Adam Carlson
Adjunct Professor
Adam is an aerospace engineer with a degree from Arizona State University. He has more than two decades of hands‑on experience in the aerospace industry. He currently is a senior staff engineer at GE Aerospace, where he has contributed to major programs including the GE9X engine. His professional background spans manufacturing, testing, research, and design, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of complex engineering systems and the full product development lifecycle.
Adam's teaching philosophy is grounded in systems thinking and interdisciplinary problem solving. He emphasizes helping students understand how individual components interact within larger engineering frameworks, preparing them to address the multifaceted challenges facing the aerospace industry. His non‑linear approach to engineering encourages students to explore multiple solution pathways and develop the critical thinking skills essential to modern engineering practice.
Committed to lifelong learning, Adam continues his professional development through formal training as well as self‑directed study. He maintains a personal workshop equipped for electronics manufacturing and design, metalworking, additive manufacturing, and rapid prototyping. These hands‑on experiences inform his instruction and allow him to bring real‑world engineering applications into the classroom.
Adam's broader interests include aviation history, linguistics, localized manufacturing, and traditional metalworking. He and his wife, an educator, foster a home environment centered on curiosity and continuous learning. He is dedicated to supporting the next generation of engineers and views engineering as a profession defined by continual growth, inquiry, and innovation.
Adam is an aerospace engineer with a degree from Arizona State University. He has more than two decades of hands‑on experience in the aerospace industry. He currently is a senior staff engineer at GE Aerospace, where he has contributed to major programs including the GE9X engine. His professional background spans manufacturing, testing, research, and design, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of complex engineering systems and the full product development lifecycle.
Adam's teaching philosophy is grounded in systems thinking and interdisciplinary problem solving. He emphasizes helping students understand how individual components interact within larger engineering frameworks, preparing them to address the multifaceted challenges facing the aerospace industry. His non‑linear approach to engineering encourages students to explore multiple solution pathways and develop the critical thinking skills essential to modern engineering practice.
Committed to lifelong learning, Adam continues his professional development through formal training as well as self‑directed study. He maintains a personal workshop equipped for electronics manufacturing and design, metalworking, additive manufacturing, and rapid prototyping. These hands‑on experiences inform his instruction and allow him to bring real‑world engineering applications into the classroom.
Adam's broader interests include aviation history, linguistics, localized manufacturing, and traditional metalworking. He and his wife, an educator, foster a home environment centered on curiosity and continuous learning. He is dedicated to supporting the next generation of engineers and views engineering as a profession defined by continual growth, inquiry, and innovation.
First Year at Xavier
2025
- B.S. Aerospace Engineering
- Over 15 years of engineering experience