By constantly upgrading course contents to reflect industrial needs, supporting MAE-IAC scholarships which reward hard work, and promoting graduate education to produce researchers for future industries, the Industrial Advisory Council (IAC) in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) at the University of Missouri-Columbia is the utmost division on advising the department regarding a full spectrum of curriculum issues, from the undergraduate education to the graduate program.  Whenever the need for changes are identified, through the observations of the MAE Undergraduate Committee, the students' feedback during the bi-annual exit interviews, or the Department Chair's Forum with MAE Undergraduates, the proposals for such changes are always examined and discussed by the Council before actual implementations begin.  For concerns and deficiencies identified by the Council within the entire range of the MAE curriculum design and program administration, the department takes immediate actions to address these concerns and make every effort to resolve them within a year.

The Council, which is composed of 13 industry leaders from various sectors in the field of Engineering such as managers, directors, and senior engineers, meet twice a year, once during the Fall Semester and once during the Winter Semester.  In both the Fall and Winter meetings, a one-hour block is always reserved for discussing departmental issues, which include all curricular changes, improvements, and ABET preparations.  The Dean of the College of Engineering and the Department Chair of MAE give institutional updates to the Council regarding the improvements during the past year.  The various student organizations sponsored by the IAC, including the renowned MU Solar Car Team, MU Formula Car Team, ASME Student Council, and the IIT Honors Fraternity also make presentations to the Council.

The Fall MAE-IAC meeting is usually held during the last weekend in September or the first weekend in October and features a MAE-IAC Undergraduate Forum.  During the forum, Council members address engineering issues important to the students.  Afterwards, students are encouraged to talk to the members one-on-one at a pizza party sponsored by the Council and ASME.

The Winter MAE-IAC meeting is usually held during the last weekend of April.  At this meeting the primary role of the Council is to evaluate MAE Capstone Design Presentations and award ratings to all of the design projects in the afternoon.  A formal banquet, which is the largest MAE annual event, follows in the evening and includes all of the Council members, the College administration, the MAE staff, the MAE faculty members and their families, and the students.  The MAE-IAC, in summary, is an objective body within MAE that ensures the department's continuous commitment to anticipate and surpass new academic challenges set forth by an evolving industry.