AEROSPACE PHYSIOLOGY is the study of the physical and cognitive impact of an extreme and/or austere environment upon an individual. These studies provide the foundation to understand and develop strategies conferring mental and physical resilience against extreme environmental conditions, thereby optimizing performance of the aerospace traveler.
NEED for EXPERTISE: The commercial (civilian) space tourism industries, as well as the rapidly expanding federal and military aero- and space initiatives are hampered by an absence of scientists, physicians, educators, and physiologists with expertise in the human challenges of the aerospace environment (hyper- and hypo- gravity, supersonic speeds, etc.) as well as subsequent outcomes. This creates a significant void in trained personnel; a void that we in the Department of Physiology & Biophysics are uniquely poised to fill.
The Center for Aerospace Physiology currenty offers one graduate program.
The Certificate in Aerospace Physiology is 15 credit hour program which aims to prepare students for careers in the field of aerospace physiology or to enhance the backgrounds of those who are already working in these fields so that they can be more effective in fulfilling their responsibilities. Students will gain competency in the characteristics of the atmosphere, acceleration, spatial disorientation, and the physiology of decompression, thermoregulation, hypobarics, respiration, and cardiovascular function.a 15 credit hour programfor those seeking.
