CURRENT HAPPENINGS
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Greater Huntsville Section Awards Dinner The AIAA Greater Huntsville Section hosted an awards dinner honoring three years of awardees on May 22nd, 2022 at Huntsville Botanical Garden. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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GH and RM Section Members Speak to ASA Summer Interns On June 8th AIAA members from Greater Huntsville (GH) and Rocky Mountain (RM) Sections spoke to the Aerospace States Association’s (ASA) summer interns about career in Aerospace. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Announcing the Section's 2022-2023 Officers and Directors Chair: Dr. Tracie Prater Vice-Chair: Mr. Mark Becnel Secretary: Mr. Len Naugher Treasurer: Mr. Alan Lowrey Vice-Chair, Mobile: Open Immediate Past Chair: Ms. Theresa Jehle Education Director: Mr. Sean Kenny Honors and Awards Director: Dr. Joe Majdalani Pre-College Outreach Director: Ms. Robin Osborn Marketing Director: Mr. Denver Powell Membership Director: Dr. Robert Tramel Liaison to Student Branches: Mr. Ian Slamen Young Professionals Director: Mr. Christopher Kitson Special Projects Director: Dr. Linda Krause Public Policy Director: Mr. Tom Hancock Liaison to Professional Societies: Ms. April Potter Governance Advisor: Dr. Matthew Hitt (Appointed by Council) Webmaster: Dr. Arloe Mayne (All but Mr. Kenny, Ms. Osborn, Mr. Slamen, and Dr. Mayne were elected to their positions this year)
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Section Hosts Professional Lecture with Challenger Learning Center The AIAA GHS section’s May professional lecture featured Challenger Learning Center, a nonprofit focused on STEM education ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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AIAA GHS 2022 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 2022 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 2022 award recipients.
The award recipients will be recognized at the GHS Annual Council Installation and Awards Dinner.
We proudly announce the recipients of the 2022 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. 2022 Recipient - David Hitt
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. 2022 Recipient - Thomas Williams
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. 2022 Recipient - Mohammed J. Khan
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. 2022 Recipient - Tracie Prater
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. 2022 Recipient - William Knuth
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. 2022 Recipient - Paul Kovacic
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. 2022 Recipient - Sean Bowerfind
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. 2022 Recipient - Guarav Sharma
Congratulations to the Section's 2022 Award Recipients
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Section Hosts First Academic Quiz Bowl This spring the AIAA Greater Huntsville Section (GHS) hosted its first-ever academic quiz bowl tournament for Alabama schools. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Lecture on NASA’s Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) AIAA Greater Huntsville Section hosted Janice Houston, the former lead systems engineer for IXPE, ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Section Members Participate in 2022 Congressional Visits Week During the week of March 14th section members from Alabama participated in the institute’s annual Congressional Visits meetings. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Section Sponsors Valentine's Day Contest This year AIAA GHS invited professional members, children of members, and students sponsored by our educator associates to submit aerospace themed Valentine’s Day cards. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Section Hears Lecture On NASA and the ‘Long’ Civil Rights Movement Dr. Brian Odom, the acting NASA chief historian, spoke to AIAA GHS ... more Click here to view the lecture. Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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AIAA GHS January Professional Lecture: Astro Access AIAA GHS hosted a panel discussion on accessibility in human spaceflight with the nonprofit AstroAccess. ... more Click here to view the panel discussion. Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Section Attends Chamber of Commerce Holiday Reception The Greater Huntsville Section returned to the Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce’s Holiday Social in 2021 ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Member Recognition Dinner at Monte Sano Lodge AIAA GHS hosted a member recognition event on December 13th at Monte Sano State Park Lodge. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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2021 First Flight Commemoration Drawing Contest 2021 First Flight Commemoration Drawing Contest Winners ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Blue Origin’s Club for the Future The AIAA Greater Huntsville Section’s December professional lecture featured Josef Reinke, director of Blue Origin’s nonprofit Club for the Future. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Building Community: Huntsville Tinsel Trail The AIAA Greater Huntsville Section is lighting up the holiday season this year with its participation in Huntsville's Downtown Tinsel Trail. