Excavating For 

Moon to Mars 

Pages 2–3

VOLUME 21 • ISSUE 4 • MAY 2019

MiniGEER 

Gets Extreme

Page 6

Kavandi 

Inducted Into 

Hall of Fame

Page 7

Employees 

Earn Wings

Page 9
2

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 

to the editor at doreen.b.zudell@nasa.gov. 

Editor: Doreen B. Zudell, ATS, 

 216–433–5317

Assistant Editor: S. Jenise Veris, ATS

Design: Jami Drost, ATS

Managing Editor: Kelly R. DiFrancesco

Circulation: Angela Williams, ATS, 

 216–433–8921

Safety Culture Survey 

Periodically, we conduct a Safety Culture 

Survey to assess our center performance 

in providing a safety-driven environment for all who work at NASA Glenn. 

This year, the survey closed on April 15, 

and the participation rate was very good. 

We increased the number of responses 

received by more than 35% and collected 

over 1,500 comments. The results will 

be shared in the August timeframe and 

used to modify our approach to enhance 

safety and mission success. Thank you 

for taking the time to provide your 

input through the survey and making 

a positive impact in our pursuit of 

safety and excellence.

Embracing a strong safety culture 

creates a safe work environment to 

deliver on our mission commitments. 

Kyle Johnson, Billy Hau and Margaret Proctor 

watch from the control consoles as the APEX bucket 

is positioned at the simulant surface.

GRC-2019-C-01116

Photos by Bridget Caswell
At left: Kyle Johnson, Fransua Thomas 

and John Veneziano carefully attach a 

test bucket to the load cell mounted on 

the APEX arm.

GRC-2019-C-01105

On the Cover: Glenn engineer 

Fransua Thomas checks the test soil 

for consistency before measuring 

excavation forces.

GRC-2019-C-01111

Laboratory Simulates Excavation 

in Extraterrestrial Environment

Robotic Mining

To reduce the cost to get to deep space and return home, 

and eventually live and work there for months or years, 

crew members must have access to the life-sustaining 

elements and critical supplies readily available on Earth. 

On the Moon, and eventually on Mars, surface materials 

can be mined to produce oxygen, water and other 

valuable resources.

The farther humans go into deep space, the more important 

it will be to generate needed products from local materials, 

a practice called in situ resource utilization (ISRU). 

Started as part of NASA’s Advanced Exploration Systems 

ISRU Technology Project led by Diane Linne, and now in the 

Space Technology Mission Directorate, Glenn has created 

an excavation laboratory. It is located near the Simulated 

Lunar Operations Laboratory in the Engine Research 

Building complex. A 40- by 20-foot, 16-foot-high windowed 

enclosure houses the Advanced Planetary Excavator (APEX) 

robotic arm, along with a shaker table and soil bins. These 

items combined allow researchers to replicate excavation in 

extraterrestrial environments using simulants of off-world 

dirt, or regolith. 

“Since lunar material (Moon rock) is precious and not 

replaceable yet, we use simulants of regolith for testing,” 

explained Phillip Abel, deputy chief of Glenn’s Mechanisms 

and Tribology Branch and excavation lead. “Glenn, in 

MAY 2019

3

conjunction with Case Western Reserve University, has 

created a simulant called GRC–3, specifically designed 

to mimic lunar surface excavation.”

Excavation here on Earth is quite different than on the 

Moon or Mars. When we dig a hole into soil on Earth, we 

have plenty of weight due to gravity to put behind the 

shovel. On the Moon or Mars, we may not have the ability 

to put as much weight behind the shovel to dig effectively 

due to low gravity and the need to design lightweight 

machines for launch from Earth.

“In addition to quantitatively measuring the forces in excavation to validate our modeling, we are also examining how to 

reduce the excavation forces in order to reduce how much 

vehicle traction you need,” Abel said.

Glenn’s Margaret Proctor led the setup of the new laboratory with help and input from facilities and fabrication 

personnel and co-researchers. Fransua Thomas is leading 

the current testing, with multiple people supporting the effort. While the team is gathering initial data now to compare 

with modeling being done by Dr. Walter Duval, the tests in 

dry GRC–3 are expected to be completed by this summer.

“We’re excited about this ISRU activity,” Abel said. “This will 

lead us into the next stages of exploration as part of the 

Moon to Mars initiative.”

