What does a top-secret Cold War site that was involved in the post-World War II space race have to do with a summertime backyard barbecue? Ask Dr. Markus Rumpfkeil, Professor and Director of the Graduate Aerospace Program in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UD: it’s all about radioisotopes. While you may know about UD’s connection to all things airplane (think the Wright brothers), connecting Dayton to space might be more of a stretch. Rumpfkeil is excited to be part of the front line of changing that perception.
Located just a few miles south of the University of Dayton is The Mound, a former government site which, until 2003, was involved in research and development including radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG). “RTGs function on nuclear decay,” says Rumpfkeil, “and they can produce electricity and heat from that. It’s like a battery that essentially doesn’t run out, and it works in the harsh environment of space.” RTGs can last dozens of years, which makes them essential to space travel. And the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) is at the leading edge of RTGs.
Enter the University of Leicester (UL), a leading British institution in space development since the 1960s. Their Space Park is a center for space-related research and development, as well as for collaboration between institutions, government, and industry. Leicester had developed highly successful experiential exchange programs to Italy and France, but their students also expressed interest in building connections to the US space sector.
Given UDRI’s work with the U.S. Air Force and NASA, and UDRI’s expertise with RTGs, a collaboration with the University of Dayton made sense. Dr. Chadwick D. Barklay, Distinguished Research Scientist and Director of the Space & Power Systems Office for UDRI, collaborated with colleagues at Leicester and an innovative graduate student exchange program was developed between the two institutions. The result is the STEP: the Space Technology Exchange Program. UD students accepted to the program completed a number of required courses at UD in the fall, and then engaged in a shortened spring instructional cycle, enabling them to travel to the University of Leicester in March. In the UK, UD and UL students worked in teams to develop projects for space vehicles, using specifications provided by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. “This is how all space missions start: with a paper study for the mission design,” says Rumpfkeil. “The students consider everything from trajectory calculations, instrumentation selection to the design of the actual vehicle. ”
In May it was the students from Leicester’s turn to come to UD, where they lived and breathed all things space, and, as a bonus, got a backyard barbecue at Rumpfkeil’s house. Once the Leicester students returned home at the end of the summer, the team presented their project to a group of industry leaders at the NASA JPL. “It’s a win-win,” Rumpfkeil says, “we fostered our great relationship with Leicester, and our students got a global perspective on the industry as well as space-related coursework. Their students got experience in project development and connections to the US space sector.” Barklay underscores the importance of this type of collaboration: “UDRI is deeply involved in research supporting NASA, the Department of Defense, and commercial space. Programs like STEP allow us to engage early with the next generation of talent and expose them to real-world challenges in space systems. This strengthens our pipeline of future researchers and fosters global perspectives in our work. I’m hopeful that STEP alums will return to the workforce with sharper skills and maintain a lifelong connection to UDRI, Leicester, and the broader space power community.”
Rumpfkeil and Barklay are both looking forward to continuing to foster the relationship. UD and UL are hoping to expand the curriculum for the program further, and to continue to create opportunities for both sets of students in ways that make sense for the institutions, leveraging the strengths of both. “Our collaboration with Leicester has grown steadily from a shared vision to a fully operational, joint academic and cultural exchange,” notes Barklay. “What began as conversations around mutual interest in space systems has become a robust educational experience—supported by faculty, researchers, and industry partners on both sides of the Atlantic. The level of trust and alignment we’ve built with Leicester has made STEP possible, and I genuinely value it.”
The collaboration has already produced a substantial result: the UD Aerospace program is currently in a search for a post-doctoral research fellow, who will teach, support the STEP, and work with UDRI to develop these initiatives further. The impact on students is also key. Barklay says, “One of the most important insights has been the power of diversity in technical problem-solving. Bringing together students with different academic backgrounds and cultural perspectives has sparked innovative thinking. We’ve seen real success in how teams approach systems engineering challenges—especially those involving space power systems, where interdisciplinary collaboration is critical. It’s reinforced my belief that tomorrow’s space leaders must be as comfortable in cross-cultural dialogue as they are with technical design.”
Rumpfkeil also underscores the potential impact and opportunity of STEP for UD students: “Space is a $700 billion a year industry, and it’s projected to almost triple in the next 10 years. There’s a ton of opportunity for students who want to eventually work in this field, and with strong collaborative partnerships with institutions, industry, and governments, we think this initiative has a lot of potential to become a thriving program with great learning outcomes and job opportunities.”
Rumpfkeil laughs, “I’m an airplane guy. I’m just here for the ride. And it’s a joyful one.”
The STEP program is currently accepting applications. Check the website for more information, requirements, and the application.