Clarence "Sy" Syvertson: 1926-2010

This statement was circulated at NASA Ames from current center director Pete Worden:


It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Clarence A. “Sy” Syvertson, a former Director of the NASA Ames Research Center from 1977 to 1984. He died the evening of Sept. 13, 2010 at the age of 84.

Sy was an exemplary scientist and a dynamic and innovative leader who began his career at Ames in 1948 and matched his theoretical insights on hypersonic airflows with brilliant experimental work. He led the 3.5-foot hypersonic wind tunnel branch and developed advanced vehicles like the XB-70 Valkyrie and the M2 lifting bodies. His fundamental work on reentry vehicles contributed to the design of the space shuttle. He served as Director of Astronautics and during the tenure of former Ames Center Director Hans Mark from 1969 to 1977 as Center Deputy Director.

Under his leadership, NASA Ames continued to blossom as a world-class research organization. Ames people did groundbreaking research on vertical-lift aircraft, built the world's largest wind tunnel, flew the Kuiper Airborne Observatory, consolidated its collaboration with NASA Dryden, and prepared the Galileo Probe for its journey to Jupiter. He was elected to the NASA Ames Hall of Fame, was a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the AIAA, and won many awards for his service to NASA and to space exploration. Most recently, Sy visited Ames for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Historic Aerospace Site dedication held on August 25, 2009.

Please join me in expressing our deepest sympathy to the Syvertson family and his many friends.

Services are planned for this Sunday.


S. Pete Worden
Director

In 1957, in recognition of his work on hypersonic flow, the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (IAS, a predecessor to AIAA) presented him with the Lawrence Sperry Award, which recognized a young professional for notable achievement in the advancement of aeronautics. In those days, the award came with a paper certificate.

Today's recipients receive a bronze medallion. In 2006, with the cooperation of AIAA Headquarters, the San Francisco Section presented him with a bronze medallion. Accepting it at the section's Honors and Awards Banquet, the former Ames center director expressed mild embarrassment for accepting a young professionals award at age 80. Coincidentally, a number of other NACA/NASA Ames luminaries, e.g., Al Eggers and George Cooper, were celebrating their 60th year of membership in AIAA and its predecessors, as was Norm Bergrun, who was chair of the San Francisco Section when IAS and the American Rocket Society (ARS) merged to form AIAA.

Job openings: aeronautics instructors and teachers

(Note:  The announcement below comes to us from AIAA contacts at American Academy of Aeronautics, at Mather Field, California.  Strictly speaking, it is Sacramento Section territory, but members in the Bay area may find it of interest.)

The Aeronautics and Aerospace Science Department at American Academy of Aeronautics has an opening for the current Autumn/Winter quarters with strong opportunities to work in future quarters as well.

The Aeronautical and Aerospace Science Department invites dynamic individuals with a passion for teaching aeronautics to undergraduate students to apply for the instructor and teacher positions.

Instructors have small group sizes and remain with the same group of students throughout their program.  The instructor is expected to teach undergraduate aeronautical and aerospace science at both introductory and advanced levels. The teaching and instruction load over a full year is eight terms per academic year.  Many of the courses meet once a week between 3:00pm and 6:15pm.  Office hours and student assignments are supported by teaching assistants.

Qualifications:

1. Have a bachelor's degree completed by June 01, 2005, in science, engineering, mathematics, meteorology or applied science; OR, the equivalent.  Note: Applicants applying under the "equivalent" provision must attach details and explain how their academic preparation is equivalent of the degree listed above.

2. Applications should include a curriculum vitae, as well as a statement of teaching interest, philosophy and goals, a summary of courses taught.

Please include contact information for at least three referees.

Applications by USPS should be sent to:
Dr. Margaret Harris
American Academy of Aeronautics
10510 Superfortress Ave.
Mather, California 95655

Email applications are encouraged and should be sent to: jobs@americanacademy.net
Fax: 650-440-4999
Phone: 916-572-9070

The consideration of applications will begin on September 01, 2010 and continue until the position is filled.

Job openings: wind turbine engineering

The message below come to us from Daniel McGrath via our SVEC contacts. See his contact info below. AIAA SF has not vetted this opportunity; but we are posting it since it these positions may be of particular interest to members.

There are several engineering positions open (listed below) at my wind turbine manufacturing client. The Senior Aerodynamicist and Loads Analyst positions are quite urgent right now. All positions require prior wind turbine firm experience:

· Configuration & Quality Engineer
· Control Systems Engineer
· Electrical Engineer, Grid Interface
· Electrical Engineer, Wind Turbine
· FEA Engineer
· Loads Analyst, Wind Turbines
· Mechanical Engineer, Drive Trains
· Mechanical Engineer, Rotor Systems
· Mechanical / Structural Engineer
· Quality Engineer
· Senior Aerodynamicist
· Senior Structural Composites Engineer – I placed my candidate there on April 3rd
· Senior Wind Turbine Design Engineer
· Software Engineer, Wind Turbines

They’re really ramping up with $50 million from the DOE and venture sources, so please feel free to forward this email to anyone in you network who might be interesting for me to talk to regarding these opportunities.

Thank you and Best Regards,

Daniel J. McGrath
Senior Search Consultant
Concept Corporation
www.conceptc.com
San Francisco +1-415-781-2626
Toll Free in US 1-800-382-2733

NASA/Traveling Space Museum Volunteer Opportunity

(Note: This comes to us from our friend Juanita, who taught at Toyon Elementary School, one of the schools in the visit list. The original announcement comes from NASA Ames.)

