VOLUME 17 ISSUE 6 JUNE 2015

Glenn Welcomes Headquarters' Space and Aero Leaders

GRC-2015-C-2867 Photo by Bridget Caswell

Glenn’s Santo Padula, left, explains the value and efficiency of shape memory alloys to, left 

to right, Associate Administrator (AA) STMD, Jurczyk; Deputy AA, STMD, James Reuther 

and Deputy AA for Management, STMD, Amy Radford. Jurczyk and staff toured several test 

facilities at Glenn that support the STMD mission. 

Jurczyk Stresses 

Enabling Missions

Stephen Jurczyk, who took the helm 

as NASA’s Associate Administrator for 

Space Technology Mission Directorate 

(STMD) in March, visited Glenn, May 7. 

During his All Hands meeting at Lewis

Field, Jurczyk shared strategies that 

will enable the development of technologies and capabilities to make NASA’s 

missions affordable. More specifically, 

he cited areas that are key to enhancing national space capabilities for future 

missions to Mars. 

“We need to develop reliable systems to get there, land there and live 

there,” Jurczyk explained. He affirmed 

Glenn’s role in developing technologies toward this goal.

By Doreen B. Zudell

Dr. Shin Visits, Recognizes Employees

Center Director Jim Free, Aeronautics Director Therese Griebel and staff welcomed 

NASA Associate Administrator for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate 

(ARMD) Dr. Jaiwon Shin to Glenn, April 16 to 17. 

“I’m here to honor all of you for your accomplishments,” Shin told employees in 

opening remarks at his Town Hall at Lewis Field. The event featured an awards 

ceremony and his “State of NASA Aeronautics” presentation, which included 

budget highlights and strategies for maintaining global preeminence in aeronautics research. 

Free recognized the 100th Anniversary of the National Advisory Committee for 

Aeronautics (NACA), NASA’s predecessor. He presented Shin with a proclamation from 

Continued on page 2

In This Issue

Director's Safety Corner 2 

NACA Employee Profile ................. 3

Students Build ISS Hardware ....... 5

..............

 

NASA Improves Website ............... 5

Children View Work Place ........... 6 

Day Focuses on STEM .................. 8

National Lab Day

Photo by Doreen B. Zudell

Students take on an engineering 

challenge at Plum Brook Station 

during National Lab Day. For more 

highlights, see page 8.
Let's Teach Our Summer Interns About Safety

Nearly 200 high school/college interns and faculty fellows will join the 

Glenn workforce this summer—stationed throughout Lewis Field and Plum 

Brook Station campuses—working beside us in our amazing laboratories, 

test facilities and offices. In addition to providing them with opportunities 

and exposure to NASA with meaningful assignments, it is equally important 

to impress upon them the value we place on safety. Obeying traffic laws, 

properly handling equipment, wearing protective clothing and looking after 

others’ safety are daily practices here. Let’s watch out for visiting students 

and faculty and show them by our words and actions that safety truly is 

NASA’s number one priority. 

Welcome summer students and faculty! Have a spectacular and safe 

experience at NASA Glenn.

 —Jim

Check Out New Glenn 

History App, Website

“GRC—The Early Years” offers a webbased detailed history of the center 

through a carefully curated collection 

of extraordinary photography. There 

are more than 300 images (many 

previously unpublished) arranged in 

chronological galleries with detailed 

information. Whether you peruse for 

a few minutes or really dive in, you are 

guaranteed to learn something new 

about NASA Glenn.

The free app is available for the iPad 

(iOS 7 or higher) through the Apple 

App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/

us/app/nasa-glenn-research-center/

id562903295?mt=8.

No iPad? No problem! The same content can also be viewed at http://www.

grc.nasa.gov/WWW/portal/gallery/.

Dr. Shin Visits, Recognizes Employees

GRC-2015-C-1870

GRC-2015-C-1836 Photos by Bridget Caswell

Above: Free, Griebel, and ERA Project Control Team, left to right: Dr. Suder, Harcula, Vlach, 

Grzincic, Rodgers and Polansky with Dr. Shin. 

Above, left: Jennifer Nappier, Information and Signal Processing Branch, right, briefs 

Dr. Shin, far left, on the prototype radio frequency and optical software defined radio for 

the Integrated Radio and Optical Communications (iROC) project. 