By Doreen B. Zudell
4

NEWS AND EVENTS

Glenn Visionaries Inspire Employee Discussion

On March 20, Glenn’s Women’s Advisory Group, in partnership with the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, 

hosted “Visionary Women: Champions at Glenn,” in recognition of Women’s History Month. The event acknowledged 

and invited discussion with three of Glenn’s visionaries: Deputy Center Director Dr. Marla Pérez-Davis; Deputy Chief of 

the Program and Project Assurance Division Cynthia Calhoun; and Acoustics Branch Aerospace Engineer Danielle Koch. 

They discussed the role that mentors, quality training and a work/life balance played in identifying their strengths, 

challenges and eventual opportunity for leadership.

Appreciation Event 

Shows Some Love 

to CFC Participants

Team members and supporters of Glenn’s 2018 

Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) gathered on 

March 20 to acknowledge the accomplishments and 

recognize employees who helped Show Some Love 

to those in need. 

Associate Director Janet Watkins, CFC Chairperson 

Terri Rodgers, Loaned Executive Osvaldo Rivera 

and Campaign Associate Director for the Northern 

Ohio Zone 28 Carol McClain thanked employees for 

their service and generosity. More than 350 federal 

employees pledged $244,033 to help improve the 

quality of life for people and communities. 

NASA Glenn received the Director’s Award for 

exceptional efforts in support of the campaign. Chris 

Colwall, Engineering Management Branch, received 

the Keyworker of the Year award for his outstanding 

service and creativity throughout the campaign. 

Rodgers passed the CFC torch to Co-Chair Issam 

Boukabou, who will chair the 2019 campaign.

Dr. John Betterson, at the podium, moderates the discussion of visionaries, seated, left to right: Koch, Calhoun and Dr. Pérez-Davis.

Rodgers, left, and Colwall, Keyworker of the Year. 

GRC-2019-C-00734

Photo by Bridget Caswell

GRC-2019-C-00690

Photo by Rami Daud
MAY 2019

5

Glenn’s Dr. Marit Meyer, right, and Dr. Paul 

Mudgett, NASA Johnson’s Biomedical Research 

and Environment Sciences Division, conducted 

performance testing in Glenn’s Gases and 

Aerosols from Smoldering Polymers (GASP) 

Laboratory to help determine the winner of the 

2018 Earth and Space Air Prize Competition. 

Mudgett proposed a challenge to create an 

aerosol sensor capable of monitoring and 

alerting engineers to air quality for humans 

living on Earth or traveling in spacecraft. 

NASA, in collaboration with the Robert Wood 

Johnson Foundation, selected Applied Particle 

Technology LLC of St. Louis, the winner of 

the $100,000 prize. Development of the 

aerosol sensor is already underway for testing 

aboard the International Space Station. Meyer, 

manager of particulate monitoring roadmap for 

NASA’s Life Support Systems Project, will also 

benefit from the research. 

By S. Jenise Veris

Glenn Assists in 

Determining 

Earth and Space 

Air Prize Winner 

GRC-2018-C-09019

Photo by Marvin Smith

African Heritage Advisory Group (AHAG) members, 

Brandon White, Shanton Bland and Marcus Tarver 

kicked off Glenn’s Black History Month Observance 

by performing monologues to the theme of “Black 

Migrations” on March 26. Keynote speaker, Dr. 

Deborah Abbott, who specializes in African American 

genealogy, gave a snapshot of the history of the 

Great Migration that occurred from 1915 to 1970. 

Her presentation, packed with facts and anecdotes, 

took the audience back in time as she illustrated how 

people’s courage and fortitude began the journey for 

equal rights. AHAG and the Office of Diversity and 

Equal Opportunity hosted the event.

Black Migrations: 

Journey Toward Equality

Dr. Abbott gives 

a snapshot of the 

Great Migration.

Tarver and Bland 

perform monologues.

GRC-2019-C-00742

GRC-2019-C-00749

Photos by Rami Daud
Mark Kubiak adjusts gas fill and vent valves prior to a test in 

MiniGEER. The test section of the chamber is located at the 

bottom of this photo, wrapped inside a band heater.

Word is definitely spreading about the Glenn Extreme Environments 

Rig (GEER). The largest chamber of its kind in the world for testing 

materials in extreme environments has been cloned in a miniature 

version that will advance our knowledge of materials applicable to 

deep space exploration.

