VOLUME 18 ISSUE 9 SEPTEMBER 2016

Administrator Reassures Stability at Agency and Glenn 

Administrator Charlie Bolden and 

Deputy Administrator Dr. Dava Newman 

conducted an All Hands meeting, July 27,

to update Glenn employees on the state 

of the agency. A more in-depth discussion on mission work followed during 

the NASA Advisory Council’s public 

assembly, held July 28−29, at the Ohio 

Aerospace Institute (OAI).

Bolden reassured the audience that 

NASA is in good shape with a great 

budget. The agency received $300 

million more than President Obama 

requested for fiscal year 2016 and will 

likely spend at the same level under a 

continuing resolution for 2017.

“It doesn’t mean that you’re going to be 

able to do everything you used to do; 

no one is. NASA is trying to evolve and 

build resiliency,” he said. “NASA is more 

than human space flight and Glenn is 

involved in every aspect. You’re woven 

into the fabric of NASA, so your future 

is incredibly bright.”

Some highlights of mission directorate 

activities and prospects for the future 

included:

• The proposed 2017 Aeronautics 

budget includes funding for five 

X-planes (experimental models) 

over the next 10 years to help 

develop and validate technologies 

for more efficient, quieter and 

environmentally friendly aviation.

Continued on page 3

GRC–2016–C–05544 Photo by Rami Daud

Administrator Bolden and Deputy Administrator 

Dr. Newman took turns providing agency highlights during the All Hands.

Employees, Retirees Gather for Center Picnic

GRC-2016-C-05843 Photo by Jordan Salkin

Employees joined in on the fun during the 2016 Center Picnic at the Lewis Field Picnic Grounds, 

Aug. 10. Many retirees joined the activities after attending a retiree reunion in the morning at the 

MIC Auditorium. See page 5 for pictorial highlights. 

Security Day 

Packs a Punch 

Against Crime

Do Your Part, Be Security Smart! 

The Office of Protective Services hosted 

the center’s first NASA Glenn Security 

Day, Aug. 2. The event raised awareness 

on security preparedness at work and at 

home. 

Continued on page 8 

In This Issue

Safety Culture Pride .............................2

Citizens Aide Research ........................2

OCIO Ingenuity Awarded ......................2

Tech Transfer Licenses ........................3

Picnic, Reunion Highlights ....................5

Developing Federal Leaders ................6
Be Proud of Our Safety Culture

Thank you for participating in NASA’s 2016 Safety Culture Survey. I am pleased 

to report that our center’s participation increased by 65 percent over our last 

survey. Glenn received high ratings in all categories in the survey, which confirms that our safety culture is strong. Your valuable feedback showed that 

you appreciate the center efforts in Communication and in Leadership/Management Commitment. Many applauded our Egress Cleanup Initiative. Your 

comments acknowledged last year’s efforts and asked for further enhancements. With your continued commitment to safety, we will reach the highest 

standard of safety culture at Glenn and across the agency.

A strong safety culture at NASA is vital to everything we do. It affects our 

missions, research and day-to-day activities, and it keeps safe our most 

valuable resource...our employees.

—Janet

Citizens Help NASA Track Lake Erie Algal Blooms

Toxic algal blooms continue to plague 

Lake Erie and other waterways again 

this year, which impacts drinking water, 

fishing and recreational activities. 

In an effort to identify areas of concentrated cyanobacteria and warn residents 

about its presence in their neighborhood, Glenn’s Dr. Rafat Ansari, senior 

scientist, has spearheaded a citizen 

science campaign to engage volunteer pilots to monitor water quality 

along Lake Erie’s coastline and interior

waterways. 

To learn about this campaign, visit 

go.nasa.gov/29AbVCr. 

GRC–2016–C–05810 Photo by Marvin Smith

Dr. Ansari (right) and pilot Terry Schubert use 

their aircraft to monitor algal blooms on Lake 

Erie as part of a citizen science initiative.

Center’s Office of Chief Information Officer 

Recognized for Innovative Use of Technology

CIO.com recognized NASA Glenn as a

winner of its 29th annual CIO 100 Awards 

program during its CIO 100 Symposium, 

Aug. 16. The CIO 100 awards honor

organizations that have distinguished

themselves by creating business value

through the innovative use of technology. 

