AIAA Announcements AIAA Announces 2022 Election Results

AIAA has announced the results of its recent 2022 Board of Trustees Member-at Large and Chief, Integration and Outreach Activities Division elections. The newly elected AIAA officials will take office on 28 April.

2022 Election Results for Board of Trustees
Member-at-Large
Larry D. James, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Ben Marchionna, Electra.aero
Stephanie D. Wilson, NASA Johnson Space Center

2022 Election Results for Chief, Integration and Outreach Activities Division
Peter Hartwich, The Boeing Company

Public Policy 2022 Congressional Visits Day

A small sampling of the many participants at this year’s virtual CVD. Credit: AIAA

During our 24th annual Congressional Visits Day (CVD) program, held virtually 14–18 March, AIAA members from across the country met with their congressional delegations to raise awareness of the aerospace community. They promoted AIAA’s 2022 key issues and called on Congress to support the people and the companies in the aerospace sector by

• Accelerating the establishment of policies that facilitate the commercialization of space for U.S. technological competitiveness, economic growth, and national security benefits

• Supporting the growth, evolution, and diversification of the 21st-century workforce to fill the job needs in the industry

• Supporting long-term, robust investments in research and technologies that drive innovation and sustainability across the A&D industry

• Supporting initiatives with associated funding for the recovery and advancement of the A&D industry – including workforce, infrastructure, and technology advancements

Through meetings with members of Congress, legislative staff, and other key stakeholders, CVD raises awareness of the long-term value that science, engineering, and technology bring to America. Thanks to all those who participated, and we hope you will join us for CVD 2023.

Publications News New Editor-in-Chief Sought for the AIAA Education Series

AIAA is seeking an outstanding candidate to assume the responsibilities of Editor-in-Chief of the AIAA Education Series. The chosen candidate will assume the editorship at an exciting time as AIAA continues to expand its ability to support eBooks and other electronic content, along with publishing a range of titles in traditional print format.

The AIAA Education Series publishes books that are adopted for classroom use in many of the top undergraduate and graduate engineering programs around the world. These important texts are also referred to daily by aeronautics and astronautics professionals who want to expand their knowledge and expertise. Books in the series present the subject material tutorially, discussing fundamental principles and concepts.

A successful series Editor-in-Chief will have a broad range of interests beyond strictly technical aerospace topics, and some familiarity with book publishing is preferred. The editor works closely with AIAA Headquarters staff to identify new topics and potential authors, maintain high-quality print and electronic content, and promote the series and AIAA’s publishing program. They will evaluate book proposals and manuscript submissions, recommend outside manuscript reviewers, and work with AIAA staff to ensure that all proposals are processed in a fair and timely manner.

Interested candidates are invited to send letters of application describing their reasons for applying, summarizing their relevant experience and qualifications, and offering initial priorities for the book series; full résumés; and complete lists of publications to:
Michele Dominiak
Managing Director, Publications
Email: micheled@aiaa.org

A minimum of two letters of recommendation are required. The recommendations should be sent by the parties writing the letters directly to Ms. Dominiak by email. To receive full consideration, applications and all required materials must be received at AIAA Headquarters by 30 April 2022, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

A search committee appointed by the AIAA Publications Committee Chair, Robert Pitz, will seek candidates and review all applications received. The search committee will recommend a qualified candidate to the Publications Committee Chair for final approval. This is an open process, and the final selection will be made only on the basis of the applicants’ merits. All candidates will be notified of the final decision.

AIAA Foundation Making an Impact: AIAA And Challenger Center Announce Inaugural Winners Of Trailblazing Stem Educator Award

Top row (l to r): Jackie Blumer, Jennifer Cheesman, and Kellie Taylor; bottom row (l to r): Cedric Turner and Katrina Harden Williams. Credit: AIAA

AIAA and Challenger Center have announced the winners of the 2022 Trailblazing STEM Educator Award: Jackie Blumer, Jennifer Cheesman, Kellie Taylor, Cedric Turner, and Katrina Harden Williams. The award celebrates K-12 teachers who go above and beyond to inspire the next generation of explorers and innovators.

Jackie Blumer, 6th and 7th grade science teacher, Greenville Junior High School, Greenville, IL
For embedding engineering challenges and current aerospace activities into the class curriculum, as well as serving as the AIAA St. Louis Section STEM Chair.

A passionate space science educator, Blumer uses live rocket launches, engineering design challenges, and hands-on programs to excite her students about STEM. She has been at the forefront of the use of digital programs in the classroom, utilizing virtual missions when field trips were no longer an option.

Jennifer Cheesman, 6th grade science teacher, Zuni Hills Elementary School, Sun City, AZ
For exceptional skill in taking high-level concepts and implementing them in fun and engaging ways with inclusive teaching strategies.

Cheesman is dedicated to integrating high-level concepts into engaging and easily understandable methods, including the creation of the “Lab in a Bag” engineering design program, sending engineering kits to students’ homes while they were learning virtually. Prior to being a classroom teacher, Cheesman was a Flight Director at a Challenger Learning Center.