Continued from page 1

Ohio Governor John Kasich acknowledging the anniversary. Shin affirmed 

the importance of the Aircraft Engine 

Research Laboratory—the premier aeronautics research laboratory of its day, 

where advanced air-breathing propulsion and icing research continues today at the since renamed NASA Glenn 

Research Center. 

Shin, Free and Griebel presented prestigious ARMD awards to Glenn employees 

who have demonstrated exemplary

performance contributing to ARMD 

activities over the past year: 

Leadership and Management Excellence

Dr. Ruben Del Rosario

For his leadership as project manager 

for the Fixed Wing Project, with special 

focus on improving communications 

and planning with Line Management 

through inclusion and collaboration. 

Program and Mission Support

Environmentally Responsible Aviation 

(ERA) Project Control Team

Tina Grzincic, Kathy Harcula, Maureen 

Kudlac, George Polansky, Terri Rodgers, 

Dr. Ken Suder, Dale Van Zante and 

Michele Vlach

The team employed process controls and rigor that embraced lessons 

Continued on page 3

2
JUNE 2015

Shin Visit

Continued from page 2

learned from Phase I work, creating 

a suite of processes for tackling eight 

integrated technology demonstrations 

in Phase II. This included risk and 

change management, full cost integrated master schedule, key decision 

point reviews, milestone completion 

documentation, integrated baseline 

reviews and interim tabletop walkthroughs where the status of milestones was discussed.

Honorable Mention

ACCESS II NASA Social Team 

Awarded for successful coordination 

and implementation of a NASA Social 

event in support of the Alternative 

Fuel Effects on Contrails and Cruise 

Emissions II (ACCESS II) flight campaign. The event ushered in NASA 

Aeronautics’ social media presence 

and laid the groundwork for ARMD to 

talk with audiences never reached before with messages about how “NASA 

is with you when you fly.”

Advance Planning Team

Dr. Ruben Del Rosario

Implementation Team

Frank T. Jennings

By Doreen B. Zudell

GRC-2015-C-1876 Photo by Bridget Caswell

Dr. Del Rosario, left, and Jennings, center, 

were recognized for their work on the 

ACCESS II NASA Social Team. Del Rosario 

was also recognized for his leadership in 

the Fixed Wing Project. Dr. Shin is pictured 

right.

A century of aerospace achievement

What was it like to work here when NASA 

was NACA? Over the coming months, we will 

share a few memories of NACA employees 

still working at the center. Our third profile 

is Earl Hanes, who works in the Ceramic 

and Polymer Composites Branch. 

Earl Hanes

Q. How did you begin your career at 

NACA?

A. I became interested in a NASA career at the age of 13, while attending 

Cleveland air shows and West Tech 

High School’s aeronautics classes.

Then, after attending open houses and other events at NACA facilities, I was 

hooked. I became one of the youngest employees to start working at NACA when 

I entered the Apprentice Program in 1953 at age 16. During and after graduating 

from the Apprentice Program, I attended Baldwin Wallace College and The Ohio 

State University. Little did I realize my Baldwin Wallace math instructor, Robert 

Hendricks (a fellow NASA employee) and I would be here to celebrate NACA’s 

50th anniversary.

Q. What do you remember most about the workforce culture of the early years?

A. The focus of research in the early days was on aeronautics. The technical expertise was dedicated to the areas of materials, heat transfer, fluid dynamics and 

rocket fuels. 

Q. As NASA has evolved through the years, what has stayed the same?

A. As NASA Lewis’ expertise began shifting towards an expanded role in space, 

intensity, energy, eagerness and new challenges in technology would increase 

dramatically. New technological challenges provided opportunities to continue 

NASA’s legacy.

Q. Who stands out among those you have mentored over your career?

A. It would be hard to pick out one individual. I would rather say I introduced 

them to the proper technical and scientific methods of the Ceramics Branch. 

Q. What do you feel is the most important contribution you have made to NASA’s 

mission?

A. I’ve worked in the same branch my entire career, although the focus of my 

work has changed through the years. I started in physics and chemistry research 

then progressed to nuclear and mechanical engineering. My current research is 

centered on ceramic composites where I am developing high-temperature, highstrength and lightweight materials for the aeronautics industry. 

Editor’s note: Hanes received NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal in 2006 for outstanding contributions toward establishing Glenn’s world-class laboratory facilities to advance ceramics materials. 