GEER, a world-class, ground-based test rig, creates the hightemperature, high-pressure and toxic atmospheric conditions found in 

many planets and moons in the solar system and beyond. Researchers 

have relied on GEER to help them investigate, develop and validate 

spacecraft systems and instrumentation in extreme environments 

since 2015. 

While GEER focuses primarily on long-duration testing, a growing 

number of researchers desire short-duration testing. To accommodate 

this need, engineers in Glenn’s Aerospace Test Branch—Alicia Graham, 

Conrad Doehne and Mark Kubiak—developed a small version of the 

test rig, which they call MiniGEER.

MiniGEER’s chamber has a volume of 4 liters in relation to GEER’s 

811-liter chamber, and offers all the same pressure and temperature 

criteria that GEER offers. Currently MiniGEER is limited to a tri-gas 

mixture, but the team is hopeful that the funding will come through 

to add a complete gas mixing system to allow for full Venus surface 

mixture as well as other planetary environments.

During testing in GEER, the main user dictates the characteristics 

of the atmosphere and exposure time, while “ride-along” users are 

invited to test several material or technology articles separately, but 

within the chamber. These materials cannot be removed until the end 

of the test cycle, even if it is longer than they desire. 

“Ride-along samples that require shorter-duration testing can now be 

placed into the MiniGEER,” Doehne said. “This offers more customers 

a quicker, cost-effective way of testing in extreme environments.”

MiniGEER also gives users more control over the test. Since 

the samples are not included in a chamber with other materials, 

customers can dictate their own exposure characteristics. 

“Both GEER and MiniGEER offer a wide variety of material testing in 

virtually any extreme environment,” said GEER Facility Manager Jim 

Mullins. “The science and technologies that result from this testing will 

allow us to explore even farther, understand science more deeply and 

provide spinoff materials and technologies that embed themselves in 

our everyday lives here on Earth.”

By Doreen B. Zudell

MiniGEER Focuses on Short-Duration 

Testing in Extreme Environments

6

GRC-2018-C-09768

Photo by Bridget Caswell
Dr. Kavandi Inducted 

Into U.S. Astronaut 

Hall of Fame

Dr. Kavandi at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame ceremony. 

Center Director Dr. Janet Kavandi held an All 

Hands Meeting, April 18, to discuss NASA’s human 

mission to the Moon by 2024 and Glenn’s involvement in this mission. Using excerpts from NASA 

Administrator Jim Bridenstine’s speech at the 

35th Space Symposium, Kavandi addressed key 

challenges necessary to accelerate America’s 

return to the Moon. She assured employees of the 

center’s commitment to the challenge, and that 

Risk Management will be essential to ensure that 

safety will not be compromised to achieve the goal. 

Kavandi Rallies Support 

for Return to Moon

“The pioneering spirit we see in every astronaut is truly exemplified by this year’s inductees,” said NASA Administrator Jim 

Bridenstine. “Janet Kavandi and James Buchli represent the 

best of America’s astronauts, and I congratulate them for 

achieving this prestigious honor. Each has contributed greatly 

to the NASA mission, and their efforts have helped lay the 

groundwork for where we are today—including Janet’s leadership directing Glenn’s Moon to Mars work—as we chart 

a course for a return of American astronauts to the lunar 

surface in 5 years, and eventually on to Mars.”

Bob Cabana, director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and 

a 2008 inductee, was among the speakers at the ceremony. 

This event now brings the total number of hall of fame space 

explorers to 99.

Kavandi was a member of NASA’s 15th class of astronaut 

candidates, selected in 1994. She is a veteran of three space 

shuttle missions, serving as a mission specialist on STS–91 

in 1998, STS–99 in 2000, and STS–104 in 2001. She has 

logged more than 33 days in space, traveling more than 13.1 

million miles in 535 Earth orbits.

During her time in the NASA Astronaut Office, Kavandi 

supported International Space Station payload integration, 

capsule communications and robotics and served as deputy 

chief of the Astronaut Office. She became the director of 

Glenn in 2016.

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation selects astronauts 

for induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, which 

was founded more than 30 years ago by the six surviving 

Mercury 7 astronauts as a venue where space travelers could 

be remembered and honored.

Learn more about Kavandi’s journey at

https://go.nasa.gov/2Da6zul.