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Section November Lecture with Eric Cole The AIAA Greater Huntsville section was honored to have Eric Cole of Missile Defense speak at our monthly professional lecture for November. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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AIAA Members Get Up Close with Historic Aircraft Greater Huntsville Section members had a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with an historic US Navy jet on November 4, 2021. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Rocket Science at STEAMfest 2021 GHS, with the generous sponsorship of ERC, contributed to an exciting day of interactive science at STEAMfest 2021. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Greater Huntsville Section Attends Artemis on the Square The Greater Huntsville Section attended Artemis on the Square, a celebration of NASA’s Artemis program, in downtown Huntsville on Saturday, November 6th . ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Section Hears Lecture on Planetary Protection The October professional lecture for the AIAA Greater Huntsville Section featured Dr. Chelsi Cassilly, a planetary protection microbiologist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Section Goes On Ghost Walk The AIAA Greater Huntsville Section went on a guided Ghost Walk of Downtown Huntsville on October 17th. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Ginger Barnes Speaks to Section The AIAA Greater Huntsville section was honored to have Virginia (Ginger) Barnes speak at one of our fall professional lectures on September 21st. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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AIAA Announces Class of 2022 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 2022 class of Associate Fellows are:
Andrew M. Crocker - Dynetics (a Leidos Company) Robert Harris - CFD Research Corporation Jody Singer - NASA Marshall Space Flight Center George Story - NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Richard E. Tuggle - PeopleTec/U.S. Army Reserve Naveen Vetcha - Engineering, Research, and Consulting, Inc. (ERC) John Vickers - NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Congratulations to these members on their recognition.
Click here to see the AIAA press release naming all new Associate Fellows.
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AIAA Returns to the 2021 Space & Missile Defense Symposium The Greater Huntsville Section returned as an on-site exhibitor for the 2021 Space & Missile Defense Symposium from August 10 – 12, 2021 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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2020-2021 Section Awards Announced
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has announced its 2020–2021 section awards winners. The section awards honor particularly notable achievements made by member sections in a range of activities that help fulfill the Institute’s mission. Section awards are GreatererDinnerDinnerDinnered on the size ofx each section’s membership. The Greater Huntsville section is in the Very Large category.
The Greater Huntsville Section received the following awards for 2020-21:
Outstanding Section Award: Second Place Communications Award: Second Place Membership Award: Third Place Public Policy Award: First Place STEM K-12 Award: Second Place (Tie) Outstanding Activity Award: Honorable Mention
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August Lecture with Dr. Kimberly Robinson The Greater Huntsville Section rebooted its monthly professional lecture series on August 19th with an event at InnerSpace Brewery. The event, which commemorated Women’s Equality Day, featured Dr. Kimberly Robinson, CEO of the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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2021 Armed Forces Celebration Luncheon The Greater Huntsville Section participated in the 2021 Armed Forces Celebration Luncheon at the Von Braun Center on August 4. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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Greater Huntsville Section at AirVenture 2021 Section members attended the world’s largest aviation gathering, the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin from July 25 - 31. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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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 anAan online buzzer system. ... more Click here to see Table of Contents for all eMag articles.
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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.
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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.
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Initial Group of Memorial Bricks at US Space and Rocket Center
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Memorial Bricks Program In 2017 the Greater Huntsville Section of the AIAA instituted a program to honor departed Section members by placing a memorial brick in the Saturn courtyard outside the Davidson Center. 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 departed members with these memorials. To make a donation in support of the memorial bricks program please go to http://www.hsv-aiaa-events.org/MemorialBricksDonations.html All donations will be used to support the Section's program for providing memorial bricks at the US Space and Rocket Center for departed members, so please be generous with your support.
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