|
CURRENT HAPPENINGS
|
|
Editors Note
It's no secret that the Greater Huntsville Section of the AIAA has been impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic. There have been few, if any, in-person activities for quite some time. For this reason, the Current Happenings below, and some web pages, are rather dated. They remain on the website to show what we have done in the past, and what we fervently hope to be doing again soon.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Alabama Quiz Bowl State Championships
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Greater Huntsville Section (AIAA GHS) recently partnered with the Alabama Scholastic Competition Association (ASCA) to help save the State Championships for Alabama Academic Quiz Bowl from inevitable cancellation during the COVID-19 pandemic. AIAA GHS did this by hosting the two large, traditionally in-person tournaments — one for middle school and one for high school — through Zoom sessions and Buzzin.live, an online buzzer system. ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
AIAA GHS 2020 & 2021 Annual Award Recipients
Each year the Greater Huntsville Section solicits nominations for its Section awards. These awards are a wonderful way to recognize the accomplishments and achievements of colleagues and co-workers. The Section received several qualified nominations for the 2021 Annual Awards. The Honors and Awards Committee headed by the Honors and Awards Director, Chip Kopicz, appointed a team of judges who evaluated the nominations and selected the 2021 award recipients.
The award recipients will be recognized at the GHS Annual Council Installation and Awards Dinner which we hope to organize this fall. Due to the pandemic last year, the 2020 Award Dinner event was cancelled and the 2020 award recipients will also be recognized at this year's awards dinner event.
We proudly announce the recipients of the 2020 and 2021 AIAA GHS Annual Awards:
1) The Hermann Oberth Award is presented to a Section member in recognition of outstanding individual scientific achievement in the field of astronautics or for the promotion and advancement of the aeronautical sciences. A bust of Professor Hermann Oberth and a framed certificate are presented to the recipient.
2020 Recipient - Phil Ligrani
2021 Recipient - Paul Gradl
2) The Holger Toftoy Award is presented to a Section member in recognition of outstanding technical management in the fields of aeronautics and astronautics. An engraved plaque is presented to the recipient.
2020 Recipient - Mark Miller
2021 Recipient - Andy Johnston
3) The Konrad Dannenberg Educator of the Year Award is presented to a Section member in recognition of outstanding service to education and promotion of math and science within the community. The award is named in recognition of Konrad Dannenberg, a German-American rocket pioneer who was an avid proponent of education, an active member of the AIAA and an inspiration to the aerospace community.
2020 Recipient - Tom Hannigan
2021 Recipient - Sherrie Frady
4) The Martin Schilling Award is presented to a Section member in recognition of outstanding service to the Section, such as major contributions to its growth, technical programs, or administrative functions. The award is named for the Section's founding president, Dr. Martin Schilling.
2020 Recipient - Greg Simpson
2021 Recipient - Nishanth Goli
5) The Earl Pearce Professional of the Year Award is presented to a Section member in recognition of extraordinary dedication, creativity, and leadership while engaged in professional work or activity within the aerospace community. The award is named in recognition of Earl Pearce who was on the Section's Board of Directors and served as Supernumerary for many years. An engraved plaque is presented to the recipient.
2020 Recipient - Sami Habchi
2021 Recipient - John A. Blevins
6) The Ed Pruett Young Professional of the Year Award is presented to a Section member of 35 years of age or younger who has demonstrated extraordinary technical skill and dedication in the practice of the Aerospace Engineering profession. The award is named in recognition of Ed Pruett who was on the Section Board of Directors and served the Section for many years. An engraved plaque is presented to the recipient.
2020 Recipient - Dr. Matthew Hitt
2021 Recipient - Tyler Lamb
7) The Student of the Year Award (undergraduate) is presented to a Section undergraduate student member in recognition of notable technical accomplishments, active engineering research, outstanding service to AIAA student section, or active STEM outreach in the local community. An engraved plaque is presented to the recipient.
2020 Recipient - Anna Grace Miller
2021 Recipient - Darcey D'Amato
8) The Student of the Year Award (graduate) is presented to a Section graduate student member in recognition of notable technical accomplishments, active engineering research, outstanding service to AIAA student section, or active STEM outreach in the local community.
