Burt Rutan
Burt Rutan
Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Scaled Composites

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Aerospace Engineering (1965)Honorary Doctor of Science (1987)
  • Founder and chairman emeritus of Scaled Composites, one of the most aggressive aerospace research companies in the the world.
  • Named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Inc. magazine and described by Newsweek as “the man responsible for more innovations in modern aviation than any living engineer.”
  • In 2004, made international headlines as the designer of SpaceShipOne, the world’s first privately built manned spacecraft to reach space.
  • Rutan designed the legendary Voyager, the first aircraft to circle the world nonstop without refueling. Also developed the Ultralite, an all-composite 100 mpg show car for GM, and the Proteus “affordable U-2” aircraft.
  • Winner of the Presidential Citizen’s Medal, and included in Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World.”

Notable CSU Alumni in aerospace & aviation

Gladys D. BrownMaritime Academy
Airport Director, Yuma International Airport

Cal Maritime

Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering with license (2001)
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Yvonne CagleSan Francisco
Lead ARC Astronaut Science Liaison, NASA

San Francisco State​

B.A. Biochemistry (1981)
Tracy CaldwellFullerton
Astronaut, NASA

CSU Fullerton

B.S. Chemistry (1993)
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Gregory ChamitoffSan Luis Obispo
Astronaut, NASA

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

B.S. Electrical Engineering (1984)
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Deborah Ale FlintSan José
Chief Ex​​ecutive Officer
Los Angeles World Airports

San José State

BS, Accou​nting (1990)
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Victor GloverSan Luis Obispo
NASA Astronaut, (Commander, U.S. Navy), ​National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

B.S. General Engineering (1999)
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Ellen OchoaSan Diego
11th Director, NASA Johnson Space Center

San Diego State​

B.S. Physics (1980)
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Barry A. RondinellaLos Angeles
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Airport Director, John Wayne Airport Orange County

Cal State LA​

B.S., Aviation Administration (1987)
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aerospace & aviation
San Luis Obispo