Mark “Nate” Callender joined the Aerospace Department at Middle Tennessee State University in 2005. He earned an M.S. in Aviation Systems and a Ph.D. in Engineering Science from the University of Tennessee Space Institute. He teaches courses within and coordinates the Aerospace Technology concentration; supervises the Aerospace Technology Laboratory; mentors undergraduate and graduate researchers (Aerospace Technology seniors, URECA Scholars, Honors students, and Masters students); chairs departmental and university committees; is a member of the EXL, Honors, and Graduate faculty; and is an Associate Chair of the Aerospace Department.
Dr. Callender has incorporated glider design competitions, flight testing (simulated and actual), and wind tunnel usage (actual and virtual) into AERO 1020, 3440, and 4440. His area of specialization is in low Reynolds number aerodynamics, propeller/rotor noise reduction, fixed-wing flight testing, and fixed-wing glide performance.
Dr. Callender tries to inspire his students in the “pursuit of wisdom” by pursuing it himself. He wants his students to discover the truth of the proverb “blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding” (Proverbs 3:13). He was awarded MTSU’s Outstanding Teacher Award in 2015 and the University’s Outstanding Honors Faculty Award in 2018.
He shares life with his wife, Sarah. They have three children: Elijah, Ian, and Elizabeth.