By Doreen B. Zudell

3

C-2006-1790 Photo by Marvin Smith

Hanes in his laboratory determining 

physical properties of ceramic composites. 
Focus on Environment, Sustainability

News and Events

National Day of Prayer

...... Photo by Bridget Caswell

Photo by Bethany M.G. Eppig

Glenn’s Sustainability Committee—

“Greening NASA Glenn One Event at 

a Time” recognized the value of preserving the environment with events 

at Lewis Field and Plum Brook Station 

throughout April and May. At Glenn’s 

Sustainability Fair 2015, April 30, 

Center Sustainability Officer, Thomas 

Hartline, kicked off the event. External vendors, including Fresh Fork 

Community Supported Agriculture, 

pictured above, and internal organizations showcased environmentally 

friendly practices. On May 7, Students 

from EHOVE’s environmental science 

class, left, took a species management 

tour at Plum Brook Station before pulling invasive garlic mustard plants. 

Photo by Doreen B. Zudell

NASA Glenn’s Prayer Group hosted its 

annual National Day of Prayer Observance, May 7, at Lewis Field. A brief 

morning observance was held at the 

flagpole, pictured above, and a service 

in the Ad. Bldg. Auditorium during 

lunchtime. 

Nurturing Artistry for All

Glenn’s Office of Diversity and Equal 

Opportunity and the Disability Awareness Advisory Group supported an

annual outreach event to encourage 

artistry for special needs children,

May 7, at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds. Previously known as “Very 

Special Arts,” the event has been

renamed “Art for All.” Twenty-four 

members of Glenn’s staff supported 

hands-on activities for an estimated 

800 students from across the county. 

Photo by Dick Woodard

4
JUNE 2015

Program Enables Students to Develop NASA Hardware 

NASA Glenn hosted a recognition 

ceremony and tour of the Fabrication 

and Manufacturing Facility, May 9, 

for students and teachers who participated in the High school students 

United with NASA to Create Hardware 

(HUNCH) program. 

An innovative, school-based program, 

HUNCH focuses on inspiring vocational/ 

technical high school students who 

may enter the trades—possibly becoming future engineers who design hardware for vehicles going to Mars. 

Center Director Jim Free and HUNCH 

founder Stacy Hale from NASA’s Johnson 

Space Center attended the event. They welcomed more than 50 guests, representing 

three of the five participating schools, 

from Glenn’s six-state region and New York.

“Over the past year, Glenn worked with 

these students to produce individual 

pieces of hardware to assemble an International Space Station single stowage 

locker,” explained Nancy Rabel Hall, 

ISS and Human Health Office, serving 

as Glenn’s HUNCH program coordinator. “This partnership benefits both 

NASA and students. NASA receives costeffective hardware, while students receive real-world, hands-on experiences.”

NASA provides the raw materials, tooling and mentoring required to fabricate the items. Amanda Phelps (ZINT), 

a machinist supporting the HUNCH 

program, provided quality inspection 

oversight during the fabrication of 

these items. 

The schools were selected based on 

their ability to provide the right equipment, a qualified instructor and a safe 

working environment. The five partners for this inaugural year included 

the Apollo Career Center (Lima, Ohio); 

Cattaraugus-Allegany Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (Olean, 

N.Y.); Medina County Career Center 

(Medina, Ohio); Orleans Career and 

Technical Education Center (Medina, 

N.Y.) and Romeo Engineering and 

Tech Center (Washington, Mich.).

Word of this innovative program is 

spreading. Hall has initiated talks to add 

several new schools for the 2016 school 

year, including Cleveland’s Collinwood 

High School.

For more information about NASA’s 

HUNCH program, visit http://www.nasahunch.com/about-hunch/.

By S. Jenise Veris

GRC-2015-C-2797 Photos by Marvin Smith

Hall, far left, listens as students point out individual parts their school made on an assembled 

space station single stowage locker.

Greg Blank, Fabrication & Instrumentation Branch chief, demonstrates the collet 

mechanism on a tree mill to HUNCH 

vocational students.

GRC-2015-C-2747

NASA Modernizes Website to Offer Better Experience

Based on extensive research and user feedback, NASA has modernized nasa.gov. 

Designed to work across all mobile devices, the new site puts the focus on 

the continuous flow of the agency’s 

news updates, images and videos. 

NASA’s Web Team at headquarters has 

simplified navigation to web features, 

image and video galleries by emphasizing NASA’s current areas of work. 

