Aerospace Engineering - Penn State University

A publication of Aerospace Engineering
Fall 2005
The
Aerospace Engineering
Newsletter
Message from the department head
Dear Alumni:
The past year has been eventful. Student interest in Aerospace Engineering continues to grow—the number of B.S.
grads has more than doubled in the last five years. In order
to maintain the quality of instruction, we have had to
institute an enrollment cap for the coming year. While we
will welcome more than 100 new juniors into the program,
we had to turn away almost 20.
Last fall, we developed a new strategic plan to guide us for
the next five years. Key actions include: increasing the faculty
size; reviewing the undergraduate curriculum; pursuing
interdisciplinary research programs; recruiting a diverse
student body; increasing use of instructional technology; and
increasing endowment support. Following the plan, we are in
the midst of a new faculty search, which we hope to bring to
a successful conclusion shortly.
The faculty also approved an outline for a revision of our
undergraduate curriculum. It meets the College of Engineering goal of 131 credits, it is forward-looking in terms of the
direction the aerospace field is taking, and it gives students
more flexibility to pursue minors. Some key features include:
modest reductions of credits in math, physics, structures, and
aerodynamics; balancing increases in controls, software,
vehicle systems engineering, and professional skills; and an
additional elective. We are wrestling with how to increase
hands-on activity in times of growing enrollment and
declining resources, but we recognize this as an important
educational component. We hope to submit the formal
paperwork to the University Faculty Senate for approval
before the end of the coming fall semester. The assistance of
our Industrial and Professional Advisory Council, many
members of which are alums, was invaluable in both our
strategic planning and curriculum review processes.
You might be interested to know that in-state tuition at Penn
State now exceeds $10,000, and out-of-state tuition more
than double that. Although state support per student is
decreasing, the University administration is trying to hold
the line on tuition increases. One result is that salary increases
here might not keep pace with inflation. On the other hand,
the generosity of alums made it possible for the department
to award almost $60,000 in scholarships to students this
year, supplemented by a like amount from the college.
Your continuing support is appreciated and is more important than ever.
I would like to thank the faculty, staff, students, and alums
for actively supporting my efforts in my first year as
department head. In the coming year, I hope to visit alums
around the country, to share our accomplishments and
plans, and to seek advice and feedback concerning the
issues that face the department. If you’d like to serve as a
local coordinator for such a visit, please let me know.
I hope you will enjoy reading about our recent accomplishments in this newsletter. We will continue to seek better ways
of staying in touch with you, and we welcome your ideas.
Best regards,
George A. Lesieutre
Attention Aerospace Grads!
What are you doing now?
You can send your news by e-mail to [email protected],
visit us on our web site at http://www.aero.psu.edu or
you can write to us at:
The Department of Aerospace Engineering,
229 Hammond Building, Penn State University,
University Park, PA 16802
We look forward to hearing from you.
Awards & Recognition
FACULTY AND STAFF AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Edward C. Smith, professor, was elected to the Technical
Advisory Committee (TAC) of the Center for Rotorcraft Innovation
(CRI, formerly known as RITA). In this position, Smith will
represent all the associate (university) members of CRI. He was
also promoted to rank of professor of aerospace engineering. He
has been a faculty member in the department since 1992. He
received his B.S. degree from Penn State in 1988, M.S. and Ph.D.
in 1990 and 1992, respectively, from the University of Maryland.
McLaughlin named Fellow of AIAA
Dennis K. McLaughlin, professor of aerospace engineering,
has been named a Fellow of the American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). AIAA Fellows are chosen
based on their notable and valuable contributions to the arts,
sciences, or technology in aeronautics or astronautics. This is an
honor reserved for one in a thousand voting members annually.
Only 30 people were named Fellows this year.
Hubert C. Smith, associate professor emeritus, received
The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award in appreciation for his
dedicated service, technical expertise, professionalism, and
many outstanding contributions that further the cause of
aviation safety. To be eligible for the award, candidates must
hold a CAA/FAA pilot certificate with 50 or more consecutive years
of civil flying experience. Smith is now listed in a “Roll of Honor”
book that is prominently displayed in the FAA Washington, DC,
headquarters building. Smith has been flying 53 years, having
taken his first lesson in 1952.
McLaughlin’s areas of teaching and research include experimental aerodynamics and aeroacoustics focusing on measurements
that connect flow instabilities and turbulence to radiated noise in
high-speed jets and in centrifugal turbomachinery; and in
studies of wing-in-ground-effect vehicles. McLaughlin served as
head of the department from 1986 to 2004.
David Spencer, assistant professor, was elected to the
University Faculty Senate and will begin a four-year term
beginning in the fall 2005 semester. He joins Edward Smith and
Kenneth Brentner as representatives of the College of Engineering. The Senate represents more than 5,000 full and parttime faculty at 23 Penn State locations.
Student Awards & Recognition
Morris and McLaughlin at the AIAA Fellows Banquet in Washington, DC.
Maughmer named Welliver Faculty Fellow
Undergraduates receive awards
Mark D. Maughmer, professor of aerospace engineering, was
selected as one of only nine faculty nationwide to participate in
the 2004 Boeing A.D. Welliver Faculty Summer Fellowship
Program. A.D. Welliver Fellows are chosen based on their motivation to improve teaching and student learning, acquire a
better understanding of the practice of engineering in industry,
and promote curricula improvement.
Jill Leggett received the 2003-2004 Anita M. Todd Internship
Student of the Year Award from the Engineering Cooperative
Education and Internship Office and was awarded a $500
scholarship.
Leggett, an aerospace engineering spring 2005 graduate,
participated in a summer 2004 internship experience at Boeing
in Seattle, WA. At Boeing, she identified the weight and make of
existing galley structures for 777 customers, and developed
relations of structural weight
to volume by customer and
airplane model.
A faculty member since 1984, his areas of teaching and research
involve analytical, computational and experimental aerodynamics,
including aircraft design, performance, stability and control, airfoil
design and analysis, and low-Reynolds number aerodynamics.
Kenneth S. Brentner, associate professor, was admitted to the
grade of Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He also will be serving a one-year term on
the University Faculty Senate for the academic year 2005-06.
Deborah A. Levin was awarded tenure in the department.
She is an associate professor and joined the faculty at Penn State
in 2000. She received her B.S degree in chemistry from the State
University of New York at Stony Brook and her doctorate in
chemistry from the California Institute of Technology.
George Lesieutre presenting award to Jill Leggett
2
Student Awards & Recognition
(Cont’d.)
Reception Held for the
2004-05 Scholarship/Fellowship Award Winners
Sean Knecht, an aerospace engineering senior, received the
2004 W. LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award for
Undergraduate Students. The University-wide award recognizes
undergraduate students who significantly contribute to the
advancement of Penn State’s international mission. The award
is named in honor of the retired deputy vice president for
international programs.