Specifically, the center was recognized for its Scientific Computing and

Visualization team, 

which made extensive 

use of existing gaming 

technology to create

applications that would

communicate NASA’s 

research and enable 

greater advances by its 

scientists.

Now Available:

Open House Photos

Thanks to the hard work 

and tireless efforts of 

several hundred Glenn 

staff members, Lewis 

Field and Plum Brook 

Station open houses 

were a great success!

To view a post-event summary with 

facts, figures, photos and positive feedback from these events, please click on 

the following internal URLs:

Lewis Field:

http://events.grc.nasa.go v /

OpenHouseVol/

Plum Brook Station:

http://events.grc.nasa.gov/pbs_

OpenHouseVol/

For AeroSpace Frontiers readers outside the gates, visit our Flickr sites:

Lewis Field:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasaglenn/albums/72157668414737832

Plum Brook Station:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasaglenn/sets/72157669232457952

Calling 

all Makers!

We're celebrating the maker movement 

at Glenn by introducing a new “Meet 

the Makers” web series. Inventors, 

designers, builders, technicians, engineers 

and tinkerers are invited to share their 

stories for a chance to be featured on 

Glenn’s website. To share your story, 

or nominate a maker, send an email to 

Nikki.D.Welch@nasa.gov.

2
SEPTEMBER 2016

Administrator Reassures Stability at Agency and Glenn

Continued from page 1

GRC–2016–C–05537 Photo by Rami Daud

Students visiting during Take Our Children to 

Work Day were encouraged to participate in the 

Q&A at the All Hands.

GRC–2016–C–05445 Photo by Marvin Smith

Bolden and Dr. Newman join Center Director Dr. Kavandi and other members of the NASA Advisory 

Council that convened at the OAI.

• The Human Exploration Program is 

on the verge of putting humans on 

Mars. The agency will be working 

over the next 10 years in cislunar 

space to develop capabilities and 

technologies needed to travel deeper 

in space. NASA is building flexible 

systems into our new vehicles.

• NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is 

answering important questions about 

the Earth’s climate and observing 

and returning samples from other 

planets to help determine potential 

for habitation. 

Speaking to her passion for the work 

in the Space Technology Mission Directorate, Newman stated that technology 

and innovation is happening at Glenn. 

She cited examples of Glenn’s ion 

propulsion and Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) technologies, and innovative 

contributions to NASA in every plane, 

living in microgravity and life support, 

global exploration and unmanned aerial 

vehicles (UAVs), all of which point 

to how Glenn is well positioned for a 

bright future.

By S. Jenise Veris

Trending With Tech Transfer

Evaluation Licenses Seek Commercial Platforms

Chico, California-based Makel Engineering, Inc. (MEI), specializing in 

products related to chemical sensing 

and micro-electro-mechanical systems, 

will incorporate Glenn sensing technology into a commercial platform. 

Glenn licensed several technologies 

that apply to the measurement of core 

chemical species relevant to a range of 

commercial applications. One license 

was for a carbon dioxide sensor; 

a second license was for a suite of 

technologies enabling hydrogen and 

hydrocarbon sensing. 

These hydrocarbon sensors have already 

been used in demonstration testing for 

in situ monitoring of engine emissions 

in an operating aircraft engine, but 

MEI plans to market them for industrial 

leak detection. With hydrocarbon leak 

detection becoming increasingly important in the production of natural gas, 

the use of natural gas vehicles, and the 

spread of natural gas refueling stations, 

this technology suite will prove invaluable as MEI continues to broaden its 

areas of expertise in chemical sensing.

Boulder, Colorado-based Special 

Aerospace Services, LLC (SAS), specializing in technology development and 

engineering services, will test the applicability of Glenn’s catalytic microtube 

rocket ignitor with SAS’s cutting-edge 

rocket engine design and development. 

The ignitor was originally part of the 

Propulsion and Cryogenic Advanced 

Development project, which sought to 

develop methane/oxygen technologies 

to enable further exploration of the 

moon and Mars.

SAS will test Glenn’s technology in 

the area of advanced manufacturing 

and propulsion (energetics) research. 

With clients such as United Launch Alliance, Sierra Nevada Corporation Space 

Systems and Lockheed Martin, SAS 

has enormous potential to shape the 

future of tactical engineering, including 

commercial human space flight. 

If you want to learn more about 

licensing, or if you are working on a 

technology with potential applications 

beyond a NASA mission, contact Karen 

Bartos at grc-techtransfer@mail.nasa.gov.