NASA Glenn Center Director Dr. Janet Kavandi was 

inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a 

ceremony at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor 

Complex on April 6. Veteran Astronaut James Buchli 

was also inducted. 

GRC-2019-CN-00007

Photo by NASA/Cory Huston

GRC-2019-C-01181

Photo by Jordan Salkin

7

MAY 2019
8

To learn more about the Apollo Program, visit 

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/

apollo/index.html.

From October 2018 through December 2022, 

NASA will mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 

Program that landed a dozen astronauts on the 

Moon between July 1969 and December 1972.

Here’s a snapshot of the Apollo mission 

that occurred during the month of May:

Apollo Program 

Reflections

Apollo 10

DATE: May 18 to 26, 1969

MISSION: Tested the Lunar Module 

 around the Moon

CREW: Cernan, Young, Stafford

Cleveland Monsters Celebrate 

Apollo 11 Moon Landing 

Anniversary at the Q

NASA Glenn supported the Cleveland Monsters in celebrating the 50th 

anniversary of Apollo 11 with a special Monsters Moon Landing Night 

at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, March 23. Glenn employees, 

retirees and their families were among the crowd of 15,290 who 

watched the Monsters crush the Hershey Bears 5–2.

Glenn’s Office of Communications and External Relations staff set up 

Apollo and Moon-related exhibits in the concourse, including an 

authentic Moon rock. Employees across the center assisted in staffing 

the exhibits and interactive activities that drew nearly 1,500 people to 

NASA’s exhibit area. 

“We are so grateful to the NASA team for putting on a first-class exhibit 

that was interactive, entertaining, educational and fun,” said Pam Frasco, 

vice president of Marketing and Communications for the Cleveland 

Monsters. “Our fans still cannot stop talking about it!”

The Monsters wore specialty spacesuit-themed uniforms featuring the 

Apollo 11 design during the game, and retired NASA astronaut Mario 

Runco Jr. dropped the ceremonial puck and signed autographs. The 

Monsters broadcasted the “We are NASA” video throughout the arena 

during the game.

GRC-2019-C-00804 

GRC-2019-C-00821

Photos by Rami Daud
FEB Awards Honor Service to Job and Community

Seven NASA Glenn employees received the Federal Executive Board (FEB) “Wings of Excellence” Award 

during the Awards and Recognition Luncheon on May 3. The award recognizes those employees whose 

outstanding performance on the job or in the community has been an inspiration to others and/or 

brought credit to the federal service. Congratulations to the following Glenn honorees:

Robert H. Earp for his service as Glenn’s patent counsel and one of 

NASA’s leading experts in intellectual property and patent law. Earp’s modernization of the NASA patent acquisition process has resulted in dramatic 

cost savings to American taxpayers, while also increasing protection of 

valuable commercial technologies for technology transfer to NASA partners 

and the benefit of humankind. 

David J. Friedlander for service as an aerospace research engineer committed to inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers through 

community outreach. Friedlander engages thousands of students and the 

general public through his hands-on demonstrations of a small portable 

wind tunnel and live videoconferencing as a subject matter expert on STEM 

careers for Glenn’s Connections Program. 

Dr. Karen Gilliam for her leadership in the agency’s training, leadership 

and organization development programs, in addition to her community outreach, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. Most notably, she serves as a 

board member of Restore Cleveland Hope, which promotes and celebrates 

Cleveland’s Underground Railroad history. She facilitates true stories from 

the Underground Railroad in both neighborhood and organizational settings.

Deborah J. Lockhart for service as a public affairs specialist and for 

community outreach. Lockhart helped raise awareness of STEM opportunities to girls and young women by serving on the steering committee for the 

American Heart Association’s STEM Goes Red for Girls; and coordinating 

Glenn’s “Words of Wisdom” STEM-themed lunch series. She also serves 

as a Girl Scout troop leader. 

Osvaldo Rivera, Glenn’s Safety and Mission Assurance technical advisor, 

for his services as Loaned Executive, Combined Federal Campaign in 

2016 and 2018, responsible with campaign oversight of over 25 federal 

agencies, and chief editor of the Ohio Zone 28 CFC newsletter. Additionally, Rivera chaired and was a voting member of the Source Evaluation 

Committee for Glenn’s Medical Services procurement that earned an 

on-time award. 