Every piece of content can be shared 

on personal social media accounts by 

clicking on a sharing icon. 

Kelly Heidman, programmer analyst 

with Peerless Technologies, serving 

the Office of Communications and

External Relations, incorporated Glenn 

content to ensure it is consistent with 

the agency’s mission and objectives.

“NASA’s goal is to have a website

that is truly responsive, so users on 

mobile devices have as good an experience as users on desktops or laptops,” Heidman said.

5
Employees Showcase NASA Mission to Family Members

GRC-2015-C-2029 Photos by Marvin Smith

Glenn employees welcomed young members of their families to the NASA family 

when the center celebrated Take Our Children to Work Day, April 23. More than 

270 children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, ages 9–15, visited Lewis Field 

to participate in tours and activities. The event introduced them to the work their 

family members perform in support of NASA’s mission, and helped to inspire them 

to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. 

Astronaut Mike Foreman, pictured above, helped kick off the event. Photos to the 

right showcase hands-on activities in the hangar (top) and a tour in the Graphics 

and Visualization Lab (bottom). Glenn’s Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, 

in collaboration with center Advisory Groups, sponsored the event.

GRC-2015-C-2066

GRC-2015-C-2097

Welcome to NASA Glenn, Summer Interns and Faculty!

Retirements

Regina Kelly, Wind Tunnel and Propulsion Test Branch, Testing Division, retired May 30, 2015, with 39 years of NASA 

service. (Not pictured)

Michelle Mader, Procurement Division, Center Operations 

Directorate, retired June 2, 2015, with 36 1⁄2 years of NASA 

service. 

Robert Pelaez, Space Combustion and 

Materials Branch, Testing Division,

retired Jan. 3, 2015, with 42 years 

of federal service, including 38 with 

NASA.

Robert Plencner, Propulsion Systems 

Analysis Branch, Propulsion Division, 

retired May 3, 2015, with 40 years of 

NASA service. 

Plencner

Mader

Pelaez

Calendar

SATURDAY TOURS AT LEWIS FIELD:

Glenn offers free tours of its world-class 

facilities at Lewis Field one Saturday a 

month through October. 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 

July 11 tour will showcase the Abe 

Silverstein Supersonic Wind Tunnel. 

For more information and a complete 

schedule, visit http://www.nasa.gov/

centers/glenn/events/tours.html.

IFPTE LOCAL 28, LESA MEETING: 

LESA will hold its next membership 

meeting, Wednesday, July 8, noon, in 

the Glenn Employee Center’s Small 

Dining Room.

Emergency and Inclement Weather Lines

Lewis Field: 216–433–9328 (WEAT)

Plum Brook Station: 419–621–3333

Connect with Glenn

6
JUNE 2015

Awards

The Rotary National Award for Space 

Achievement (RNASA) Foundation has 

awarded NASA Glenn’s Solar Power for 

Electric Propulsion (SEP) Team with a 

2015 Stellar Award. Dr. Carolyn Mercer, 

Space Technology Project Office, accepted the award on behalf of the team 

during RNASA’s 29th annual event in 

Houston, April 24. 

The SEP team included 16 members 

from Glenn’s Lewis Field and Plum 

Brook Station, as well as members from 

NASA’s Langley, Goddard and JPL; 

Orbital ATK, Deployable Space Systems, the Virginia Military Institute, the 

National Institute of Aerospace, Sierra 

Lobo, and Vantage Partners. They developed an innovative solar array technology critical to NASA’s mission to enable high-power solar electric propulsion 

for 21st century space exploration. Glenn is one of four centers contributing to the 

SEP mission. 

The RNASA Stellar Awards recognize individuals and teams whose accomplishments hold the greatest promise for furthering future activities in space. 

Photo courtesy of NASA 

Dr. Mercer, third from left, was one of 10

team representatives that accepted a Stellar

Award trophy presented by astronauts

Tracy Caldwell-Dyson, far left, and Randy

Bresnik (not pictured).

The Federal Laboratory Consortium

(FLC) for Technology Transfer has

awarded its Rookie of the Year Award 

to Kim Dalgleish-Miller, chief of Glenn’s 

Technology Transfer Office. The award 

recognizes the efforts of an FLC laboratory technology transfer professional who is new to the program and 

has demonstrated outstanding work

in the field of technology transfer.

Dalgleish-Miller has implemented an

overall strategy for the Technology

Transfer Office by developing systematic and streamlined processes to implement that strategy. This includes

the management of Glenn’s patent

portfolio with a renewed focus on licensing success. 

