Brian J German
Brian German is a professor in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech. He is also the director of Georgia Tech's Center for Urban and Regional Air Mobility (CURAM). His research involves aircraft electric propulsion, autonomous flight, and the emerging aviation markets that these technologies enable. He specializes in configuration design of electric aircraft, aerodynamics of distributed propulsion, battery and hybrid electric propulsion modeling, operations research problems for innovative scheduled and on-demand air services, and aircraft operational economics modeling. His work focuses primarily on new types of electric regional aircraft and eVTOL aircraft for urban air mobility. Prof. German is a founding member and former chair (2014-2016) of the AIAA Transformational Flight Program Committee, which was chartered to explore the opportunities of emerging aircraft electric propulsion and autonomy technologies, and he is a member of the AIAA Aircraft Electric Propulsion and Power Working Group. Prof. German is a former Fulbright student scholar and NDSEG Graduate Research Fellow, and he received the NSF CAREER award in 2012. He is an Associate Fellow of AIAA.
Professor German’s teaching interests include core aerospace engineering subjects with emphasis on aerospace systems design, dynamics, and control at both undergraduate and graduate levels. He integrates practical problem-solving approaches to prepare students for complex engineering challenges. His instruction supports foundational knowledge and advanced topics, fostering student engagement and technical competence essential for aerospace engineering practice and research.
Professor German’s research focuses on the design, analysis, and operation of aerospace vehicles and systems, including rotorcraft dynamics and control. His work explores the interaction of mechanical and control systems to enhance vehicle performance and safety. Research efforts involve modeling, simulation, and experimental validation to address challenges in aerospace vehicle dynamics, stability, and control, contributing to advancements in aerospace system reliability and efficiency.
Lab/Collaborations:
- Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence (VLRCOE)
- Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory (ASDL)
- Center for Urban and Regional Air Mobility (CURAM)
Disciplines:
- Systems Design & Optimization
AE Multidisciplinary Research Areas:
- Sustainable Transportation and Energy Systems
- Vertical Lift and Urban Air Mobility
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, 1999, Georgia Institute of Technology; M.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2000, Georgia Institute of Technology; Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering, 2007, Georgia Institute of Technology;
NSF CAREER award, 2012; Lockheed Martin Dean's Excellence in Teaching Award, 2012; Outstanding Aerospace Engineering Professor Award, presented by the Georgia Tech chapter of the Sigma Gamma Tau Aerospace Honor Society, 2011; Northrop Grumman Dean's Excellence in Teaching Award, 2011; AIAA Senior Member, 2010; Fulbright Student Scholar, 2002-2003; AIAA Gordon C. Oates Air Breathing Propulsion Graduate Award, 2001; National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellow, 1999-2002; NSF Graduate Fellow, 1999;