Building the Talent and Research to Support Georgia’s Aerospace Industry
Aerospace is Georgia’s number one export, the result of decades of investment in engineering talent, research capability, and collaboration among industry, government, and higher education. While aircraft manufacturing and global aerospace companies often capture the headlines, much of the work that sustains the industry takes place inside universities and research centers across the state. In Middle Georgia, Mercer University and the Mercer Engineering Research Center (MERC) play an important role in that work.
A School of Engineering Built for Regional Need
Mercer University’s School of Engineering was established in the mid-1980s during a period of rapid growth in aerospace and defense activity in Middle Georgia, driven by expanding missions at Robins Air Force Base (Robins AFB).
At the time, leaders at Robins AFB recognized that the region would need more engineers to support the base’s growing technical workforce. The base commander reached out to then-Mercer President Kirby Godsey to see whether Mercer could help meet that need. After evaluating the need and opportunity, Godsey led the effort to establish Mercer’s School of Engineering, creating a program to prepare engineers who could support the growing technical workforce in Middle Georgia and across the state.
What began as a solution to a regional workforce need has become woven into Mercer’s identity. Today, the School of Engineering remains closely connected to the region’s and the state’s aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing sectors. That focus has shaped the school’s development from the beginning and continues to guide its work today.
MERC: Applied Engineering at Work
Mercer’s engineering work naturally grew beyond the classroom to tackle complex technical problems through applied research. This spirit of innovation led to the creation of the Mercer Engineering Research Center, known as MERC.
Established in 1987 within the School of Engineering, MERC focuses on applied research to address technical problems. Much of its work supports national defense missions, including sustainment, modernization, and technical problem solving for critical aerospace and defense systems.
The center has worked alongside Robins Air Force Base and other Department of War partners for decades. Because many of these efforts involve technologies with operational security requirements, much of the center’s work remains appropriately limited from public view.
Even so, MERC has built a strong national reputation for engineering expertise and problem-solving, while maintaining close ties to Mercer University and the Middle Georgia region.
Today, MERC is led by Executive Director Andi Mitchell, who has been part of Mercer’s engineering story since the center’s founding. Her long tenure reflects the continuity and institutional knowledge that have helped shape MERC’s reputation for technical excellence and trusted partnerships.
Supporting STEM Education and Workforce Development
MERC’s impact stretches beyond research projects and technical systems.
Many members of the MERC team volunteer in the community, support STEM education initiatives, mentor students, and assist with robotics and engineering competitions across the region. These activities introduce young people to technical careers and help grow the future workforce that the aerospace and defense industries depend on.
Through their efforts, the same engineering expertise that supports national missions also helps inspire the next generation of innovators in Middle Georgia.
A New Alliance for Georgia’s Aerospace and Defense Industry
Georgia’s aerospace community became more visible in 2025 when the Georgia Aerospace and Defense Alliance (GADA) was formed.
Launched in August 2025 and led by Executive Director Ember Bishop Bentley, the alliance brings together organizations across Georgia’s aerospace and defense sectors. Founding members include major aerospace companies with significant operations in Georgia, including Gulfstream, Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney (an RTX business), and FlightSafety International.
The formation of the Alliance marks a pivotal step in advancing this high-growth industry, and it will be housed at Mercer University, a strategic location that underscores Mercer’s commitment to innovation and its role as a trusted partner across Georgia’s aerospace and defense ecosystem.
Earlier this year, GADA also helped organize Aerospace and Defense Day at the Georgia Capitol, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and partners to celebrate the importance of aerospace to the state’s economy and workforce.
Strengthening Aerospace and Defense in the Innovation Corridor
For the Middle Georgia Innovation Corridor, Mercer University’s engineering programs and applied research capabilities help connect education, innovation, and industry across the region’s aerospace and defense ecosystem. The School of Engineering prepares the technical workforce needed to support critical missions, while the Mercer Engineering Research Center contributes applied engineering expertise to complex aerospace and defense challenges.
“Mercer University and MERC help ensure that the expertise, talent, and research capacity needed for aerospace remain strong in Middle Georgia,” said Dr. Joe Richardson, Executive Director of the Middle Georgia Innovation Corridor. “They connect education, innovation, and defense missions in a way that benefits the entire region.”
As Georgia’s aerospace and defense industry continues to grow, the connection among education, applied engineering, and industry partnerships helps ensure that Middle Georgia remains an important part of the state’s innovation economy.
Photo Credits: Mercer Engineering Research Center (MERC), Mercer University. All imagery sourced from www.merc-mercer.org
