Club builds next generation of aerospace engineers

When Rafael Morales walked into FIU's MakerSpace for the first time, he knew immediately he had found something rare. The collaborative innovation hub, stocked with 3D printers, welding torches and the full range of tools needed to turn raw materials into working prototypes, was buzzing. "There was this sense of energy," says Morales ’26, former co-president of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) club. "I knew that these people were doing important things, that they were gaining a competitive advantage." He was right. In less than five years, FIU's SEDS chapter grew from a small, scrappy group to one of the most recognized collegiate rocketry programs in the world — and launched Morales himself into a full-time engineering career before he had even graduated. SEDS is part of a global nonprofit organization founded in 1980, dedicated to promoting space exploration and development through hands-on engineering projects. FIU's chapter, established in 2022, has taken off at a stunning pace. Record-breaking results on the world stage For two consecutive years, the FIU team placed first in Florida at the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC), one of the most prestigious collegiate rocketry contests in the world. In 2025, the chapter launched its nearly 10-foot rocket 9,023 feet over the skies of Midland, Texas, competing against 81 teams from across the globe. The team had ranked 16th internationally in the 2023 standings. "You can't argue with our results," Morales says. Those results are built in FIU’s MakerSpace at the College of Engineering & Computing, where SEDS members put in the hours that competitions demand. The space is open to students who complete a series of safety workshops. For SEDS members it has become something closer to a second home, a place where technical skills sharpen and teams are forged. A pipeline from Miami to the industry For Morales, the MakerSpace was the starting point of a path that led directly to the aerospace industry. His work with SEDS sharpened both his technical skills and leadership abilities, preparation that proved invaluable during a summer internship with Blue Origin. This May, he transitions from intern to full-time employee, joining the company as a Test Engineer Level 1 with his mechanical engineering degree in hand. Gabriel Artaza, a junior mechanical engineering major who leads the club's Research & Development division, is following a similar trajectory. His experience at SEDS helped him land two internships with Lockheed Martin's advanced aircraft systems teams. "I wanted a place where I could create and lead a project," Artaza says. "SEDS has allowed me to work on rockets and it's a dream come true." The club's membership mirrors the cross-disciplinary nature of real aerospace work. Beyond mechanical engineering, it includes computer science, electrical and biomedical engineering majors, as well as physics, math and marketing students. A liquids propellant division is managed by co-president Lucia Friero Suarez, a mechanical engineering major. "This is a demanding, high-pressure industry," Artaza says. "We don't get paid as part of the club. We do it for the love of the game. One of the reasons our club works so well is that we have become great friends along the way." Faculty mentorship and NASA connections The club's faculty advisor, Daniela Radu, professor and interim chair of the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, brings more than mentorship to the table. She has served as principal investigator on several multimillion-dollar NASA grants, including awards focused on nanomaterials research and aerospace workforce development, work that directly informs the environment she has helped create for SEDS. "As the founding faculty advisor, I have witnessed SEDS grow from three enthusiastic students with a dream of building a rocket into an exceptional organization that reflects the structure and discipline of a professional enterprise," Radu says. "It is defined by a contagious energy and a sense of camaraderie that endures long after the student members graduate. I am extremely proud of what they have built." Industry connections that open doors SEDS actively cultivates relationships with aerospace industry leaders, bringing them to FIU to advise students and participate in career fairs. Among the most dedicated is FIU alumnus David Axel Virzi, an engineering manager at Boeing, who returns to campus each year for a week of intensive coaching. "Clubs like SEDS are important for helping students develop the application of essential engineering skills beyond the classroom," Virzi says. "It requires students to take foundational knowledge and apply it toward a product that meets specific requirements, in a team setting, using creativity and all available resources. This is exactly what students can expect to do in the workplace." He believes FIU students develop something that cannot be taught or measured: perseverance. And he offers advice that speaks directly to the South Florida context. "Miami is one of the largest hubs of aviation repair services in the country," Virzi says. "Some of these places are small shops that may not even have much of a website. Go make connections. Get hands-on experience with aircraft repairs. The day you come face-to-face with hiring managers at larger corporations, they will be blown away with how much experience you already have." What began with a few students and a shared sense of energy in the MakerSpace has grown into a program sending graduates to Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin and Boeing. But FIU’s SEDS chapter is not done growing yet, Morales says. "Our top priority is to cultivate industry partners who want to grow the aerospace industry here at FIU and in South Florida," Morales says. "We have proven we can compete at the highest levels. Now we want to build on that."