Ingrid E. Wagner for her leadership as a mishap support specialist, 

contributions to the NASA Safety and Mission Assurance and community 

outreach. Wagner developed and presented significant materials for 

confined space entry training and initiated an awareness campaign. She 

provides technical and administrative consultation as an industrial hygienist 

to the Cuyahoga County Emergency Preparedness Council. She also 

volunteers with her local German heritage organization.

Barbara J. Wilson, an Information Technology (IT) specialist, for developing and managing workflow through a pre- and post-travel checklist, 

standard configurations and a Traveler’s User Guide that earned a 98% 

customer satisfaction rating from over 100 NASA travelers. These tools 

enabled collaboration with mission partners throughout international travel 

while ensuring IT mobile and transportable resources compliance 

to safeguard NASA data and IT assets. 

By S. Jenise Veris

MAY 2019

9

Earp Friedlander

Dr. Gilliam Lockhart

Rivera Wagner

Portraits by Barbara Breen and Patrick McNamara, 

Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.

Wilson
MORE THAN A MEMORY

Donald P. Sulak, 90, a 1990 retiree with 30 years of NASA service, 

died March 17. Sulak was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII, who reenlisted 

as a U.S. Marine during the Korean Conflict. He joined the NASA workforce as an apprentice and graduated in 1959 to become a machinist, 

delivering engineering models of flight hardware such as the Surface 

Tension Driven Convection experiment. After retirement, Sulak worked 

as an on-site contractor, fabricating test hardware for the Wave Rotor 

Project. Sulak’s granddaughter, Michelle Lasic, continues his legacy 

working in Glenn’s 9- by 15-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel. 

James M. Vrtis, 83, a 1992 retiree with 30 years of NASA service, 

died March 12. Vrtis was a member of the Physical/Mechanical 

Calibration Group that received a Silver Snoopy Award as part of 

a group that evaluated 116 transducers in 20 days to meet critical 

shuttle deadlines. They accomplished the task in just 8 days. 

Vrtis retired from the Logistics Management Division. He was 

a U.S. Air Force veteran.

Sulak Vrtis

Thank you to all who attended my retirement gathering, as the event was overwhelming. During my career at NASA Glenn as a NASA and Army employee, I 

worked on many extremely interesting problems. With the help of my supervisors, 

fellow engineers, administrative assistants and the experimental technical staff, 

we made many important research contributions. I wish all of my colleagues 

much success in the future for NASA, the Army and our nation.

—Bob Handschuh

IN APPRECIATION

Follow NASA Glenn on LinkedIn!

We recently relaunched our LinkedIn page. 

Follow along as we share center news, events 

and technology highlights on this professional 

networking platform.

LinkedIn.com/company/nasaglenn

Dr. Robert F. Handschuh, Rotating and Drive 

Systems Branch, Materials and Structures 

Division, retired Jan. 1, 2019, with 39 years 

of federal service, including 10 1⁄2 years 

with NASA.

Ann P. Over, European Service Module 

Integration Office, Space Flights Systems 

Directorate, retired March 1, 2019, with 

35 years of service.

RETIREMENTS

Dr. Handschuh Over

Dr. Paula J. Dempsey has been selected 

chief of the Acoustics Branch in the Propulsion 

Division, Research and Engineering Directorate. 

Dempsey previously served as deputy project 

manager for the Revolutionary Vertical Lift 

Technology Project in the Advanced Air Vehicle 

Program. 

Meghan R. Ganss, has been selected 

executive support assistant (ESA) to the 

Center Deputy Director. Ganss will provide 

assistance relative to a wide variety of 

administrative, logistical and secretarial duties 

in the Center Director’s office. She previously 

served as ESA to Glenn’s Associate Director.

PROMOTIONS

Dr. Dempsey Ganss

Over Receives AAS 

Space Flight Award 

The American Astronautical Society (AAS) 

presented to Ann P. Over their prestigious 

2018 Space Flight Award during the 2019 

Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium 

on March 21. Over, who retired from the 

Space Flight Systems Directorate on 

March 1, was lauded for “extraordinary 

achievements and contributions to the 

advancement of space flight and space 

exploration over the course of her 35-

year career.” 

AWARDS

Executive Director of AAS Jim Way 

presents the award to Over.

GRC-2019-CN-00010

Photo by AAS
MAY 2019

11

Upcoming Center Events

NASA Glenn Employees: For more calendar information, visit https://wing.grc.nasa.gov/event-calendar/.

