Erickson-Hi-Res-picture2.jpgChris Erickson
Chief Engineer
Energy & Advanced Programs
Aerojet Rocketdyne

Chris Erickson, chief engineer for energy and advanced programs at Aerojet Rocketdyne, joined the IAB in 2009, but he was already well known within the college. For several years, he had been substituting when Aerojet Rocketdyne’s existing IAB member couldn’t make the meetings. He really enjoyed the work, so he was happy to make his role official when the other member moved on to another position.

“I liked being on campus and seeing students learning and professors very engaged,” he says. “I enjoy the relationships with the faculty and dean. I find it rewarding to stay in touch with academia.”
As an IAB member, Erickson brings enthusiasm, insight and experience to meetings. A Chicago native who did his undergraduate work at the University of Illinois and earned his master’s degree in chemical engineering at UC Berkeley, he has 35 years’ experience with Aerojet Rocketdyne, supporting propulsion and energy programs. He was Aerojet Rocketdyne’s 1996 Engineer of the Year and holds four patents in innovative rocket engine power cycles. He also sits on the board of the CSUN Foundation and recently received a campus Volunteer Service Award.

Through the IAB, he is an advocate for the college and an effective liaison between CSUN and Aerojet Rocketdyne. “One of the advantages is that we can inform the university of exactly what we’re looking for in a graduate, and we can help direct curriculum and help prepare students for our type of careers,” he says. “Plus it’s a real opportunity to serve as conduit for excellent talent for employees. And some of our engineers do guest lectures, and the collaborative efforts have been very fruitful too, developing technology together.”

Erickson believes the IAB is making a difference at the college, enhancing the program and enjoying many benefits in return. Moving forward, he’d like to have even more impact by expanding the collaborations between CECS faculty and Aerojet Rocketdyne engineers. There are more than 250 CSUN alumni at Aerojet Rocketdyne, and he also envisions getting some of them involved in IAB activities, such as guest lecturing at CSUN and bringing CSUN faculty to Aerojet Rocketdyne to give talks.

“We’re very impressed with the quality of the CSUN engineering and computer science grads,” he says. “They have a really good grasp of the theoretical but good hands-on capabilities as well. Plus they’re good communicators, so they have risen to various positions of leadership here. They’re a big part of the company, and we want to bring more like them to Aerojet Rocketdyne in the future.”