2020 Recipient - Tim Marquardt
2021 Recipient - Saroj Kumar
Congratulations to the Section's 2020 and 2021 Award Recipients
*****************************************************
|
|
Announcement of the Section's 2021-2022 Officers and Directors
Chair: Chair: Ms. Theresa Jehle
Vice-Chair: Ms. Tracie Prater
Secretary: Mr. Stephen Hayden
Treasurer: Mr. Joseph Huwaldt
Vice-Chair, Mobile: Open
Immediate Past Chair: Mr. Nishanth Goli
Education Director: Mr. Sean M. Kenny
Honors and Awards Director: Mr. Chip Kopicz
Pre-College Outreach Director: Ms. Robin Osborn
Marketing Director: Mr. Alex Vasenkov
Membership Director: Dr. Paul P. Palies
Liaison to Student Branches: Dr. Gabe Xu
Young Professionals Director: Ms. Lindsey Blair
Special Projects Director: Mr. Brandon Stiltner
Public Policy Director: Dr. Naveen Vetcha
Liaison to Professional Societies: Ms. April Potter
Webmaster: Dr. Arloe Mayne
(All but Mr. Kopicz, Mr. Vasenkov, Dr. Palies, Dr. Xu, Ms. Blair, Dr. Vetcha, and Dr. Mayne were elected to their positions this year)
*****************************************************
|
|
Webinars Available for Viewing
In this 2-hour seminar held on April 14th, three researchers in the field of in situ resource utilization (ISRU) technology development discuss their past and current research. Click to learn about and access the webinar.
The AIAA GHS celebrated Women's Heritage Month 2021 on March 31st by hosting a talk with the section's first chairwoman, Wanda G. Reece. Click to learn about and access the webinar.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Congressional Visits 2021
During the week of March 15th Section members from Alabama and Mississippi participated in the Institute’s first ever virtual Congressional Visits meetings. ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
2020 Ornament Placed on Chamber of Commerce Tree
The Greater Huntsville Section continued its tradition of hanging a unique AIAA ornament on the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas tree despite the COVID-19 pandemic. ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Section Volunteers at Galaxy of Lights
Despite the turmoil of a pandemic, the AIAA Greater Huntsville Section continued its holiday tradition of volunteering at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens’ Galaxy of Lights in 2020. ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
Mike Feltman, Dave Arterburn, Allison Rhen, Reggie Spivey
|
|
Section Member Receives HATS Professional of the Year Award
Mr. David Arterburn, Director of the UAH Rotorcraft and Systems Engineering Center and an AIAA Greater Huntsville Section Senior Member, was selected as the Huntsville Association of Technical Societies (HATS) 2020 Joseph P. Moquin Professional of the Year Award winner. The last time a Section member won the Joseph Moquin POY Award was in 2007.
*****************************************************
|
|
AIAA Announces Class of 2021 Associate Fellows
The grade of Associate Fellow recognizes individuals “who have accomplished or been in charge of important engineering or scientific work, or who have done original work of outstanding merit, or who have otherwise made outstanding contributions to the arts, sciences, or technology of aeronautics or astronautics.”
Members of the Greater Huntsville Section in the 2021 class of Associate Fellows are:
Mr. Paul Gradl - NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Mr. Joseph Huwaldt - Dynetics, A Leidos Company
Dr. Chang-Kwon Kang - University of Alabama Huntsville
Ms. Mary Beth Koelbl - NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Mr. Paul C Lambertson - The Boeing Company
Dr. Amy Lang - University of Alabama
Dr. David O'Brien - US Army CCDC AvMC
Mr. Brandon Stiltner - Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
Dr. Dale Thomas - University of Alabama Huntsville
Dr. Kunning G Xu - University of Alabama Huntsville
Congratulations to these members on their recognition.
Click here to see the AIAA press release naming all new Associate Fellows.
*****************************************************
|
|
Read about the Section's 2019-2020 Activities in the Section Award Report
Click here to download the Section's 2019-2020 Section Award Report.
The Section Award Report includes worksheets describing our activities in Programs, Management, Communications, Membership, Career & Professional Development, Young Professionals, Technical Activities, Honors and Awards, Public Policy, Section - Student Partnership, STEM K-12, and Outstanding Activity. This information is the basis for the selection of AIAA's annual section awards.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Section Holds Remembrance Event
On a sunny, brisk day in March, the Greater Huntsville Section held its inaugural Remembrance Event ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Greater Huntsville “Prime Air” Delivers
For the fourth year in a row, the Greater Huntsville Section fielded a team in Huntsville’s version of the famed Iditarod, the Annual Carts4Hearts 5K race ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Elizabeth Bero, Gifted Specialist at Horizon Elementary School in Madison, Alabama
Honored for Efforts to Promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education
(Adapted from an AIAA Press Release)
Three K–12 educators from across the United States have won the 2020 AIAA Educator Achievement Awards, honoring their efforts to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. “Now more than ever, we understand the life-changing work teachers do every day,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director. “How teachers ground students while inspiring them to reach for more. AIAA honors and supports teachers because we know they make all the difference in creating a better tomorrow. Congratulations, Elizabeth Bero, Beth Leavitt, and Scott McComb! You inspire us!” This year’s honorees each received $5,000 for themselves and $5,000 for their respective schools to continue their efforts in STEM education.
