Ethan Och is a Spring 2020 graduate of the Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics Department at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. He is originally from Swanville, Minnesota, a small town and rural community in the central part of the state. In addition to his Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, he has minors in Astrophysics and Computer Science. He is currently employed as a Software Engineer with Northrop Grumman’s Tactical Space Systems.
During his years as an undergraduate student at the University of Minnesota, Ethan was involved in a variety of STEM student groups and activities. This included the Minnesota Space Grant Consortium, where he was involved in web development and high-altitude ballooning. He was also active with the Small Satellite Research Lab, where he served as a documentation and outreach team lead, contributing to the development and launch of the University of Minnesota’s first CubeSat. In the time since graduation, he has joined the Planetary Society, the Experimental Aircraft Association, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
As a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Ethan has been involved with the Diversity Working Group and its K-12 STEM Outreach Diversity Subcommittee, where he advocates for diversity and inclusion in the aerospace industry as well as increased opportunities for young people to get involved in the wide world of STEM. He has a passion for STEM education, and hopes to inspire young people to pursue STEM careers by telling his story and sharing his experiences in the aerospace field.