Kellie Taylor, 2nd and 3rd grade teacher, Hawthorne Elementary School, Boise, ID
For sharing a passion for hands-on STEM education with students and colleagues, connecting them to real-world STEM experiences through space education.

Taylor has prioritized STEM in her classroom, focusing on project-based learning with a strong emphasis on coding, robotics, space education, and hands-on programs. She leads STEM curriculum development, hosts STEM-focused after-school activities, and shares her passion for STEM education by leading professional development workshops for her colleagues.

Cedric Turner, high school teacher, Brockton High School, Brockton, MA
For tireless work at Ashfield, South, and North Middle Schools, and Brockton High School, providing inspiration and STEM education to minority and underrepresented students.

Turner focuses on inspiring the next generation of minority and underrepresented students in STEM through his after-school program, “Empower Yourself,” and lunch and learn programs that connect students to local STEM professionals and STEM competitions and educate students about wealth management and economic success.

Katrina Harden Williams, middle school teacher, Ames Middle School, Ames, IA
For enthusiastic pursuit of out-of-this-world K-12 educational experiences, and ingenious connections between real-world STEM topics, classroom education, and students’ imaginations, appealing particularly to underrepresented groups.

Williams is enthusiastic about connecting real-world STEM careers and lessons to the classroom, as well as exposing underserved and underrepresented students to STEM disciplines and careers. During the pandemic, she creatively taught her students about PPE and other COVID support programs. She frequently hosts STEM-focused after-school activities, field trips, and career expos.

Each teacher, and their respective schools, will be awarded $5,000. In addition, the teachers can select from Challenger Center’s suite of hands-on, simulated learning experiences based on their classes’ needs. The educators will be recognized at the AIAA Awards Gala, where one of the five educators will be named the grand prize winner and be invited to join Club for the Future, Blue Origin’s nonprofit, at a future New Shepard launch. The five winners also will be celebrated in their local communities in the coming weeks.

AIAA Student Programs A New Year at the University of Adelaide’s Student Branch

AIAA booth at the University of Adelaide’s Orientation Week. Student branch members with branch president Mahdy Alhameed (second from right). Credit: AIAA University of Adelaide Student Branch

By Mahdy Alhameed, AIAA University of Adelaide Student Branch President

The AIAA University of Adelaide Student Branch recruited new students at the university’s Orientation Week in February as they encouraged students interested in aerospace to sign up for a student membership to maximize their university opportunities, connections, and social fun throughout the year. They discussed some of the year’s highlights, such as the Design/Build/Fly competition (DBF), tour of the aviation museum, BBQs, and a Yuri’s cinema night. With over 50 new members the branch is excited to put teams together to participate in DBF for the first time, participating in a competition that brings theory learnt in class to real-world experience.

Section News AIAA Greater Huntsville Section Aerospace-Themed Valentine’s Day Contest

(L to r): Our 1st-place entry in the adult category was a clever Skylab-themed Valentine from David Hitt. First place in the 12-18 division went to Sawyer Yarbrough and Jordan Ratton with their baby Yoda-themed Valentine. In the youngest age division, first place went to Evan Chisgah with a cosmic comparison. Credit: AIAA GHS

By Tracie Prater

This year AIAA Greater Huntsville Section invited professional members, children of members, and students sponsored by our AIAA Educator Associates to submit aerospace-themed Valentine’s Day cards. The section received over 70 submissions in three categories: children under 12, ages 12-18, and adult. All submissions were posted on the section’s social media account. Winners were determined based on the number of “likes” at the end of the voting period. First- and second-place winners in each category received gift cards to their choice of sweet shops in Huntsville. We loved seeing all the creative submissions and especially appreciate the great participation from the students of our AIAA Educator Associates. The contest was a fun way to interact with our members.

Obituary AIAA Associate Fellow Watts Died in June 2021

Alfred C. Watts died on 19 June. He was 77 years old.

Watts graduated from Mississippi State University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1966. He joined the Sandia Corporation as a member of the Technical Development Program, earning a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (M.S.S.E) degree from the University of New Mexico in 1967. He returned to Mississippi State to pursue a Ph.D. in 1970 before rejoining Sandia as a member of the Doctoral Studies Program in 1971. In 1972 Watts received a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and continued work at Sandia as a Member of the Technical Staff.

Watts spent his entire professional career at Sandia National Laboratories. He made significant contributions to a variety of flight system applications and the development of the U.S. missile defense system over the years. One of his most notable contributions involved the autopilot control system for a winged maneuvering reentry vehicle that he helped develop in the late 1970s. The initial development effort culminated in a successful flight-test in 1985 and eventually led to another flight test 25 years later using updated control system technology which Watts conceived and implemented. The results of this flight test legacy serve as the foundation for a new hypersonic weapon system that the United States is developing.

His technical interests throughout most of his career focused on inertial navigation and guidance and control systems for missiles and maneuvering reentry vehicles. He was a visionary and an accomplished engineer and missile defense pioneer in the field of hypersonics. Post-retirement, he continued his association with Sandia as a consultant.

His abilities were well known throughout Sandia, and the broader communities throughout the government sector that he worked with on military aerospace technologies and applications. Watts provided a wealth of technical contributions at the project level. He also spent a few years supporting clandestine activities of national security significance during a stint in Sandia’s intelligence organization.