The winners of the AIAA Educator Achievement Award are: Elizabeth Bero, Gifted Specialist at Horizon Elementary School in Madison, Alabama, for “instilling a sense of wonder in students through curiosity-based learning and for her four-decade-long service to the community as an educator.”; Beth Meade Leavitt, Teacher of Physics and Astronomy and Director of FIRST Robotics Team 283 at Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, South Carolina; and Scott McComb, Science Instructor, AIAA Advisor, Green Energy Team Advisor, and Science Olympiad Coach at Raisbeck Aviation High School in Seattle, Washington”.
Established in 1997, the AIAA Educator Achievement Award recognizes K–12 educators for outstanding contributions to the continued study of STEM subjects among America’s youth. Each of these teachers has had a significant impact on creating the next generation of aerospace professionals who will shape our community’s future. Since 1997, the award has honored more than 65 educators from the United States.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
AIAA Birthday Cake
The Greater Huntsville Section celebrated the 57th anniversary of the founding of the AIAA at a birthday social on January 30 ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Legislative Update
Members of the Greater Huntsville Section attended the Alabama Legislative Update breakfast on January 24, 2020 at the Jackson Center in Huntsville ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Greater Huntsville Section 4th Annual Next Gen Technical Symposium
The AIAA Greater Huntsville Section Council proudly presents the 4th annual Next Gen Technical Symposium! ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Support of Botanical Garden Galaxy of Lights
The Section again staffed the ticket booths and directed traffic at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens’ Galaxy of Lights ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Section at Chamber of Commerce Holiday Reception
The Greater Huntsville Section participated in the 2019 Huntsville and Madison County Chamber of Commerce Holiday Open House ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Educator Associate Describes AIAA Resources for Teachers
Section Educator Associate member Beth Bero recently shared the wealth of AIAA Lesson Plans ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Raspberry Pi Construction Project
The Greater Huntsville Section this Summer hosted a 3-part hands-on Raspberry Pi construction project ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Chandra X-Ray Observatory 20th Anniversary Luncheon
For the October luncheon of the AIAA GHS, the Section wanted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Chandra X-ray ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Nerd Trivia Night
As one of the fundraising events for the 2019 AIAA Next Gen Technical Symposium we once again held our "Nerd Trivia" night ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
August Luncheon With Congressman Brooks
For the August luncheon of the AIAA GHS, we invited Congressmen Mo Brooks who provided a Washington Update ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Farm Burger Fundraiser for Symposium
As part of the leadup to the 2019 AIAA Next Gen Technical Symposium we once again held a fundraiser at Farm Burger ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
Symposium Fundraiser at Brewery
We held a fundraising night at local Huntsville brewery ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
October 2019 Edition of Section Newsletter Now Available
The October 2019 edition of Telemetry, the Section's newsletter is now available online. Read about recent events and activities in which the Section has participated.
