DoD launches aerospace center at Tuskegee University The Associated Press February 23 First lady Michelle Obama waits on stage before she he delivers the commencement address at Tuskegee University, May 9, 2015, in Tuskegee, Ala. (Brynn Anderson/AP) TUSKEGEE, Ala. — The U.S. Department of Defense has launched an aerospace education center of excellence at Tuskegee University in Alabama. The Aerospace Education Research and Innovation Center will support undergraduate research in materials and aerospace sciences relevant to the department and the aerospace industry, a news release said. “The establishment of centers of excellence plays a vital role in our defense enterprise by stimulating research and innovation for the next generation of STEM leaders,” said Dr. Jagadeesh Pamulapati, director of the Pentagon’s Office of Research, Technology, and Laboratories.