On November 4, the department hosted a reception for the
recipients of scholarships and fellowships awarded for the
academic year 2004-05. Forty students were in attendance
and were recognized for their scholarly achievement. There
were 18 recipients of aerospace engineering departmental
scholarships, 25 recipients of College of Engineering
scholarships, and 20 recipients of various fellowships and
funded awards for graduate students. George Lesieutre
served as the Master of Ceremonies, David Spencer
presented fellowships, and Robert Melton distributed the
department and college scholarships. Assisting with the
event were staff members Janice Sherer, Sheila Corl, Tammy
Besecker, and Amy Custer. Deans David Wormley, Larry
Burton, John Mason, Robert Pangborn, and Jean Landa Pytel
were also on hand to congratulate the award recipients.
During summer 2003, Knecht participated in an international
internship at the Deutschen Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt
(DLR), which is the German equivalent of NASA. There, he was
involved in a collaborative research program involving Penn
State, the U.S. Air Force, and DLR, which focused on the
modeling of propellant injection in liquid rocket engines.
Aero students win Kepler Prize
A team of aerospace engineering students won the Mars
Society’s 2004 Kepler Prize for best design of an Earth return
vehicle (ERV) for use in a manned mission to Mars. The winning
design was created by Alicia Cole-Quigley (’04), James Gilson
(’04), Erin Hammond (’03), Domenic Marcello (’04), Matthew
Miller (’04), and Jeffrey Rosenberg (’04) in AERSP 401A/401B, a
two-semester capstone course in spacecraft design taught by
Robert Melton and David Spencer.
The competition required teams to develop a design for an ERV
that would be sent to Mars aboard an unmanned spacecraft.
Once there, the ERV would autonomously produce fuel, oxygen,
and water for use by a crew that would arrive later for an
extended research mission. After completing their experiments,
the crew would return to Earth aboard the ERV.
Department of Aerospace Engineering Scholarship and Award Recipients:
Front row (left to right): N. Pedatella, J. Erwin, B. Durham, A. Goss,
D. Antinone. Back row (left to right): Dr. Melton, S. Amaral, Dean Mason,
Dean Burton, M. Garrison, W. Kong, B. Pomeroy, Dean Wormley, J. Doyle,
Dean Pangborn, C. Fitzgerald, Dr. Lesieutre, Dean Pytel.
Corbets named Student Liaison to AIAA Board
Jeffrey B. Corbets, a senior in aerospace engineering, was
selected as the first Board of Directors Student Liaison.
This liaison position was instituted in January 2004 as part of
the new AIAA strategic plan. Jeffrey will attend board of
directors meetings in 2005. His presence will help to create a
more direct link to AIAA student members, thus providing more
direct feedback to help AIAA create comprehensive programs to
attract and retain future young professionals and students.
As a freshman, Jeffrey joined the student chapter of AIAA
during the fall semester. As a junior, he was elected to chair the
student branch at Penn State and was re-elected as chair for his
senior year. He will pursue a master’s degree in aerospace
engineering at Penn State starting in the fall.
Fellowship and Award Recipients:
Front row (left to right): A. DeLullo, M. Remaly, C. Scott,
P. Hammond, S. Chianese. Back row (left to right): Dean Mason,
Dean Burton, D. Clemens, M. Ferringer, Dean Wormley, J. Palacios,
Dr. Spencer, K. Klingebiel, J. O’Malley, S. Hanford, P. O’Connor,
Dean Pangborn, Z. Li, Dr. Lesieutre, Dean Pytel.
3
Scholarship/Award Recipients 2004-2005
Undergraduate Scholarship/Award Recipients 2004-2005
Vaun Moffitt Scholarship
Pamela Montanye
DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
Mohn Scholarship
Jason Steiner
Aero Pioneers Class of 1944 Scholarship
Nicholas Pedatella, Ryan Volz, Jesse Zoll
Paul Morrow Scholarship
Paul Hayes, Jessica Papapietro
Lou Borges Scholarship
Brad Petrilla, Sergio Amaral, Daniel Antinone
John & Brenda Myers Trustee Scholarship
Jonathan Nolter
Mary Ilgen Memorial Scholarship
Adam Goss
Marlin & Dorothy Ristenbatt Trustee Scholarship
Shakil Ferdousi
Richard W. Leonhard Scholarship
James Doyle, Matthew Garrison,
Ryan Gatski, William Kong
Mervin & Patricia Schaefer Scholarship
Shannon Kolensky
John & Brenda Myers Scholarship
James Erwin
Ralph & Eleonora Strawbridge
Memorial Trustee Scholarship
James Smart
James Reynolds Norris Memorial Scholarship
Bryce Durham
Irv & Barbara Susson Trustee Scholarship
Matthew Brooks
David J. Peery Memorial Scholarship
Brian Pomeroy
John & Alice Watkins Scholarship
Abraham Stone
Carl A. Shollenberger Memorial Scholarship
Adam Steele
Boeing Company Scholarship
Sergio Amaral, Daniel Antinone, Bryce Durham,
Matthew Edgar, Jill Leggett, Ryan Gatski,
Brian Pomeroy, James Smart
Donald G. and Jayne L. Steva Scholarship
Jamie Browne
Honeywell International Foundation
Jeremie Albert, Christopher Fitzgerald
Graduate Fellowship/Award Recipients 2004-2005
The department thanks the above-named donors for their generous support.
GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Richard W. Leonhard Graduate Scholarship
Blair Basom, Anthony DeLullo
Bigony Trustee Scholarship
William Kong
James E. Marley Graduate Fellowship in Engineering
Peter Hammond
Donald B. Broughton Trustee Scholarship
Brad Petrilla
Weiss Fellowship
Derek Bridges
Freyermuth Engineering Scholarship
Emilia Speal
Exploratory & Foundational Fellowship –
Applied Research Lab
Michael Kinzel, Michael Remaly
Huck International Scholarship
James Grose
Graduate School Fellowship
Karl Klingebiel
Charles M. Kearns Scholarship
Matthew Garrison
Office of Graduate Studies, Research and
Outreach (OGSRO) Research Assistantship Award
Daniel Clemens
Robert & Evelyn Kremer Scholarship
Bryce Durham
Charles & Mary Landis Memorial Scholarship
Alexander Reich
William & Wyllis Leonhard Scholars Program Scholarship
Angelo Intorre, Conor Marr
4
Scholarship/Award Recipients
Spring 2005 Graduation and
Student Marshal
(Cont’d.)
GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS (Cont’d.)
On the weekend of May 13-15, the department had 44 B.S., 11
M.S. and two Ph.D. students graduate. On the morning of May
14, the department hosted a brunch reception at the Days Inn
Penn State for the graduates and their families. Students that
will be graduating in summer 2005 were also invited and
several attended the reception.
Office of Graduate Studies,
Research and Outreach (OGSRO) FEGR
Anthony DeLullo, Zheng Li
Rotorcraft Center of Excellence Fellowship
Scott Hanford, Michael Thiel
Bryce J. Durham was selected as the aerospace student marshal
for spring 2005 commencement. Durham is from Houston,
Texas. He was involved in AIAA, and received several
scholarships while at Penn State. He had an internship with
Boeing Company in the space shuttle program during the
summer of 2004 and has accepted a job at Cessna Aircraft
Company in Wichita, KS. Mark Maughmer served as the faculty
marshal and Robert Melton served as the University Marshal.