Photo courtesy of Bryan Grant, Pixil Studio

Pictured, left to right: FLC Chairman Paul 

Zielinski, NASA Representative for FLC 

Ramona Travis, Dalgleish-Miller and FLC 

Vice Chair Mark Reeves. 

Welcome to the NASA Family 

GRC-2015-C-2912 Photo by Bridget Caswell

Front: Carney-Sullivan and Sadhukhan;

and back: Weisenberger, Rock and Sessa.

Glenn welcomed four new employees 

and a student trainee to the workforce 

in May. They include Jennifer Rock, 

Energy and Environmental Management 

Office; Joseph Sessa, Aero, Education 

& Reimbursables Support Branch; and 

Christina Carney-Sullivan and Leslie 

Weisenberger, Accounting & Financial 

Analysis Division. Deboshri Sadhukhan 

is a student trainee in the Operational 

Safety Branch.

More Than a Memory

Charles J. Boros, 74, a 1994 retiree 

with 33 years of service, died April 25. 

Boros was a 1966 Apprentice Program 

graduate who became a respected research laboratory mechanic in the Test 

Installations Division. He earned several 

Group Achievement Awards and Suggestions Awards. Notable among the 

suggestions: a “Movable Water Spray 

System” that reduced a process from 

8 hours to 15 minutes for aircraft engine after-burner research, 1971; and 

a “Variable Eccentric Bushing,” for fast 

and simple engine stand repair, 1986.

Dr. Burt M. Rosenbaum, 91, a 1973 

retiree with 30 years of service, died 

March 30. Rosenbaum was a member of the Army assigned to NACA/

NASA Lewis in 1944 after graduating 

City College of New York. He retired 

from the Analytical Fluid Mechanics 

Section. During his career, Rosenbaum 

earned a doctorate from Case Institute 

of Technology, taught evening classes, 

published nearly 30 papers on applied 

mathematics research and statistics, 

and co-authored a textbook entitled “Introduction to Abstract Analysis.” 

Boros Dr. Rosenbaum

7

2015 Center Picnic

Save the Date!

Wednesday, Aug. 5 

11 a.m.–2 p.m. 

Lewis Field Picnic Grounds 

Rain Date: Thursday, Aug. 6 

(same time and location) 

Watch Today@Glenn

 for details! 

POC: Betsy Lavelle

216–433–3198. 
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. 

July 2015 Calendar section deadline: June 19, noon

News and feature stories require additional time

Editor: Doreen B. Zudell, SGT, Inc.

Assistant Editor: S. Jenise Veris, SGT, Inc.

Managing Editor: Kelly R. DiFrancesco

Read AeroSpace Frontiers online at http://aerospacefrontiers.nasa.gov

National Lab Day Draws Hundreds of Young Explorers

8

NASA Glenn hosted National Lab Day at 

Plum Brook Station (PBS) May 19, and 

Lewis Field (LF), May 22. Nearly 400 

middle school students participated in 

a variety of tours, hands on activities 

and demonstrations conducted by 

Glenn staff that centered on work performed at NASA. The day was aimed at 

inspiring and motivating students to 

pursue careers in science, technology, 

engineering and mathematics (STEM) 

fields. 

Glenn senior managers and dignitaries 

provided welcoming remarks to kickoff 

the day’s activities at PBS and LF campuses. David Stringer, PBS director, and 

Seth Harbaugh, Center Operations deputy, welcomed students at PBS. Robyn 

Gordon, director of Center Operations, 

welcomed the visitors to LF. Center 

Deputy Director Dr. Janet Kavandi, 

NASA’s Deputy Associate Administrator 

for Education Dr. Roosevelt Johnson, 

Associate Superintendent, Ohio Dept. of 

Education, Jennifer Felker and astronaut 

Mike Foreman gave brief presentations 

at LF.

Pictured, right, is a sampling of the handson activities that students participated 

in throughout National Lab Day at both 

Glenn campuses. 

More photos are available on Glenn's 

Flickr gallery, visit bit.ly/1LDC0IN.

GRC-2015-C-3121 Photo by Michelle Murphy

GRC-2015-C-3147 Photo by Michelle Murphy

GRC-2015-C-3158 Photo by Michelle Murphy

Photo by Tim Dedula

Photo by Tim Dedula