Submitted by Glenn’s Technology Transfer Office

3
News and Events

Innovation Takes Flight

Glenn’s John Oldham (center) and Carl 

Blaser (far right) helped NASA illuminate

flight innovations for approximately 

563,000 aero enthusiasts at EAA 

AirVenture 2016 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. 

From July 25 to 31, Glenn staff supported 

the design and operations of NASA’s 

extensive exhibit at the world’s largest 

annual air show featuring the agency’s 

strategic communications priorities, and 

elements of Glenn’s 75th anniversary. 

Center Director Dr. Janet Kavandi spoke 

at several forums.

Photo by Carlos Gomez

Biomimicry: Innovation 

Looks to Nature

Rebecca Eagle-Malone, a University of 

Akron Ph.D. candidate in Biomimicry,

explains the nature of an armadillo 

adapted to aerospace applications during 

the National Biomimicry Summit and 

Education Forum at the Ohio Aerospace 

Institute (OAI), Aug. 2–4. NASA Glenn, 

OAI and Great Lakes Biomimicry 

sponsored the summit, in collaboration 

with academia, industry and government 

agencies, to foster nature-inspired 

exploration on Earth and in space. For 

more information on NASA biomimicry 

research, visit www.grc.nasa.gov/vibe/. Photo by Varsha Vydyula

Kids on the Job

It was show and tell for parents during 

Take Our Kids to Work Day, July 27. Wes

Sallee (top photo, seated) talked with 

his grandchildren and others about his 

job at Plum Brook Station. Also, the kids 

at Lewis Field met Center Director and 

Astronaut Janet Kavandi (bottom right). 

An ice cream social was a sweet ending 

to the day.

GRC–2016–C–05487 Photos by Jordan Salkin

Center Golf Outing—

High Temps, Low Scores

Left to right: Kirk Seablom, retiree Jeff 

Swan, John Leone and Ken Fisher were 

among 245 golfers who showed off 

their drives and trick shots during the 

7th Annual GRC Golf Outing at Mallard 

Creek Golf Course, July 22. Four-person 

scramble participants ended the day with 

a barbeque and talk about their birdies 

and bogeys. GRC–2016–C–05331 Photo by Marvin Smith

4
SEPTEMBER 2016

Photos by Bridget Caswell, 

Rami Daud, and Jordan Salkin

Graphic design by Lisa Liuzzo

2016 Center Picnic & Retiree Reunion

Glenn employees and retirees gathered at the Lewis Field Picnic Grounds, Aug. 10, to enjoy food, music, games and time 

together during the annual Center Picnic. Prior to the picnic, and in celebration of the center’s 75th Anniversary, retirees 

gathered at the Mission Integration Center to look back on the past technological accomplishments and learn more about the 

center’s current and future work. Nearly 1,500 attended the picnic, including 109 retirees.

To view more photos from the Center Picnic and Retiree Reunion, visit:

 http://events.grc.nasa.gov/centerpicnic/

 http://events.grc.nasa.gov/75thReunion/Default.aspx

5
Celebrating Four More

CFCLI Graduates!

Four Glenn employees were part of the 

2016 class of Cleveland Federal Community Leadership Institute (CFCLI) 

who graduated, June 28. 

The 9-month program is designed to

develop leaders committed to advancing cooperation among federal agencies 

in the Greater Cleveland area, while 

strengthening community partnerships. 

Completing a community service project, in one of five targeted areas, was a 

condition of graduation. Glenn graduates and their project include:

Lauren Brown contributed to the Yard 

Cleanup Day project targeting the

senior citizen population of Fairport 

Harbor.

David Friedlander and Mina Mankbadi

contributed to a STEM education 

outreach project focused on an 

underserved population.

Melissa Holodnak contributed to A 

Showcase of Careers at John Marshall 

School of Civic and Business Leadership 

targeting at-risk youth.

By S. Jenise Veris

Pictured are NASA Glenn's 2016 graduates and center personnel who provided CFCLI support. They 

include, left to right: Ryan Brown, Nola Bland, Vicky Hagerman, Brian Motil, Lauren Brown, Mina 

Mankbadi, Janet Watkins, Melissa Holodnak, David Friedlander, Dimeta Hughes, Sally Saltzman, 

Bhim Singh, Lisa Hicks and Michael Goin.