Aerospace Corporation Fellowship
Matthew Ferringer
Fundacion Rafael Del Pino Fellowship (Spain)
Jose Palacios
NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program
Silvio Chianese, Jeffrey O’Malley
Spring 2005 Bachelor of Science
National Defense Science &
Engineering Graduate Fellowship
Blair Basom, Scott Hanford, Christopher Scott
Brian P. Battaglia
Johnathan M. Blaschak
Matthew B. Brooks
Donald J. Butts
Hyun G. Choi
William C. Connell
Anthony J. Di Marco
Desiree M. Diaz
Edwin G. Dove
Bryce J. Durham
Sarah L. Edwards
Matthew R. Eliot
Charles T. Etter
Daniel R. Eveler
Shakil S. Ferdousi
Jessica E. Gatto
Brett S. Gilbert
Karl M. Goovaerts
James N. Grose
Aaron L. Johnson
Graig J. Jolley
Sean D. Knecht
NSF CEMBA Fellowship
Amanda Danforth Hanford, Karl Klingebiel
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Nathan Grube
NSF Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training
Patrick O’Connor
Fall 2004 Graduation
The aerospace department had 17 B.S., one M. Eng, nine M.S.
and one Ph.D student graduate on Dec. 18, 2004. The department hosted a dinner reception for the graduates and their
guests on Friday evening, Dec. 17, at the Days Inn Penn State.
Bachelor of Science
Dominic Amaturo
Jamie A. Browne, Jr.*
Christian J. DeSalvo
James C. Doyle
Nathan R. Hermanson
Matthew F. Kauffmann
Curtis E. Morton
Adam R. Peck
Alexander J. Reich*
Justin S. Shirey
Cory J. Sholl
Steven A. Sinacore Jr.
Kyle P. Snyder
Emilia A. Speal
James A. Stillwagon
Ian E. Stock
Anju Merin Thomas
*Schreyer Honors College
Master of
Engineering
Richard R. Auhl
Shailesh Jindal
Ippei Otani
Jose L. Palacios
Travis D. Schrift
Christopher J. Krajci
Jill L. Leggett
Dmytro R. Luciw
Walter T. Mayo
Travis J. Mest
Melissa R. Papa
Tushar Prabhakar
Carlos A. Rascon
Lauren E. Reitz
Bradford W. Ryll
Laura M. Salvador
Seth D. Schroeder
John C. Shepherd
Sunny K. Siu
Aaron T. Smith
Jill M. Tombasco*
Carl J. Valentino
Julia C. Venarchick
Brian J. Wadsley
Ashton R. Webb
Amber M. Wilson
Kristina D. Zaleski
*Schreyer Honors College
Spring 2005 Master of Science
William J. Chadwick
Matthew P. Ferringer
Brian R. Geiger
Dennis W. Haeberle
Ryan L. Kobrick
Francois Le Hen
Ph.D.
Anupam Sharma
Master of Science
Warren J. Baker
Daniel E. Clemens
Timothy A. Craychee
Dmitry A. Fedosov
Nathan E. Grube
Timothy Meisenhelder
Patrick D. O’Connor
Christopher J. Scott
Nadia Sellami
Matthew Wissler
Spring 2005 Ph.D.
Silvio Chianese
Jiaqiang Zhong
5
Spring 2005 Graduation and
Student Marshal (Cont’d.)
Summer 2005
Bachelor of Science
Christopher Barella
Jeffrey B. Corbets
Matthew B. Garrison*
Ryan S. Gatski
Ujas Patel
IPAC members participating in 2005
James Hargrave
vice president, Lockheed Martin Systems Integration,
Owego, NY (B.S. ’69)
Summer 2005 Ph.D.
Richard D. Branam
Eric Hathaway
Dooyong Lee
Deepak Ramrakhyani
Nikhil Rao
Anne Harlan
director, FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center
Fred Mazzitelli
director of airplane systems, Boeing Commercial Airplanes
(B.S. ’72) (chair)
Summer 2005
Master of Science
Matthew Garrison*
Christopher Hennes
Abraham Mathew
Sreenivas Narayanan Nampy
Appa Rao Nirakh
Rupinder Singh
James Woodburn
chief orbital scientist, Analytical Graphics, Inc.
Exton, PA (B.S. ’86)
New 2005 IPAC members
David Maynard
president, Maynard & Associates, LLC
Trenton, NJ (B.S. ’65)
Scott Miller
vice president, Omitron, Inc.
Beltsville, MD & Colorado Springs, CO (B.S. ’85)
Bryce Durham, student marshal for
Spring 2005 commencement
James Neidhoefer
CEO, Aerotonomy, Inc.
Fort Oglethorpe, GA
IPAC provides
valuable advice and feedback
Maj. Shahnaz Punjani
director of propulsion technologies
in the office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the
Air Force for ST&E (B.S. ’91)
Our Industrial and Professional Advisory Council (IPAC) advises
us on all aspects of our operation, from educational practices
and initiatives, to future research directions. This year was a
little different than usual, in that we had a new head, a new
strategic plan, and had taken the first steps of a curriculum
review. A couple of additional issues had to do with the roles of
"information engineering" and "systems engineering" in the
future of aerospace. In short, IPAC members had a chance to
more significantly impact our direction than has been the case
in recent years. Ten members of IPAC met for two days in early
March 2005; six new members brought fresh perspectives to
the process. Some key recommendations from IPAC included:
Pat Sheridan
manager of mechanical product development
Lord Corp., Erie, PA
Loren Stolp
vice president and deputy general counsel
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, East Hartford, CT (B.S. ’69)
• Develop a focused, structured plan for attracting
more graduate student research funding.
• Develop procedures to assure compliance with
export controls regulations (ITAR, EAR).
• Incorporate modern software tools
(such as MATLAB, ProE) in projects and courses.
• Make more course materials available on-line.
• Make sure students are exposed to
basic business practices.
2005 IPAC Members
Seated (left to right): Loren Stolp, James Woodburn, Shahnaz Punjani.
Standing (left to right): Pat Sheridan, Scott Miller, Anne Harlan,
James Neidhoefer, David Maynard, Frederick Mazzitelli, James Hargrave.
• Project activities are encouraged, as they
provide good teamwork and leadership opportunities
in addition to technical training.
6
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Outstanding Engineering Alumnus
OEA (2005)
Glenn Spacht (B.S. ’68) was the
recipient of the 2005 Outstanding
Alumnus Award. Glenn is the vice
president and chief technology
officer of Nanodynamics Inc. Prior
to taking this position, Spacht
spent 26 years as an engineer and
executive with Grumman Aerospace. At Grumman, from 1980 to
1985, Spacht was the deputy
director of the DARPA X-29 program (the first supersonic forward
swept wing aircraft). As a result of
his efforts, Spacht was awarded
Glenn Spacht,
the 1986 Aircraft Design Award by
Outstanding Engineering
Alumnus for Aerospace
AIAA. Spacht attained the position
Engineering 2005
of vice president and chief engineer for Grumman Aerospace and Electronics in 1990. In his
present position with Nanodynamics Inc., a significant part of
his time is spent in the development of solid oxide fuel cell
systems that produce electricity from hydrocarbon fuels. In
addition to his Penn State degree, Spacht received an M.S.
degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Polytechnic
University. He was named a Fellow of AIAA in 1995.
