Utah State Engineer | 2023

Engineering Alumni
“Utah State has the best
engineering program in the
state, and I dare say one of
the best in the country. We
intend to keep it that way.”
– Nick Alley
Supporting the Next Generation of
Aerospace Engineers
By Sydney Dahle
Over a decade ago, Nick Alley used his Ph.D. in
mechanical and aerospace engineering to create
an aerospace defense technology company called
Area-I, which designed and built unmanned aerial
vehicles for the U.S. military and its allies. Alley
sold his business in 2021, and today he’s using
those profits to invest in the future of aerospace
engineering right here at Utah State.
The sale of Area-I gave Alley more time to spend
with his wife, Laura, and their five children. With
more time on his hands, Alley also decided to
share his experience in the defense and aerospace
field and continue the legacy of his mentor, USU
professor emeritus Warren Phillips.
Phillips’s taught aerodynamics classes, which Alley
took while pursuing his degrees in mechanical and
aerospace engineering. Under Phillips’ guidance,
Alley’s passion for aerodynamics grew as he
participated in the design, building, and flight
testing of several unmanned and manned aircraft,
including a recreation of the iconic 1905 Wright
Flyer, which was sponsored by the Space Dynamics
Lab.
Nick and Laura created an endowed fellowship
in Phillips’s name, dedicated to helping USU
doctoral students engage in important aeronautical
research. Most university research is funded by
outside organizations, which typically specify strict
requirements for the research that they fund. In
contrast, the fellowship funded by the Alleys will
allow faculty and students at USU much more
flexibility to study fundamental topics.
“We are beyond grateful for what Nick and Laura
have given us,” said Dr. Doug Hunsaker, the
professor who will oversee the fellowship program.
“Many of the most significant discoveries come
out of unfunded research, and having a full-time
student with me means we can look at long-term
and big-picture ideas within the field of aerospace.”
Although these days the Alleys focus on family, Nick
knows the future of the USU aerospace engineering
program is safe in Hunsaker’s hands.
“Utah State has the best engineering program
in the state, and I dare say one of the best in the
country.” Alley said. “We intend to keep it that way.”
Photo: Matt Alexandre
Alley would eventually go on to receive his Ph.D. at
USU, with Phillips serving as his major professor.
“Dr. Phillips was a machine,” Alley said. “He entered
the field of aerodynamics late in his teaching
career, and within a few years of being a ‘student’
of the field himself, he had written a textbook and
a flurry of peer-reviewed articles that enabled
a more thorough understanding of aircraft
aerodynamics and flight mechanics. Phillips’
impact on my life and career can’t be overstated.
He was an incredible mentor and he taught me
how to develop aero-software tools and an aircraft
design process that would become the foundation
of Area-I’s success.”
Nick Alley
Founder, Engineer &
Entrepreneur
BS ’01 MS ’03 Ph.D. ’06
Mechanical Engineering
Laura Alley
BS ’06 Family and Human
Development
Nick and Laura Alley have created
an endowed fellowship dedicated to
helping USU doctoral students engage in
fundamental aeronautical research.
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