Awards

During a ceremony at the Oribital ATK 

facility, June 27, Astronaut James Kelly 

and NASA’s deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development 

Bill Hill presented a Space Flight Awareness (SFA) Honoree Award to Glenn’s 

Matthew C. Bielozer. Bielozer was recognized for his leadership and contributions to the Propulsion Qualification 

Module, a critical test program to help 

validate the European Service Module. 

Glenn members of the Evolvable Cryogenics (eCryo) Radio Frequency Mass 

Gauge (RFMG) Team celebrated a 

NASA SFA Team Award, July 13, during 

a ceremony, followed by a picnic. Center

Director Dr. Janet Kavandi presented the 

Astronaut Kelly, left, and Hill, right present the 

SFA award to Bielozer.

awards and applauded their example of 

working across other organizations and 

centers to develop hardware supporting the Goddard Space Flight Center-led

Robotic Refueling Mission 3 project.

The Federal Laboratory Consortium 

for Technology Transfer awarded Kim

Dalgleish-Miller, chief of Glenn’s Technology Transfer Office, with its Regional 

Coordinator's Excellence Award. She 

was recognized for her leadership leading 

to numerous innovative developments 

in technology transfer that are also 

applicable to other member laboratories.

Dalgleish-Miller and John Dement, FLC Midwest 

Regional coordinator.

GRC–2016–C–04989 Photo by Marvin Smith

The Evolvable Cryogenics (eCryo) Radio Frequency Mass Gauge (RFMG) Team posed for a photo 

with Center Director Kavandi and Deputy Director Dr. Marla Perez-Davis following the ceremony.

Connect With Glenn

6
SEPTEMBER 2016

More Than a Memory

Crnobrnja

Mike “Scorp” Crnobrnja, 86, a 1982 NASA retiree with 31 years of government service, died May 20. Crnobrnja 

was an aeronautical engineer, who contributed to the design of the reentry systems for the Centaur rocket and 

Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle programs, which kept astronauts safe during reentry into Earth’s 

atmosphere. Crnobrnja was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict and active member of AMVETS Post #47 

in Lorain.

Manuel P. Narcizo Jr., 91, a 1974 NASA retiree with 26 years of government service, died May 28. Narcizo 

was a U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict. He joined NASA in 1960 after serving at 

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Holloman Air Force Missile Test Center in New Mexico. He served as a 

Plum Brook Station senior reactor operator and later served as a facility equipment mechanic in the Experiment 

Section of the Rocket Systems Service Branch.

Welcome to the NASA Family

GRC–2016–C–03357 Photos by Bridget Caswell

Glenn welcomed 18 new employees who reported for orientation on May 2. They include front, left to 

right: Max F. Chaiken, Thermal Energy Conversion Branch; Christine C. Staschiak, Environmental 

Management Office; Maria M. Wendling, Procurement Division; Amanda Darmosaputro, Program 

Management and Planning Office; Susanah R. Kowalewski; Diagnostics and Electromagnetics 

Branch; Middle row: Jason Jeng-Jye Ho, Procurement Division; Lauren McIntyre, Information and 

Applications Office; Diana Chan, Engineering Management Branch; Deborah Lockhart, Office of 

Communications & External Relations; and Samaun Nili, Turbomachinery and Turboelectric Systems 

Branch; Back row: Connor P. Pate, Risk Management and IT Security Office; Francisco J. Guzman, 

Engine Combustion Branch; Marc Abadie, Exploration Systems Project Office; Michael Marsden, 

Architectures, Networks and System Integration Branch; John R. Rice, Data Systems Branch; Noah 

Garrison, Procurement Division; Omar M. Gad, Fluid Physics and Transport Processes Branch; and 

Austin Wright, Wind Tunnel and Propulsion Test Branch.

GRC–2016–C–03158

Glenn welcomed five new employees for 

orientation on May 31. They are pictured, left 

to right: Geoffrey M. Andrews, Propulsion 

Systems Analysis Branch; Christine Schmid, 

Mission Architecture and Analysis Branch; 

Peter Psaras, Chemical and Thermal Propulsion Systems Branch; Kevin P. Hannigan, 

Flight Software Branch; and Aretha L. Carr, 

Office of Diversity & Equal Opportunity.