During his visit to receive the OEA award in April 2005, Spacht
presented a seminar titled, “From the Smithsonian to the
Trash…You Never Know Where Your Career May Lead.” The
“Smithsonian” reference is to the X-29, displayed in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, and the “trash” reference is to one
of his present company’s products: a trash container for public
areas with fuel cell-powered advertising. Spacht was accompanied
on his visit by his wife, Carole Ann, and his daughter, Allyson.
Barnes W. McCormick Honorary
Alumni Lecture Fall 2004
David C. Wisler presented this semester’s Barnes W. McCormick
Honorary Alumni Lecture. Wisler is a 1963 B.S. graduate of the
Department of Aerospace Engineering. He subsequently
obtained his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell and the
University of Colorado. Over the past 34 years, Wisler held
positions of increasing responsibility for conducting and
managing advanced technology programs at GE Aircraft
Engines in Cincinnati. He is presently manager of University
Programs and Aero Technology Laboratories. Wisler is a fellow
and vice president of ASME. He is past chair of the International Gas Turbine Institute board of directors and editor of
the ASME Journal of Turbomachinery. Wisler was recently
elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
Wisler delivered his lecture, titled “Engineering–What You
Don’t Necessarily Learn in School,” twice during a visit in
October 2004. First he spoke to the student chapters of AIAA
David Wisler (left)
accepts the Fall 2004
Barnes W. McCormick
Honorary Lecture plaque
from George Lesieutre
and AHS at an evening meeting. The official lecture was held in
the Hintz Family Alumni Center with an audience of faculty and
students. Based on his many years of experience, Wisler provided
thirteen insights into a successful career in the aerospace industry.
Barnes W. McCormick Honorary
Alumni Lecture Spring 2005
In April 2005, Alan Egolf of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation gave
the lecture titled, “Rotorcraft Interaction Aerodynamics – A
Computational Challenge.” Egolf is a State College native who
graduated from Penn State with a B.S. (’71) and M.S. (‘73) in
aerospace engineering and has worked principally in computational rotorcraft aerodynamics for most of his career. After
graduation, he worked at United Technologies Research Center
(UTRC) until 1998 where, as a senior principal engineer, he was
responsible for the modification, refinement, development, and
application of computer analyses for rotary-wing devices (propellers, prop-fans, wind turbines, and helicopters) and was the
program manager for the Joint UTRC/Sikorsky technical programs in computational aerodynamics. In 1998 he transferred to
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, where he held the position of chief
of aerodynamics for several years. He now works solely on technical programs and is responsible for aerodynamic methodology
development at Sikorsky. He has more than 60 papers on aerodynamics and parallel computing and holds four patents.
During his visit, Egolf gave an evening seminar to a combined
meeting of the AIAA and AHS student chapters, met with faculty
and students in the Rotorcraft Center of Excellence, and presented the Honorary Alumni Lecture. His lecture was particularly
relevant because he was able to give insight into the progress of
CFD in the rotorcraft industry from a first-person perspective.
The computational results he presented of a rotor flow field
computation are state-of-the-art, demonstrating vortex pairing
for a hovering rotor for the first time in a CFD computation.
Alan Egolf (left)
accepts the Spring 2005
Barnes W. McCormick
Honorary Lecture plaque
from George Lesieutre
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In Jan. 2005, students presented the protoflight LionSat
vehicle at the final design review in Reno, Nevada for the
Nanosat-3 Program (sponsored by the Air Force, NASA, and
AIAA). LionSat will measure plasma densities around the
satellite and also test a small RF ion thruster. The team,
which has included 46 aerospace students and faculty over
two years, is now pursuing several launch opportunities.
(www.courses.psu.edu/ee/lionsat) Pictured from left to right:
Peter Cipollo (Aersp.), Professor Sven Bilen, Jamie Browne (Aersp.),
Brendan Surrusco, Dillon Collins, and Jeffrey Wagner.
Aerospace faculty that advised the students included
Melton, Spencer, Micci and Levin.
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students are Penn State proud!
Members of the Penn State Blue Band
that are majoring in aerospace engineering are:
Front row (left to right): Matt Takach, Brendan Schmiedekamp,
Geoffrey Stuber, Matt Simmons. Middle row (left to right):
Melissa Papa, Julia Cole, Marja Hanninen. Back row (left to right):
Sean DeCecchis, Ed Brouwers, Desirée Smith.
Spring & Summer 2005 B.S. graduates in
attendance at the graduation breakfast on May 14, 2005.
Front row (left to right): B. Durham, A. Jones, C. Rascon,
D. Butts, S. Siu, J. Blaschak, J. Grose. Middle row (left to right):
B. Battaglia, J. Venarchick, J. Tombasco,
A. Wilson, J. Leggett, M. Papa, C. Valentino.
Back row (left to right): J. Shepherd, M. Garrison (emcee),
T. Prabhakar, W. Mayo, A. Webb, B. Wadsley, A. Johnson.
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Page 9
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Awards Dinner at the AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics
Conference in Monterey, CA, May 23-25, 2005.
Geoffrey M. Lilley, who is an adjunct professor of
Aerospace Engineering at Penn State, was the
AIAA Aeroacoustics Award winner in 1984.
In the photograph from left to right are
(the year in which the Aeroacoustics Award was
given is in brackets): Krish K. Ahuja (1993),
Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Regents
Researcher at Georgia Tech Research Institute
(GTRI); Christopher K. W. Tam (1987),
Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor,
Department of Mathematics, Florida State
University; Philip J. Morris (1999), Boeing/A. D.
Welliver Professor of Aerospace Engineering,
Penn State University; Michael J. Fisher (2005),
Rolls Royce Reader, ISVR, Southampton
University; Hafiz M. Atassi (2000), Viola D. Hank
Chair Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering,
Notre Dame University; Stewart A. Glegg (2004), Professor of Ocean
Engineering, Florida Atlantic University; Thomas F. Brooks (2003),
Senior Research Scientist, NASA Langley Research Center.
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Retired Faculty Meet in May 2005
Retired Professor Emeriti J.W. (Bill) Holl and Joe Eisenhuth
visited the department in May to attend the 2005 Barnes W.
McCormick Honorary Lecture presented by Alan Egolf. Holl,
Eisenhuth and McCormick were delighted to participate in a
surprise visit from Emeritus Professor Blaine Parkin who was
on a trip visiting friends and relatives on the East Coast from
his home in Morrow Bay, CA. The four colleagues enjoyed the
partially-planned, partially-chance meeting where they reminisced about the greater part of three decades of teaching and
researching together in the aerospace department.
