Legacy
The modern identity of Long Beach is inseparable from the rise of aerospace — an industry that took hold in the years after World War II and quickly transformed the region into a center of aviation and space technology.
As demand surged for engineers and technically trained workers, local institutions stepped in to meet it, laying the groundwork for a lasting partnership between industry and education.
“After World War II, Los Angeles and Long Beach were booming aerospace areas," explained Computer Engineering & Computer Science Professor Tracy Bradley Maples. "The call went out from aerospace agencies that they needed more employees, they needed skilled employees, they needed educated employees. That’s when the space race began, and the College started at the same time.”
Over time, an industrial ecosystem emerged between the City of Long Beach, the university and countless area businesses — from the early days of private, commercial and defense aviation to today’s modern space initiatives.
䳧’s College of Engineering was established in 1957, the same year Sputnik, the first Earth satellite, went into orbit. By the time astronaut Neil Armstrong took the first step on the moon, the university was producing mechanical, electrical and civil engineers who would go on to work in local aerospace and technical industries.
As the department expanded degree programs in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, industry leaders became increasingly involved with the college and its curricula. Employees from Hughes Aircraft — the aerospace company Howard Hughes established in 1932 — were among the first Engineering faculty members, and a group of nine senior executives from local aerospace companies formed the original Dean’s Advisory Council.
Over the years, the college supported affinity groups such as the , the , engineering honor societies, the and the .
The college later added computer engineering and computer science degrees and by 1985 had become the largest engineering school west of Texas. Its growth mirrored the expansion of aerospace ventures across the region, where open landscapes supported aircraft hangars and production lines, proximity to Long Beach Airport and Edwards Air Force Base near Lancaster provided global reach, and a highly skilled workforce emerged within the local community.
That legacy continues today as a new generation of aerospace and commercial space companies builds on the region’s long tradition of innovation and engineering talent.
1957: The First class
The first official class of the newly created Engineering Department.
1962: Engineering Drafting
Professor Lawrence Kundis assists students with problems in mechanical engineering.
1964: Octane Testing
Assistant Professor Hans VanderMeyden prepares the panel board of the octane testing machine.
2004: Rocketry Team
Prospector Rockets Rocketry Team
1961: Exciting Visitors
Geodesic dome inventor R. Buckminster "Bucky" Fuller guides a civil engineering student in building a bamboo dome.
1963: The Aerospace Workshop
Dr. C. Thomas Dean, dean of the School of Applied Arts and Sciences, inspects a single-engine airplane.
1988: A New Look
A year after the Aerospace Engineering Department was established in 1987, the college got a new building.
2010: Women in Engineering Outreach Program
A NASA supervisor oversees the NASA Learning Experience for elementary school girls