Emergency and Inclement 

Weather Lines 

Lewis Field: 216–433–9328 (WEAT) 

Plum Brook Station: 419–621–3333

Calendar

IFPTE LOCAL 28, LESA MEETING: LESA 

will hold its next membership meeting, 

Wednesday, Sept. 14, noon, in the Glenn 

Employee Center’s Small Dining Room.

GLENN HALL OF FAME: The second 

class of inductees will be inducted into 

Glenn Research Center’s Hall of Fame 

during a ceremony on Wednesday, 

Sept. 14, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the MIC 

Auditorium. All are welcome to attend. 

POC: Anne Mills, 3–8715

FARMERS MARKET: The Farmers

Market will be returning to Glenn one 

last time this year. Mark your calendar 

for Tuesday, Sept. 27, from 10:30 a.m 

to 1:30 p.m. Rain or shine...the market 

will go on! Stop by the Picnic Grounds 

to check out the new vendors and some 

of your favorite vendors from the past! 

POC: Bianca Gatto, 3–6313

HISPANIC HERITAGE OBSERVANCE: 

Mark your calendar for Thursday,

Sept. 29, for the National Hispanic 

Heritage Month Observance. Former 

astronaut and current Director of 

Johnson Space Center Dr. Ellen Ochoa 

is the keynote speaker. The event takes 

place at 1:30 p.m. in the MIC Auditorium, 

Bldg. 162. POC: Avis Hudson-Burnette, 

3–6072

OCTOBER SIREN TESTING: The Emergency Management Office staff will 

conduct an audible siren test at Lewis 

Field on Saturday, Oct. 1, focusing on 

the “Severe Thunderstorm” tone. On 

Wednesday, Oct. 5, the outdoor “voice” 

test will occur at building 39. POC: 

Allen Turner, 3–6826

SATURDAY TOURS AT LEWIS FIELD: 

Glenn offers the last 2016 free tour 

of its world-class facilities at Lewis 

Field on Oct. 8. Tour buses depart 

from the Main Gate every hour starting at 10 a.m. One-hour tours begin 

with a multimedia presentation in 

the Briefing Center Auditorium. The 

tour features Glenn’s Ballistic Impact 

Facility. For more information, visit 

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/

events/tours.html.

7
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field

21000 Brookpark Road 

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

www.nasa.gov

AeroSpace Frontiers is an official publication of Glenn Research 

Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It is 

published the second Friday of each month by the Office of 

Communications & External Relations in the interest of the Glenn 

workforce, retirees, government officials, business leaders and 

the general public. Submit short articles and calendar items via 

e-mail to the editor: doreen.b.zudell@nasa.gov or 216–433–5317. 

October 2016 Calendar section deadline is Sept. 21, noon

News and feature stories require additional time

Editor: Doreen B. Zudell, ATS

Assistant Editor: S. Jenise Veris, ATS

Managing Editor: Kelly R. DiFrancesco

Read AeroSpace Frontiers online at http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/news/AF/index.html

Glenn Security Day Packs a Punch

Continued from page 1

U.S. Deputy Fire Administrator, Dr. 

Denis Onieal, opened the session with a 

discussion on civil unrest and the future 

of emergency services. Local police then 

joined Glenn’s Protective Services and 

Counterintelligence/Counterterrorism 

teams in leading interactive educational 

breakout sessions, which centered on 

espionage, dangerous items hidden 

in teens’ rooms, an escape room that 

tested participants’ NASA security

knowledge and first responder training.

“The event was very successful and we 

look forward for the opportunity to 

host a Security Day annually; to provide 

a great security experience for the 

employees and our community partners,” said Christi Tomaro, chief, Office 

of Protective Services.

By Doreen B. Zudell

GRC–2016–C–05753 Photo by Jordan Salkin

Dr. Onieal spoke with local first responders about 

professional development in fire and safety 

services.

GRC–2016–C–05736 Photo by Rami Daud

Escape Room participants, Stefanie Hirt and John 

Wolter, successfully followed security-related clues 

to solve the mystery of the missing special agent. 

GRC–2016–C–05704 Photo by Rami Daud

Dr. Onieal engaged an audience of employees, 

interns and local first responders.

GRC–2016–C–05710 Photo by Rami Daud

Do spies really exist? Glenn Security Specialist Darrell Williams talked about the dangers of espionage 

as it relates to U.S. college students and public servants.