Left to right: Barnes McCormick, Blaine Parkin,
J. William Holl, and Joseph Eisenhuth
Rotorcraft Center of Excellence
2004-2005 Highlights
Extraordinary – that is the best word to describe this past year
for our Rotorcraft Center. Both on campus, and off, our students
and faculty remain heavily engaged with pushing the state-ofthe-art in helicopter and tiltrotor technology. We continue to
work in close partnership with many academic departments in
the College of Engineering and scientists at the Penn State
Applied Research Lab to provide answers and new insights to
highly inter-disciplinary questions facing rotorcraft engineers in
government and industry organizations. Ten years have passed
since we were first awarded our Rotorcraft Center of Excellence
(RCOE) grant from the National Rotorcraft Technology Center
(NRTC). This past year, our faculty, led by Ed Smith (B.S., Penn
State), have been focused on building a strong case for renewal
and expansion of our Rotorcraft Center activities.
In May 2004, a new continuing education short course was launched. Rotorcraft Flight Simulation and Avionics introduces practicing engineers to basic concepts integral to these modern subject
areas. Our instructors have almost 100 years of experience between them. Mark Dreier (B.S., M.S., Penn State) from Bell Helicopters, Matt Landry from Lockheed Martin, and Mark Episcopo
(B.S., Penn State) from Boeing, enthusiastically shared their practical experiences and knowledge with our students. In May 2005,
this course ran a second time in downtown State College. In both
courses, strong contingents from Lockheed-Martin in Owego, NY,
participated. Our long-running comprehensive course in Rotary
Wing Aircraft Technologies, organized by Barnes McCormick,
also continues to maintain a healthy enrollment every August.
Our Rotorcraft Center acts as a magnet for additional research
projects related to rotary wing vehicles. Led by Kenneth
Brentner, a major new grant from DARPA brought together our
Rotorcraft Center team (Kenneth Brentner, Farhan Gandhi, Lyle
Long, and Philip Morris) with counterparts at Georgia Tech and
Northern Arizona University. The focus of this project is to
develop advanced CFD-based simulation tools to enable the
design of next generation high performance quiet rotor systems.
We are also involved with a NASA program examining technical
barriers for heavy lift rotorcraft. Our role is to support advanced
structural and airfoil design methods and is integrated into a
high profile national study in this area. Drs. Brentner, Long, and
Morris also started a new program on wind turbine aeroacoustics with the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL).
Collaborative research programs with industry include lag
damper and gearbox mount research with both Bell Helicopters
and Lord Corporation, simulation of compound helicopters with
Piasecki Aircraft, development and evaluation of single-crystal
piezoceramic actuators with TRS Ceramics, and low noise
composite transmission housings with Boeing. Boeing and
Sikorsky also continue to provide funds for senior design
projects in many rotorcraft disciplines. All of these new grants
helped propel our Rotorcraft Center annual funding just above
the $3 million level for the first time (we have been running
between $1.9 million-2.4 million for the past several years).
In order to build these partnerships and reach out to all of the
various rotorcraft organizations, our RCOE faculty are
frequently heading to University Park Airport and Fleet
Operations. This past year they visited Ames and Langley
Research Centers, the U.S. Army in Huntsville; U.S. Navy at
Patuxent River, MD; Lord Corp. in Erie and Cary, NC; Boeing in
Mesa, AZ; Lockheed Martin in Owego, NY; Boeing in
Philadelphia; and Sikorsky in Stratford, CT. Our faculty also
attended workshops in India and participated in the First
European Micro UAV Conference. Guest speakers on the Penn
State campus included Cathy Ferrie from Bell Helicopters, Alan
Egolf from Sikorsky Aircraft (Penn State B.S., M.S. alum and
State College native), Wayne Johnson from NASA Ames and
Max Kismartin from Boeing in Seattle. Lionel Tausig (Penn State
Ph.D.) and ARL’s Greg Johnson joined a group of helicopter
pilots for a panel discussion hosted by our AHS student chapter.
Our graduates continued to be in high demand throughout the
rotorcraft industry. After completing his Ph.D., Hans DeSmidt
accepted a position as an assistant professor at the University
of Tennessee in Knoxville. Other RCOE graduates accepted
positions at the U.S. Army at Langley Research Center
(Phuriwat Anusonti-Inthra, Martin Sekula, Brendon Malovrh),
Boeing (Eric Hathaway), Sikorsky (Bryan Mayrides), BAE (Jason
Petrie), Penn State ARL (Mike Kinzel), and Impact Technologies
(Jason Hines). These new graduates join a growing number of
RCOE alumni contributing to the rotorcraft discipline. At least
two of our RCOE alumni, Tom Ivanco and Chris Knarr, have
recently been serving our country as helicopter pilots and
officers in the U.S. military.
Rotorcraft Center of Excellence
2004-2005 Highlights (Cont’d.)
The ANSARI X PRIZE link to Penn State
On Oct. 4, 2004, the sun rose over the Mojave Desert as the
privately-funded SpaceShipOne rocketed to a new altitude
recorded and completed its second suborbital flight to win the
$10 million ANSARI X PRIZE. Recent M.S. graduate Ryan Kobrick
was on hand to witness the historic events and capture the
moments on film to pass on to the Penn State community.
Kobrick worked with the X PRIZE Foundation during the summer
of 2004 to prepare for the imminent flight attempts in the fall.
He also continues work on the follow-on event (coming in 2007)
called the X PRIZE CUP, which he co-invented on his
International Space University internship in the spring of 2003
before arriving at Penn State. Kobrick’s work with the X PRIZE
Foundation also led to Estes-Cox and X PRIZE Foundation sponsored rockets for the undergraduate Aersp. 405W laboratory
design projects in the 2004-2005 academic year.
Rotorcraft Center facilities continued to evolve in support of our
research and educational missions. A unique new icing hover
stand is almost fully operational after having the mechanical
system overhauled and the large freezer installed. A new rotor
lag damping test facility was built in the basement of Hammond
Building, our fleet of custom-tailored radio controlled helicopters
continued to expand, and our flight simulator continued to
expand and add both software and hardware features.
So, in summary, it has been a busy and productive tenth year
for our Rotorcraft Center. This summer we will be preparing our
proposal for renewal of our Center. We are also working with
University administrators on securing expanded facilities on
campus to house our growing number of students, computers,
and experimental hardware. On behalf of all of our RCOE
faculty and terrific students, we invite you to come and visit, or
contact us via e-mail if you have any suggestions for our future
activities. Many of the best research ideas and most challenging
problems come from practicing professionals – like you!
Kobrick reflected on the flights: “The excitement and thrill of
watching a tiny white speck all of a sudden ignite its rocket and
carve a white contrail in the sky all the way to space was the
most inspirational space event I have experienced in my lifetime!” Taking a few weeks away from Penn State to attend the
launches, Kobrick represented not only Penn State, but served as
an academic liaison to the private world of spaceflight. (Also see
related picture in center section).
