Peter Gustafson

Dr. Peter A. Gustafson is a professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Western Michigan University. Since joining the faculty, he has maintained a robust, multi-disciplinary portfolio centered on aerospace analysis, computational mechanics, and collaborative program building. His work bridges the gap between high-fidelity computational modeling and practical, real-world engineering solutions.

Gustafson’s research emphasizes applying aerospace structural analysis to complex mechanical, biomedical and software systems. His active portfolio includes research with NASA to develop multi-scale computational modeling tools for 3D-printed metallic and composite structures, leveraging advanced computational mechanics and machine learning.

Previously, he pioneered a decade-long collaboration with the orthopedic surgery residency program at the WMU Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed), applying structural analysis to surgical challenges. This cross-disciplinary work generated numerous peer-reviewed publications and multiple patents, serving as the foundation for three spin-off companies—including NeoVent, a low-cost neonatal ventilator developed for low-resource global markets.

Extending his research footprint into open-source technology, Gustafson spent a decade as a lead developer for Avare, an open-source aviation GPS moving map application used by tens of thousands of pilots. His stewardship of this global community directly secured corporate equipment gifts for WMU, expanding the university's high-performance cluster infrastructure with multiple advanced computing nodes to support complex engineering simulations.

Gustafson has supported and facilitated the expansion and modernization of the university's engineering programs. His contributions include:

• Aerospace engineering expansion: Led collaborative faculty efforts to transition the undergraduate curriculum to a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, partnered closely with department colleagues to establish the Master of Science in aerospace engineering (serving as its inaugural advisor) and supported the collective team launch of the Ph.D. program in aerospace engineering.
• Interdisciplinary program building: Co-founded the joint Master of Science in medical engineering program between the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and WMed, serving as the track chair for biomechanics and biomaterials.

Beyond his professional work, Gustafson is committed to youth development and outdoor recreation and safety in the West Michigan community. He frequently volunteers as a coach and mentor for youth sports (including mountain biking, baseball, softball, basketball and soccer), has served as a Cub Scout den leader, and volunteers with the local ski patrol. He also maintains leadership roles on several community-based organizational boards.