An AIAA Associate Fellow, Watts was a member of the AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Technical Committee for several years.

Obituary AIAA Student Member Lewis Died in December 2021

Hunter N. Lewis. Credit: Lewis Family

Hunter N. Lewis died 30 December. He was 21 years old.

Lewis grew up in northern California before attending California State University, Long Beach, where he was studying aerospace engineering. His goal was to be an astronaut, and he had had just been accepted into NASA’s early astronaut training program. Lewis also had earned his pilot’s license. He was the chair of the AIAA California State University, Long Beach Student Branch.

Obituary AIAA Associate Fellow Murad Died in January

Paul A. Murad. Credit: Murad Family

Aerospace engineer Paul A. Murad died on 24 January. He was 78.

Mr. Murad found his passion for airplanes, rockets, space, and technology early in life. He flew gliders as a teen and was a member of the Civil Air Patrol. For fun, he designed, built, and launched metal rockets that he made in his father’s machine shop. He graduated as salutatorian from Aviation High School in Queens, New York, in 1960, and then earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in 1964.

Mr. Murad started his career as an engineer at the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center. He was responsible for performing reentry ablation analysis on the Apollo capsule. He served for two years as a first lieutenant and member of the 82nd Airborne Division stationed in the Dominican Republic and Fort Bragg. He returned to Houston to work at NASA and later earned his master’s in aeronautical engineering and astrodynamics at New York University in 1968.

Mr. Murad worked at Aerojet, Martin Marietta, G.E. RESD, and Bendix Corporation from 1968 to 1986. He worked to develop and advance a myriad of advanced propulsion systems. These included the NERVA nuclear rocket engine, the SAM-D, the SPRINT Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM), the SPRINT, the Pershing II Maneuverable Reentry Vehicle, the Shuttle External Tank, and the ICBM Mk. 500 and PGRV AMaRV reentry vehicles. He also evaluated Russian anti-ship missile technology to understand the vulnerability to the Navy High Energy Laser program.

In 1986, he joined the Defense Intelligence Agency where he focused on advanced foreign technology efforts. He also directly supported the Pentagon on the Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War, Serbia, and Afghanistan. Even after retiring in 2010, Mr. Murad continued his work trying to solve the hardest problems in physics that exist, and he relished every minute of it.

During his career, he published over 140 technical papers covering subjects such as a pseudo-analytical closed form solution to the Navier-Stokes equations, astrodynamics studies involving Libration points, gravitational models, electrodynamic models such as coining a Murad-Brandenburg Equations which was a Poynting Conservation Law, and the demise of planet Phaeton and its impact upon the solar system cosmology. He also authored nine books about science fiction, genocide, and pulsars. He helped move the world forward while most simply maintained it. Few have the opportunity to live such a rewarding life.

Mr. Murad joined AIAA in 1967 and was an AIAA Associate Fellow, Class of 2011. He was a member of the AIAA Space Settlement Technical Committee, and he attended several AIAA Aerospace Science Meetings and took part in AIAA Congressional Visits Day (2010, 2011, and 2012).

Obituary AIAA Associate Fellow Sutton Died in February

Kenneth Sutton died on 7 February. He was 83 years old.

Sutton earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree, both in Mechanical Engineering, from the University of Florida in Gainesville. He subsequently earned a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University, and a Master of Science degree in Government Administration from George Washington University.

In 1962, Sutton joined NASA Langley Research Center. He retired in 2002 as Chief of the Aerothermodynamics Branch after 40 years of dedicated service. His NASA career included numerous achievement awards, including the NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal, related to his leadership and personal technical contributions in the field of aerothermodynamics for space transportation and planetary entry vehicles. Sutton continued his engineering career as a Senior Research Fellow with the National Institute of Aerospace. He retired in full 10 years later.

Sutton joined AIAA in 1969 and was an Associate Fellow; he was also a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Obituary AIAA Fellow Del Balzo Died in February

Joseph Del Balzo died on 11 February. He was 85 years old.

Del Balzo earned an engineering degree from Manhattan College in 1958 before beginning as an entry-level engineer with the FAA. He also earned a master’s in engineering management from Drexel University in 1967.

Del Balzo served in a number of senior-level roles with the FAA. He was the chief technical advisor for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, coordinating research and development efforts between the United States and those regions. He led the FAA Technical Center, achieving national and international recognition for its work in the areas of airport and airspace systems analysis, aircraft fire safety, electronic systems testing, and pilot judgment studies.

He later became executive director of system operations, defining requirements for new technology and operation of air traffic control systems. Del Balzo also organized the participation of National Airspace System users, operators, and producers. After holding the role of FAA deputy administrator, from 1992 to 1993 he was acting administrator.

In 1994, Del Balzo founded JDA Aviation Technology Solutions working with a range of international clients on airport and airspace planning, safety, security, training, and technology applications, working with a range of international clients.

An AIAA Fellow, Del Balzo was a former chairman of the Air Traffic Control Association and a former member of the Civil Tilt-Rotor Advisory Committee. He had served on the board of Weather Information Technologies.