News Highlights
Computation Day held in February
The Institute for Computational Science held its First Annual
Computation Day on Feb. 17, 2005 in the HUB-Robeson Auditorium and Alumni Hall. Director Lyle Long, professor of aerospace engineering, and Dr. Eva Pell, vice president for research
and dean of the graduate school, welcomed more than 200
people. Five internationally-known experts were on hand to
speak about computational science during the morning
session, while the afternoon included posters from 71 Penn
State faculty members, staff and students. Next year’s Computation Day will be held in February also. For more information,
see the ICS website at http://www.ics.psu.edu/.
Left to right: Ryan Kobrick with Mark Melvill, first pilot of SpaceShipOne
Graduate students present papers at
AIAA Conference in Reno
Engineering Open House
The Engineering Open House was held on Feb. 26, 2005, and
175 prospective students, along with their families, came to
visit the aerospace engineering department. Tours of the lowspeed wind tunnel, sailplane lab, water channel, new student
computer lab, and a demo of satellite tool kit software were
given by the undergraduate students. Student societies in the
College prepared creative and informative displays for the Open
House Display Competition. LionSat, which included a number
of aerospace student participants, won first place for the best
display with sponsored funds and was awarded $500.
(See center section for more details).
Several aerospace engineering graduate students presented
their papers at the AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting in Reno,
NV, in January of this year. Students advised by Lyle Long
included Nilay Sezer-Uzol and Emre Alpman. Deborah Levin’s
advisees who presented are Evgeny Titov and Jiaqiang Zhong.
Michael Kinzel, advised by Mark Maughmer, presented his
paper, as did Kenneth Brentner’s advisee Len Lopes.
Graduate student presenters
at the AIAA Conference in
Reno, NV, in January 2005.
Pictured from left to right:
Jiaqiang Zhong, Emre Alpman,
Len Lopes, Nilay Sezor-Uzol,
and Mike Kinzel
11
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News Highlights
Page 12
New Additions
(Cont’d.)
Brentner and Morris present papers in India
Kenneth Brentner and Philip Morris were invited to present
papers at a symposium in Goa, India, held in honor of the
recent retirement of J. E. (Shôn) Ffowcs Williams, formerly
Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and a pioneer in the
modern theory of acoustics. (Professor Ffowcs Williams was
Brentner’s Ph.D. advisor.) Brentner presented a paper on the
noise of maneuvering helicopters and Morris described the
direct simulation of noise from noncircular jets. Morris also
visited New Delhi and was generously hosted and escorted by
B.S. student Tushar Prabhakar and his family. Morris saw Old
Delhi and was a guest at the Presidential Palace. The Indian
president, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, is called the father of India's
missile program, but he was understandably too busy to meet
guests. Morris also visited Agra and visited the Taj Mahal and
the Red Fort at Agra. Brentner and his wife Stephenie traveled
with several members of the conference on a tour of Rajasthan,
including a safari in Ranthambore National Park, an elephant
ride in Jaipur (the pink city), and luxurious accommodations in
the Lake Palace at Udaipur. Both Morris and Brentner left with
a slightly better understanding of the country of origin of so
many of our students, and a wish to return.
Stephenie and
Ken Brentner at
the Taj Mahal
McLaughlin’s a winner at golf tournament
Dennis McLaughlin participated in the Penn State Engineering
Society Golf Classic on Oct. 2, 2004, and was part of a foursome
that finished with the low gross score of 11 under par (before
handicaps) and the fewest putts. The tournament was held at
Toftrees Resort and Golf Club in State College. Proceeds from the
annual PSES Golf Classic benefit the Penn State Engineering
Society Endowed Scholarship, which provides financial assistance for promising Penn State engineering students.
Farhan Gandhi and his wife Anukampa announce the birth of
their baby daughter, Raina Emily, born on Nov. 13, 2004. Raina
joins big brother Anand Jay and big sister Aliza Joy. Anand poses
this question: Why does a hummingbird hum? Answer: Because
he forgot the words.
Michael Micci and his wife, Cathy Cohan, announce the birth of
their son, Carmen Cohan Micci, born on June 11, 2005. He joins
big sister Sofia, now three years old.
Departure
Joseph “Joey” Prato resigned his position as instructor of aerospace
engineering in the summer of 2004. He has taken a position as
product development engineer with Lycoming Aircraft Engines
in Williamsport, PA. Lycoming is one of the largest producers of
piston aircraft engines in the country, and their engines are
used on thousands of small, general aviation aircraft.
For more than a decade, Prato served the department in various
capacities mostly related to teaching and advising undergraduate
students. He graduated from our department with all three
degrees, B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. (the last in 1996). His research area
was experimental aerodynamics of turbomachinery in which he
successfully completed very difficult experiments involving
measurements in the blade passage area of the high speed
compressor test facility. From this foundation, Joey branched out
into teaching Aerodynamics I and the Structures and Dynamics
Laboratory courses, both of which he taught numerous times.
Prato also served as the aerospace advisor for freshmen through
the College of Engineering’s Advising Center for many years,
coordinated the freshman seminar, served as co-op coordinator,
and taught engineering mechanics on our Altoona campus.
Dennis McLaughlin reports that “Joey was one of the most dependable teachers and advisors among our outstanding faculty. He
concentrated on relating his course material to the real-world
practical engineering issues in which he had developed an expertise.”
Joey Prato served the undergraduate students in aerospace
engineering well and will be missed. His many friends among
the faculty and staff wish him the best in his new position.
Dennis McLaughlin
presents a plaque to
Joseph Prato at
his farewell luncheon
in July 2004
Left to right: Walt Beatty, Rick Mistrick, Dennis McLaughlin, and Richard Behr
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In Memoriam
John Melzer, Aero Pioneer from Class of 1944, passed in August 2004.
Seminars and Short Courses
SHORT COURSES TAUGHT BY
PENN STATE AEROSPACE PROFESSORS
“A Comprehensive Short Course in Rotary Wing Technology,”
August 2004, (Barnes McCormick)
“Rotary Wing Flight Simulation and Avionics,”
May 2005, (Edward Smith)
AEROSPACE ENGINEERING SPECIAL SEMINARS
Gen. George F. Close (retired),
Reynolds and Reynolds Company,
“Future War Fighting Vision and Impact of Technology,”
November 2004.
John-Paul Clarke,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
“Environmentally-Friendly Air Transportation,”
November 2004.
Lee D. Peterson, Department of Aerospace Engineering
Sciences, University of Colorado,
“Curriculum Reform in Aerospace Engineering at the
University of Colorado,”
November 2004.
Juergen Mueller, Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
“Survey of State-of-the-Art Micro-Thruster Technologies,”
December 2004.
James B. Engle, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the
Air Force (for Science, Technology, and Engineering),
“The Implications of USAF Technical Workforce Needs for
(Aerospace) Engineering Curricula,”
February 2005.
Rania Hassan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
“Systems-of-Systems Architecting:
Coupling Operations, Vehicle, and Time-Centric Design Using
Real Options Analysis and Optimization Approaches,”
April 2005.
