July 14, 2003

Glenn Mahone/Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington 
(Phone: 202/358-1898/1600)

Bruce Buckingham
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)

RELEASE: 03-238

WHITLOW NAMED KENNEDY SPACE CENTER DEPUTY DIRECTOR

William F. Readdy, Associate Administrator for Space Flight at NASA 
Headquarters in Washington, today named Woodrow Whitlow, Jr., Ph.D., 
as the new Deputy Director of the agency's Kennedy Space Center 
(KSC), Fla., effective August 31. Whitlow will succeed James W. 
Kennedy, who becomes Center Director on August 10.

"Dr. Whitlow is a tremendous addition to our KSC leadership," said 
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe. "Woodrow will help maintain the 
Center's unsurpassed performance as the world leader acquiring, 
preparing, managing and launching key payloads and expendable 
vehicles. He is an experienced, proven performer and leader with the 
right technical expertise to help NASA successfully return to flight, 
while successfully conducting other launch, science operations, and 
payload processing" Administrator O'Keefe added.

As Director of Research and Technology at NASA's Glenn Research Center 
(GRC), Cleveland, since 1998, Whitlow led a staff of more than 470 
scientists and engineers conducting research in high-temperature 
materials, aerospace power, propulsion systems, structures, and 
acoustics. Whitlow planned and directed GRC research and technology 
development efforts to meet NASA programmatic commitments for 
advances in space power, space and aeronautics propulsion, and space 
communications.

"Woodrow's background, experience, technical expertise and proven 
leadership ability made him the logical and right choice as KSC's 
Deputy Center Director," Readdy said. His background, knowledge and 
experience across a wide variety of NASA programs adds a critical 
dimension and focus to the Center Deputy's role, as we work to return 
to flight safely and as expeditiously as possible," Readdy added. 

Before moving to GRC, Whitlow was Chief, Structures Division at NASA's 
Langley Research Center (LaRC), Hampton, Va. He planned, directed and 
coordinated the research of a division of more than 100 scientists 
and engineers. The research included analysis, wind tunnel testing, 
ground and flight experiments. The experiments covered computational 
and thermal structures, structural mechanics and dynamics.

Prior to that, Whitlow was the Deputy Director, Aeronautics Program 
Group at LaRC. He led and managed key research programs to develop 
technology for airframe systems to help maintain the superiority of 
U.S. aircraft, and achieving a safe, affordable, global 
transportation system. Whitlow also served at NASA Headquarters in 
Washington in the Office of Aeronautics as the Director, Critical 
Technologies Division and Program Manager, Structures and Dynamics.

Whitlow joined NASA in 1979 as a research scientist at LaRC and has 
held positions of increasing responsibility since then. He earned 
bachelor's and master's degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics at 
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Mass. He 
received his doctorate from MIT in Aeronautics and Astronautics, with 
a minor in Applied Mathematics.

He has received many prestigious awards during his career, including 
the Institution of Mechanical Engineers William Sweet Smith Prize for 
Outstanding Paper on Advanced Propulsion Systems; MIT Martin Luther 
King Leadership Award; National Technical Association Achiever of the 
Year; and U.S. Black Engineer of the Year for Outstanding Achievement 
in Government. 

His NASA awards include, Senior Executive Service Performance Award; 
Equal Opportunity Honor Medal; Exceptional Service Medal; and the 
LaRC Special Achievement Award. 

Additional information about NASA and KSC is available on the Internet 
at: 

http://www.nasa.gov 



http://www.ksc.nasa.gov

	
-end-