Deadline for next calendar section is May 22, noon. News and feature stories require additional time.

The next luncheon is Thursday, May 

16, at 1 p.m., at D’Agnese’s Italian 

Restaurant, 1100 W. Royalton Road, 

Broadview Heights. Please notify Gerry 

Ziemba at gto64gerry@yahoo.com or 

330–273–4850 to reserve a place.

RETIRED WOMEN’S LUNCHEON

The Emergency Management Office 

staff will conduct an audible siren test 

on the “HAZMAT” tone on Saturday, 

June 1 at Lewis Field. A mass 

notification “voice” test at buildings 

100 and 302 will be conducted on 

Wednesday, June 5. 

POC: Allen Turner, 3–6826 

OUTDOOR SIREN TESTING

The Glenn Science and Engineering 

Library (GSEL) Mobile Librarian will 

be visiting building 49 through May 16, 

and building 54 from June 4 to 13 from 

1 to 3 p.m. A Glenn reference librarian 

will be ready to assist employees 

with subject searches, finding 

specific books and articles and other 

information needs on the spot.

POC: Robin Pertz, 3–5776

GSEL MOBILE LIBRARIAN

LESA will hold its next membership 

meeting, Wednesday, June 12, noon, 

in the Glenn Employee Center’s Small 

Dining Room.

IFPTE LOCAL 28, LESA MEETING

Come learn about current initiatives 

and policies to protect and keep Lake 

Erie healthy from the Alliance for 

the Great Lakes on Monday, June 3, 

from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Building 15 

Small Dining Room. All employees are 

welcome to attend! 

POC: David Smith, 3–5109

SUSTAINABILITY EVENT

POC: Angela Pierce, 3–2813

Asian Pacific 

Islander Heritage 

Program

Glenn’s 2019 Asian American and 

Pacific Islander Heritage event will be 

Wednesday, May 22, from 10 to 11 a.m. 

in the Briefing Center. Olivia Adrian, 

president, Federal Asian Pacific American 

Council, will be the keynote speaker.

Safety and Health 

Awareness Event 

June 25 to 27, 2019

June 25 Lewis Field Program and Mishap Panel

June 26 Plum Brook Station Program and Health Walk

June 27 Lewis Field Health Day

Stay tuned to Today@Glenn for details.

POC: Andrea Bonesteel, 3–2059

All civil servants, contractors 

and retirees welcome 

Watch Today@Glenn for details.

Wednesday, Aug. 7

(Rain date: Thursday, Aug. 8)

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lewis Field Picnic Grounds

2019 Center Picnic
National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration

John H. Glenn Research Center 

Lewis Field

21000 Brookpark Road 

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

Plum Brook Station

3597 E. Scheid Road

Sandusky, Ohio 44870

www.nasa.gov

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

Glenn Supports FIRST Buckeye Regional

Over 1,500 young innovators, representing 60 teams, put their skills and robots to the test over 3 days of competition 

at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center, March 28 to 30. They came to compete in the Buckeye Regional 

FIRST Robotics Competition with a space-themed robotics challenge named “Destination: Deep Space,” commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first manned landing on the Moon. 

NASA Glenn’s Office of Education is the largest sponsor of the Buckeye Regional—awarding grants to 11 Ohio teams 

and providing a significant number of the 200-plus volunteers required to make the competition run smoothly!

This year, Tom Sours, Space Environments Test Branch, and his daughter, 

Mary Anne, Operational Safety Branch, earned the regional’s Outstanding 

Volunteers of the Year award. They have served as mentor, advisor or volunteer in some capacity since 2012. 

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) engages 

students in mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills. They learn coding, programming and engineering in a real-world 

environment, while working collaboratively to solve an annual robotics challenge. In addition to learning valuable STEM and life skills, participants are 

also eligible to apply for $80 million in college scholarships. 

By S. Jenise Veris

Robots in action during this year’s game called Destination: Deep Space.

Tom and Mary Anne Sours, winners 

of the Buckeye Regional Outstanding 

Volunteers of the Year award. 

GRC-2019-CN-00009

Photo by Sours Family

GRC-2019-C-00878

Photo by Rami Daud

Emergency and Inclement Weather Lines 

Lewis Field: 216–433–9328 (WEAT) 

Plum Brook Station: 419–621–3333

Connect With Glenn