For Professor Greg O'Neill, mechanical engineering, the journey to aerospace engineering began in middle school when he picked up October Sky, Homer Hickam's memoir about small-town kids building rockets. That spark of curiosity propelled him all the way to a doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT and now fuels his cutting-edge research and mentorship at Bucknell. 

At Bucknell, O'Neill is helping shape the future of flight, both in the classroom and in the lab. His Aircraft Design Competition course puts students in the pilot seat of their own engineering projects — guiding them from concept to construction to flight. "There's this amazing moment when they build something that actually flies," he says. "It hits them that their work matters."

Beyond the classroom, O'Neill is tackling some of the biggest questions in modern aviation. His research focuses on integrating electric aircraft into the National Airspace System — a crucial step toward lowering emissions and creating a more sustainable aviation industry. 

He's also exploring the growing tension between rocket launches and commercial air travel. In a recent study published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, O'Neill analyzed over 380 U.S. space launches and found that airspace reserved during rocket launches — known as Special Use Airspace — is often left restricted far longer than necessary. With private companies like SpaceX now behind more than 90% of U.S. launches, O'Neill says the paradigm has shifted dramatically. "We're not quite at a rocket launch a day, but we're getting close," O'Neill says. "That's drawn a number of complaints from the airlines. It costs the airlines money, and they don't like it. When they have to reroute due to space launches, they incur thousands of dollars, and they won't get reimbursed."

O'Neill is also reimagining how we reduce aircraft noise, especially for communities near airports. His research into morphing wings — wings that adjust shape mid-flight — aims to make aircraft quieter and more efficient during takeoff and landing. "It's a huge noise pollution issue for people who live near airports," he says. "If we can make these systems quieter and cleaner, we're improving the quality of life for surrounding communities."

After years at a large research institution, O'Neill was drawn to Bucknell's close-knit academic environment, where he could collaborate more directly with students. "I get to work one-on-one with undergrads who are just as excited about this field as I am," he says. "And I have the creative latitude to build courses and projects that spark that excitement."

Looking ahead, O'Neill sees an industry on the verge of transformation — and he's eager to help students become part of that change. Whether it's designing the next generation of electric aircraft, building rockets or solving space traffic jams, he's guiding Bucknell engineers to think bigger and aim higher.