Jonathan Wolfe,
University of California-Los Angeles,
“Recent Results in the Processing of
Code and Carrier Phase GPS Data,”
May 2005.
K. Viswanathan, The Boeing Company,
“Aircraft Engine Noise Measurement and Control,”
June 2005.
News from the Sailplane Class
The sailplane class, officially known as Aerospace 204H/404H, is
entering a very exciting period. A dedicated group of students
has accomplished much in the construction of their EZ-Build
glider. At the current construction pace, the EZ-Build will be completed within the next year, and the Falcon is coming along well.
At present, the class is organized into five groups: the
empennage group, the fuselage group, the leading-edge group,
the trailing-edge group (or “The Group Formerly Known as
Wing”), and the Falcon group. Over the past couple of
semesters, and through some trial and error, the empennage
group successfully developed a process for fabricating the spars
of the horizontal and vertical tails of the EZ-Build design. This
group also completed fabrication of the necessary ribs. The
fuselage group made significant progress towards completing
the frame of the same design and, during the final days of the
spring semester, began to weld together the tubular-steel frame.
Additionally, a fiberglass lay-up of the front of the Griffin molds,
formerly known as the “sled,” was made into the outer fuselage
shell. The leading edge group finalized a method for creating
the leading edge of the wing, which relies on a composite
sandwich D-tube. High-density foam is cut into the desired
shape with a hotwire, and then a fiberglass skin is applied to
both the inner and outer surfaces. The students are presently
cutting the foam for the left wing. The trailing-edge group is
manufacturing ribs to give the wing its shape aft of the main
spar. The EZ-Build’s tail boom, landing gear, controls, and other
components are also ready for integration.
The class’s other big project is the Falcon sailplane. The new root
rib of the right wing has been fit to the wing and will be bonded
in place soon; the next step will be to close the wing. For more
information about the class, the Falcon, as well as the EZ-Build,
please visit the class website at:
http://www.psu.edu/dept/aerospace/sailplane/
Richard J. Prazenica, University of Florida,
“Vision-Based Estimation and Control for
Autonomous Vehicles in Uncertain Environments,”
April 2005.
Stefan Bieniawski, Stanford University,
“Distributed Optimization and
Flight Control Using Collectives,”
April 2005.
Sailplane class in Fall Semester 2004
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AeroGSA
The Aerospace Graduate Student Association (AeroGSA) is a
constantly-changing entity but every year has the goal of
improving student life for graduate students by facilitating social
events and providing academic tools. The AeroGSA officers for
2004-2005 were President Ryan L. Kobrick, Vice President Chris
Hennes, Treasurer Mike Thiel, Secretary Blair Bosom, GSA
Representative Jose Palacios, and Past-Vice President Sherae
McKay. The fall semester 2004 kicked off with a graduate-faculty
mixer to allow the students to meet faculty and interact on a
more casual level. This was especially beneficial for new
students who had yet to choose a permanent advisor. 2004 also
saw the birth of an all Aerospace graduate student IM football
team, “Rocket Boyz.” Although the Rocket Boyz had a nearly
perfect record, they did not make it into playoff contention. In
the fall, a social time was set for Thursday nights, but in the
spring “FAST 444” (Friday Afternoon Social Time) became the
new event, gathering every Friday at 4:44 pm at a local watering
hole. AeroGSA also played a leading role in organizing the
graduate recruiting weekend in the spring, giving tours of the
aerospace facilities and campus to provide prospective students
an idea of what graduate life is like at Penn State. A crucial
project undertaken by AeroGSA in the spring was gathering old
Ph.D. candidacy exams and helping to create an online
database. Under development for 2005-2006 are review
sessions run by Ph.D. students on various topics to help prepare
others for the exam. The officers for 2005-06 are Chris Hennes,
president; Jeff Corbets, vice president; Mike Remaly, secretary;
Mike Thiel, treasurer; Jose Palacios, Ph.D. project lead; and Chris
Bessette, FAST 444 coordinator. 2004-2005 was a great year for
aerospace engineering graduate students and AeroGSA is proud
to have helped improve the experience.
American Helicopter Society
In 2004-2005 the Penn State student chapter of AHS
International went on two trips and had five excellent meetings.
They kicked the year off with a presentation on construction of
an RC helicopter, and a night-flying demonstration by RC pilot
Brian Reed, followed by a trip to Rotorfest in West Chester, PA.
At the next meeting, four helicopter pilots joined the meeting
and took questions from the group. To round out the fall
semester AHS sponsored several competitions, including a
Chinese Top Target Challenge. During the spring semester, AHS
sponsored a movie night and a trip to visit Agusta and Boeing in
Philadelphia. Finally, they closed the year with a tremendously
successful lecture and cook-out sponsored by Bell Helicopter, the
Bell BBQ Bash II. Officers for 2004-05 were Len Lopes,
president; Matt Nanna, vice president; and Chris Hennes,
treasurer. Officers for 2005-06 are Matt Nanna, president; Jaclyn
Levengood, vice president; Chris Hennes, secretary; Philip
Sibley, treasurer; and Cody Fegely, social chair.
American Helicopter Society student chapter field trip to
Boeing in Philadelphia (with Princeton University student chapter)
American Institute of
Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA)
The Penn State Student Branch of AIAA is excited to report on
another successful year of activities. The branch was honored
to co-sponsor David Wisler’s presentation in October. Wisler’s
presentation continued a tradition of excellent guest speakers
in calendar year 2004, including then-NASA Administrator Sean
O’Keefe in April 2004. For the second year in a row, AIAA also
sponsored an aerospace department-wide ice cream social to
promote interaction outside of the classroom between faculty
and students. With ten faculty, fifteen gallons of ice cream, and
over 100 students, it was a great time for everyone! AIAA ended
2004 with a relaxing design competition, challenging members
to build balloon-powered rockets before finals week.
In the spring of 2005, AIAA continued with a whirlwind of
activities, starting with a big-screen showing of the ever-popular
movie Top Gun. In March, AIAA hosted John Purvis, the retired
leader of Boeing’s accident investigation team. He gave an
interesting presentation on accident investigations over the
past forty years. AIAA also sponsored a bus trip to the National
Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C. In April, nine Penn
State AIAA members traveled to the University of Virginia for
the Region I-MA student conference. In late April, AIAA cosponsored another speaker, Alan Egolf of Sikorsky. Finally, as
tradition, AIAA hosted a spring picnic for all members of the
aerospace engineering department on April 30. The officers for
2004-05 included Jeff Corbets, chair; Kirsten Bossenbroek, vice
chair; Brian Pomeroy, secretary; Paul Hayes, treasurer; and Pam
Montanye, social/events chair. New officers were elected for
2005-06 and they are Pamela Montanye, chair; Bruce Davis,
vice chair; Kirsten Bossenbroek, secretary; Daniel Antinone,
treasurer; and Conor Marr, social/events chair.
Next year will be an exciting year for the student branch as they
host the 2006 Region I-MA student conference in April.