Volunteers are invited to help NASA inspire the next generation of space explorers as part of the Summer of Innovation 2010. NASA Ames in partnership with the Traveling Space Museum is sponsoring "Space Day" at six Bay Area schools that serve underrepresented student populations. During the "Space Day," students will visit approximately 13 activity stations that include an International Space Station module mock-up, Orion capsule simulator, space station toilet, hovercraft and water rockets.

The NASA Ames/Traveling Space Museum opportunity dates are:

• April 23- Toyon Elementary School, San Jose


• April 27- Ronald McNair Academy, East Palo Alto


• May 18- California School for the Blind, Fremont


• May 20- Peter Burnett Academy, San Jose


• May 25- American Indian Public Charter School, Oakland


• May 27- Cesar Chavez Middle School, Union City

The "Space Day" events are scheduled during the school day typically between 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Participants will be provided training and scripts at each activity station.

Volunteers who are available to assist with one or more "Space Day" events should contact Jonas Dino at 650-604-5612 or jonas.dino@nasa.gov.

For information about the Traveling Space Museum, please visit:
http://travelingspacemuseum.org

NASA/Traveling Space Museum Space Day Hands-On Activities

1. Odyssey III Mobile SpaceLab Module. The Odyssey IV is a 23 foot-long mock up of a module that would be a part of the International Space Station. This space laboratory simulation has interactive workstations equipped with laptop computers, DVD players and other hardware that mimics what astronauts actually use in space. Students will learn what it is like to live and work in space when they experience the Odyssey IV Mobile SpaceLab.


2. Orion CRV Flight Simulator. This 12 foot long full-motion flight simulator not only looks like a space shuttle inside and out -- it also behaves like flight simulators used by the military and commercial airlines. Students can easily control the half- ton hydraulically actuated craft with a simple side mounted joystick. Students will learn how to control the simulator on its three axis of motion as well as the value of having a modern Crew Return Vehicle or "lifeboat," aboard the International Space Station.


3. BD-5J Microjet. Kids think its cool! The Guinness Book of World Records calls the BD-5J ‘the World’s Smallest Jet.’ Featured in the James Bond thriller “Octopussy,” the thirteen foot-long jet seats one and lets you manipulate ailerons, rudder and even the landing gear. Rumor says that the Micro-jet even foiled Soviet radar. Climb inside and be a part of history!


4. Space Toilet. Students learn the one thing they’ve always wanted to know about the space program exactly how astronauts go to the bathroom.


5. Big Bang Trivia. This is the Traveling Space Museum's send-up on a famous trivia game show. In our version, young contestants must contend with multiple-choice answers so wacky that only alert adults can appreciate all the subtle gags. The right answers are explained and contestants can win prizes.


6. Pluto Probe. This full-scale mockup built by Cal Tech students during the old of US--Soviet co-operation in space inspired this large model that spurs spirited discussion about Pluto and its recent demotion.


7. Wright Kite. The Wright Brothers first flew in the air lying across large bi-wing kites. Learning about early aviation is fun when students examine this highly detailed half-scale (twelve foot wingspan) bi-wing model kite that is built exactly the way the Wright Brothers built them while they were perfecting their famous “Flyer.”


8. Mission Control Console. Modeled after the NASA’s Mission Control Console, this exhibit of TV monitors and computers is wired to the Odyssey IV SpaceLab so that students can videoconference with classmates remotely. For many, it’s an introduction to videoconferencing.


9. Space Suits Demonstration. Every kid will want to dress up in these light weight (clean room) paper suits which are cool to wear on the hottest days and even cooler looking. Clear bubble helmets and plastic appliances completes the look.


10. Lunar Roving Vehicle. This reworking of our old Lunar Utility Vehicle emphasizes NASA pioneering of clean electric battery technology with the development of the "Fuel Cell."


11. Anti-Gravity Boots. Slip your feet inside these boots and bounce your way across the schoolyard. The effect is that of being 1/6 of your normal weight. It’s like walking on the moon.


12. The TSM Hovercraft. Inspired by a TV commercial, TSM court wizards put two large leaf blowers to work and now a five-foot disk floats a quarter inch off the ground. Kids learn about inertia by climbing onboard and becoming human hockey pucks!


13. Water Rockets. The action-reaction principle was never so much fun.

Lunch with Sivaram Gogineni

Dr. Sivaram Gogineni, a candidate for AIAA President-Elect, met with members of the AIAA San Francisco Section at noon-time today, March 11, in Mountain View. (This event was previously announced in the section e-mail update.) Dr. Gogineni was nominated for the position by former AIAA president Dr. Donald Richardson.

The meeting covered a lot of ground, with Dr. Gogineni opening with his view of issues facing AIAA and what needs to be done, followed by general discussion of issues at the section level and how he has dealt with them. He stated that he is prepared to visit as many sections as possible, meeting with section leaders to discuss their problems.

He is a fellow of AIAA and ASME, has been active in both, and is thus able to draw experience from both sides; but he spends most of his time with AIAA. Outside of these, he was one of the founders of eFluids (http://www.efluids.com), the free on-line resource on fluid dynamics and flow engineering. (To the surprise of the web maintainers present, he was chair of the AIAA web advisory committee, and was able to share some insights into how the national AIAA website got to be what it is.)

It was an intriguing meeting as he directly addressed a lot of concerns that AIAA SF section leaders have. No one left until absolutely necessary. He has posted a site with more information on his candidacy (http://www.gogineni.info).

Hopefully, some of the other attendees will be able to offer their impressions here...