospace Propulsion Outreach Program, or APOP, symposium, April 13, 2023. APOP will hold its annual poster session at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, April 17, 2025, from noon to 3 p.m. APOP is a partnered outreach program for young engineers entering the workforce that offers opportunities to work with Air Force engineers. (U.S. Air Force photo)

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFRL) – The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, Aerospace Propulsion Outreach Program, or APOP, will hold its 16th annual conference poster session at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, April 17, 2025, from noon to 3 p.m.

APOP is a partnered outreach program for engineers who are entering the workforce. It allows university engineering students an opportunity to work with Air Force engineers and challenges them to modify small gas turbine engines and innovate on current turbine engine designs. The conference provides students an opportunity to present their designs to AFRL and the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, or AFLCMC.

The primary sponsors of the conference are AFRL and the AFLCMC Propulsion Directorate, joining forces to provide funds and mentors for the event.

“It’s an honor to support such an innovative and growing program for our university participants,” said 1st Lt. Madelyn Pratt, AFRL Aerospace Systems Directorate. “The Air Force’s many technical experts who support the program share their experiences as mentors and that insight truly allows students to dig deeper into innovative design challenges.”

The APOP conference began in 2009 with four universities participating and has grown to 19 in 2025. Every year, APOP tasks students to address a specific challenge with this year’s being variable nozzle technology. Challenges in past conferences have included maximum thrust/weight and electronic power generation.

The poster session will allow students to present their designs in an open forum, including table displays where observers can get an overview of their projects. For many years, APOP has been an effective recruiting tool for several Air Force components with multiple new personnel joining AFRL after their experience with the APOP. AFRL is unmatched in terms of talented people and world-class facilities that allow the lab to accelerate technology development.

The following colleges and universities will be participating in this year’s event:

Miami (Ohio) University
Michigan Technological University
New Mexico State
Ohio University
Ohio State University
Oklahoma Christian University
Oklahoma State University
Oregon State University
Tuskegee University
University of Cincinnati
University of Dayton
University of Oklahoma
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania
University of Wisconsin
Wright State University
Brigham Young University
Cedarville University
University of North Dakota

The APOP program has grown over the years and as part of that growth, a new application process emphasizing the desired commitment from universities is being implemented for the 2025-2026 program. Applications will be accepted until May 30, 2025. Please send applications to Jacob Baranski, jacob.baranski.ctr@us.af.mil. Applications will be reviewed and ranked according to the responses provided. You may access the application here.

NOTE FOR MEDIA: News media representatives who would like to provide coverage of this event must email AFRL Public Affairs at afrl.pa.inquiry@us.af.mil by 12 p.m. April 14 to RSVP. Arrival instructions will be provided to media with your RSVP confirmation email from the PA office. Questions may be directed to the AFRL/PA Media Operations Team at 937-469-1728.