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Page 15
Sigma Gamma Tau
The Sigma Gamma Tau 2005 Spring Induction Banquet was held
at the Days Inn Penn State in April. Seventeen new members
were inducted into the national honor society in aerospace
engineering. They are: Sergio Amaral, Daniel Antinone,
Johnathan Blaschak, Sean Condit, Curtis Cutler, Aaron Johnson,
Sammy Kirkland, William Kong, Joshua Lumbantoruan, Alvord
Marques, Matthew Nanna, Nicholas Pedatella, Brad Petrilla,
Nicholas Tomaine, James Wiggin, Christopher Wyckoff, and
Jacob Zentichko. Jill Tombasco welcomed those in attendance
while Robert Melton and Mark Maughmer provided musical
entertainment for the evening. Jill also received the Outstanding
Senior Award for 2005 from Sigma Gamma Tau.
For the academic year 2004-2005, the officers and faculty
advisor were: Jill Tombasco, president; Matthew Edgar, vice
president; James Doyle and Matthew Hartman, treasurer;
Matthew Hartman, secretary; and Kenneth Brentner, faculty
advisor. The newly-elected officers for 2005-06 are: Joshua
Lumbantoruan, president; Alvord Marques, vice president;
Chris Wycoff, secretary; and James Wiggin, treasurer.
Sigma Gamma Tau
Induction Banquet – April 2005.
Seated (left to right): Officers:
M. Edgar, J. Tombasco,
M. Hartman. Standing (left to
right): C. Wykhoff, B. Petrilla,
J. Zentichko, M. Nanna,
J. Wiggin, A. Marques,
S. Kirkland, J. Lumbantoruan,
S. Condit, A. Johnson,
D. Antinone, Dr. Brentner,
faculty advisor.
ATTENTION AEROSPACE ENGINEERING ALUMNI
Join Us: Saturday, October 1, 2005
(before the Minnesota game)
For department tours and food visit 229 Hammond Building
Meet some old (and new) friends
Please RSVP before September 24, 2005 to
Katy Barr at 814.863.0065 or [email protected]
WE ARE PENN STATE!!
Alumni & Alumnae Notes
Nicholas P. Baxter (B.S. ’03) is working as an Analyst at Science
Applications International Corporation in McLean, VA.
Adam Bensavage (M.S. ’00) is working in Advanced Low Observables Technology at Northrop Grumman in El Segundo, CA.
David J. Brzenchek (B.S. ’90, M.S. ’92) left Ford Motor Company
after 13 years in their truck structures group. He is now working
in the military composites industry for Triton Systems, Inc., as
the director of the Polymer Matrix Composites Group.
John M. Cimbala (B.S. ’79), professor of mechanical engineering at Penn State, is a co-author of a new undergraduate fluid
mechanics textbook, Fluid Mechanics: Fundamentals and Applications, published by McGraw-Hill, NY, 2006.
Peter Germanowski (B.S. ’01 and M.S. ’03) works for Sikorsky
and is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia working on a contract with the
Royal Air Force for search and rescue helicopters.
Joseph T. Mancuso III (B.S. ’02) recently left L3 Communications where he worked designing structural and mechanical
modifications and upgrades to military aircraft. He accepted a
new position with Boeing Helicopters in Ridley Park, PA, where
he will be participating in the design of the new CH-47F
Chinook helicopter.
Thomas E. Manning II (B.S. ’91 and M.S. ’93) and his wife Sara
celebrated the birth of their son, Jacob William, on Oct. 18, 2004.
Manning is currently a Component Integrated Product Team
(CIPT) leader at Pratt & Whitney in Middletown, CT. He manages
the development, validation and initial flight test of the F-135
high pressure compressor on the Joint Strike Fighter Program.
Christopher Rabzak (B.S. ’91) received his M.B.A. from Widener
University, Chester, PA, in May 2004 and also earned a J.D. in
2002 from Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, DE.
Eric Schultz (B.S. ’95) was nominated by the 366th Fighter
Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base for the U.S. Jaycees Ten
Outstanding Young Americans annual competition. He also was
part of the aircrew involved in his squadron commander’s final
flight and is in preparation for deployment.
Don Skinner (B.S. '79) is the Jacobs Sverdrup Engineering
Company Deputy General Manager for NASA Test Operations at
Stennis Space Center, MS, and Marshall Space Flight Center, AL.
The headquarters for this two-site contract is at Stennis Space
Center Mississippi. The JS team supports the R&D testing of
rocket engine components at both Stennis and Marshall, and
the Space Shuttle Main Engine and Boeing Delta IV RS68
engines at Stennis Space Center.
Xavier Tesson (M.S. ’04) is working at Renault in Paris for the alliance with Nissan as the Nissan user manual European manager.
Todd Ulrich (B.S. ’99, M.S. ’01) relocated to Forth Worth, TX, and
is working with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics on the Joint Strike
Fighter. He was previously employed at Cessna in Wichita, KS.
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Thank you to all who have contributed to the department
The department is grateful to all who have recently provided financial support for its students and activities. The following is a list
of all individual donors to the department from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. We apologize if there are any omissions. If you
contributed to the department in the last year and do not see your name, please contact us so that we can correct our records.
If you are already giving to Penn State, you might consider directing your gift to the Department of Aerospace Engineering.
Ralph A'Harrah, Jr.
Michael F. Arata
David J. Azevedo
Douglas Barron
Karl Bergey, Jr.
George Brownfield
Dana K. Brownfield
Michael Chanda
Ernest J. Cross, Jr.
Jennifer A. Cushion
Milo Dahl
Michael Donoghue
Scott E. Dulay
Allan M. Friedman
Donna K. Friedman
Joseph Gasbarre
Rebecca Grimaldi
Kurt J. Hack
James Hargrave
J. Girard Hemler
Robert Henderson
Curt A. Henry
Robert E. Hess
Steven R. Johnson
Matthew Jones
Mark J. Keller
Charles F. Kopicz, Jr.
Arthur E. Kressly
Joseph K. Krug
Thomas Lavenda
Anna Bell Lavenda
Robert J. Laverghetta
Thomas E. Manning, II
Dustin Martin
Robert J. Mayer
Barnes W. McCormick, Jr.
Editors: Amy Custer, Deborah Levin, Joseph Horn, Dennis McLaughlin
Justin R. Miller
Scott Miller
Frank J. Murray
James Myers, Jr.
Robert C. Nelson
James R. Owen
Brent Paul
Steven D. Pavelitz
James Peery
Marjorie A. Penrod
Daniel M. Podgurski
Patrick M. Ridgley
Luis Rodriguez
Luz Arlene Rodriguez
Wylie Rudhman
Mark J. Sarsfield
John C. Scheppman
Eric R. Schwartz
Jeffrey T. Semenza
Mazhar L. Shaikh
Robert Spinelli
Donald Steva
Peter C. Stubner
Kathleen Styer
Donald E. Thompson
Todd M. Ulrich
John R. Vantuno
Edward W. Wallace
Eric V. Wallar
Jeffrey A. Walters
Michael J. Weigner
Christopher P. Zalewski
This publication is available in alternative media on request.
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