Click here to see the October edition of the Newsletter.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Section Activities Related to Apollo 50th Anniversary
The Section participated in a number of activities during and leading up to the week of July 16th ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
AIAA Mobile Chapter Apollo 11 Anniversary Celebration at the Exploreum
On Saturday, July 20, 2019, the AIAA Mobile Chapter partnered with the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the NASA Apollo 11 Moon Landing. ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Greater Huntsville Section at AirVenture 2019
Members of the Greater Huntsville Section attended the world’s largest aviation gathering, the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture in Oshkosh ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
July Luncheon with Bobby Watkins, NASA Director of Human Exploration Development and Operations
For the July luncheon of the AIAA GHS, the council wanted to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 by looking at what the next 50 years of Human missions to Moon, Mars and beyond would look like. ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
AIAA Greater Huntsville Section at SMD Symposium
The Greater Huntsville Section was an exhibitor at the 2019 Space & Missile Defense Symposium from August 6 – 8, 2019 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
AIAA Greater Huntsville Section at Biergarten
AIAA Greater Huntsville Section (GHS) was the featured non-profit at the US Space & Rocket Center’s Biergarten ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Congratulations to the Section's 2019 Award Recipients
Ed Pruett Young Professional of the Year Award: Ms. Lauren Badia
Earl Pearce Professional of the Year Award: Mr. Chris Crumbly
Konrad Dannenberg Educator of the Year Award: Dr. Norman Speakman
Undergraduate Student of the Year Award: Ms. Kelly Burnham
Graduate Student of the Year Award: Mr. Langston Williams
Martin Schilling Award: Major Alex Jehle
Holger Toftoy Award: Mr. Robert Champion
Hermann Oberth Award: Dr. Rani Sullivan
Robert L. Sackheim Scholarship Award: Mr. Ryan Dunn
Michael Tinker Scholarship Award: Miss Abigail Vanderslice
Alabama Science and Engineering Fair Winners:
Mr. Arjun Iyer
Mr. Samuel Nameniuk
Miss Victoria Whitehead
North Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair Winners:
Ms. Makaila Jennings
Ms. Sarah-Kate Drown
Mr. Jeremiah Davis
Click here to download Awards Dinner program.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Section Leaders Attend Non Profit University 2019
Members of the Greater Huntsville section attended the 6th annual Non Profit University (NPU) at the Von Braun Center on June 18 ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
June Luncheon - Contextualizing Alabama and the Moon Landing
Brian Odom, NASA Marshall Historian, was invited as a speaker to the luncheon on June 19th ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Armed Forces Celebration Luncheon at the Von Braun Center on June 26
The Greater Huntsville Section participated in the 2019 Armed Forces Celebration Luncheon at the Von Braun Center on June 26. ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Section Supports Human Exploration Rover Challenge
On April 12th-13th, the AIAA Greater Huntsville Section once again supported NASA’s annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Section Members Recognized at HATS Banquet
The Greater Huntsville Section participated in the Huntsville Association of Technical Societies (HATS) 2019 Professional of the Year (POY) Awards Banquet on June 20 ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Fourth Annual Next Gen Symposium
Do you like to present technical work to your peers in the industry and receive feedback? Do you like to hear from distinguished personalities from the aerospace industry? ... more
Learn about last year's Next Gen Symposium here
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
2019 Congressional Visits Day
The 3rd Wednesday of March is a special day for AIAA and our members. This is the one day set aside for Congressional Visits Day (CVD) each year. ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Section Member Takes Flight in Historic Aircraft
That’s All Brother, the historic C-47 that was the lead aircraft of 800 to drop paratroopers in the World War II invasion of Normandy, visited Birmingham ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
|
|
Greater Huntsville Section 2019 Annual Awards Dinner
The Greater Huntsville AIAA Section held its 67th Annual Awards Dinner on May 17, 2019 ... more
Click here to see the Awards Dinner program, containing even more information.
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
Section Members and Guests at the Planetarium
|
|
Section Organizes Planetarium Show
Friday, March 29th, the Greater Huntsville Section organized a private planetarium show for AIAA members and guests at the Wernher Von Braun Planetarium located in Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville, AL. ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
Young Professional Brunch with Dr. Jan Davis
|
|
Read About the Sections Engineers Week Activities
The Greater Huntsville Section participated in a variety of Engineers Week events, ranging from the Huntsville E-Week Awards Banquet to a YP brunch with Dr. Jan Davis.
Read about them here.
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
Senator Shelby Addressing Chamber of Commerce Breakfast
|
|
Section Members Attend Senator Shelby Breakfast
Members of the Greater Huntsville Section attended the Washington Update Breakfast featuring U. S. Senator Richard Shelby on February 4, 2019. ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
Skeet and Carlton cutting the cake (photo by of Alan Lowrey)
|
|
Section Celebrates AIAA 56th Birthday
The Greater Huntsville Section celebrated the 56th anniversary of the founding of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics at a birthday social on January 31. AIAA was created on January 31, 1963 through the merger of the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences and the American Rocket Society. ... more
Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
*****************************************************
|
|
Initial Group of Memorial Bricks at US Space and Rocket Center
|
|
Memorial Bricks Program
In 2017 the Greater Huntsville Section of the AIAA instituted a program to honor deceased Section members by placing a memorial brick in the Saturn courtyard outside the Davidson Center when a member dies. The initial group of memorial bricks is shown in the picture above. Given that the current cost of such a brick is $150, this program is beyond the Section's ordinary budget. For this reason, funds are solicited to allow us to continue honoring our deceased members with these memorials. To make a donation in support of the memorial bricks program please go to http://www.hsv-aiaa-events.org/MemorialBricks.html. All donations will be used to support the Section's program for providing memorial bricks at the US Space and Rocket Center for deceased members, so please be generous with your support.
*****************************************************
|