October 2020 Meeting

Our next chapter meeting will be on Thursday October 29th at 12PM. This will be our second Zoom meeting. If you have not already received a meeting contact Jeff Cerro (or any of the officers).

Note that for anyone who is unable to download hte ZOOM application. You can click on the meeting link, then select “Launch Meeting”, and then select “Join from your browser”.

See the flier below for details on the speaker:

October 29th Meeting Flier

Seeking SAWE Academic Liaisons

SAWE has a goal of expanding our relationships with Academia. To achieve this each chapter is being asked to provide a name and email address of a chapter member that would act in the capacity of a University Academic Liaison by September 27th.

If you are interested in volunteering for this role please contact our Chapter Director, Jeff Cerro at jeffrey.a.cerro at nasa.gov.

More Information: SAWE Academic Liaisons 2019-09-09

PEC and RJEC E-Trilogy Presentation

SAWE-HR as a member of the PEC, brings you this opportunity to hear distinguished speaker Dr. John Anderson at the annual PEC (Peninsula Engineering Council)/ RJEC (Richmond Joint Engineering Council) On October 3rd in Williamsburg.

Dr. Anderson is a familiar figure in Hypersonic Aerodynamics to many in this area, and will speak in general about his association with NASA Langley.

See flyer for details: E-Trilogy flyer-2019

Coverage Set for NASA Test of Orion Abort System for Moon to Mars Missions – July 2nd

test version of the Orion crew module for Ascent Abort-2Several of our SAWE HR members are quite excited to note that NASA’s new crewed access to space capability will undergo an Ascent Abort test on July 2nd.

NASA Television will broadcast launch and prelaunch activities for the Ascent Abort-2 flight test of the launch abort system for NASA’s Orion spacecraft, which will help pave the way for Artemis missions with astronauts to the Moon and then Mars.

Details are available here on how to view a NASA broadcast of the event.

SAWE HR involvement in this program was also captured in several papers at the recent International Convention, including the Best Paper provided by Anjie Emmett:

Best Paper #3710: Application of the Law of Propagation of Uncertainties to a Weight and CG Measurement System – Anjie Emmett

Presentation: Ascent Abort 2 (AA-2) Integrated Flight Test Vehicle: How Mass Properties are Used to Manage Flight Test Objectives – Amanda Cutright

Student Paper S3730:  Path of a Future Engineer – Brittany Johnston

 

SAWE HR Member Ian (Mac) MacConochie – Obituary

Ian O. MacConochieWe are sorry to note that SAWE Hampton Roads member Mac MacConochie  passed away on June 20th of this year, 2019.   Mac was a Richard Boynton SAWE Lifetime achievement awardee as well as a Peninsula Engineer of the year.   He shared an active engineering career with us, starting at NASA in 1962. His passion for weight engineering helped sustain our chapter vitality and inspired us with his insights.  He was an active participant at local and International SAWE meetings, often accompanied by his wife Corinne “Sissy”, and family.  His work demonstrated how a lifelong interest in that as well as broader technical and human interests, contributed to a full life, and a better one for us for knowing him.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, August 3, 2019 at Grace Episcopal Churchyard in Yorktown, Va.  and there will be a Celebration of Life at 3 p.m. Sunday, August 4, 2019 at Grace Community Church in  Charlottesville.   All are welcome ( details at: https://www.hillandwood.com/obituary/ian-macconochie )

Note: In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, P. O. Box 400256, Charlottesville, VA 22904.

Jeff Cerro Wins Peninsula Engineer of the Year Award

On Saturday, February 24, 2018, the Peninsula Engineers Council held its annual Engineer of the Year Banquet at the Embassy Suites hotel in Hampton, VA.  This year’s winner was none other than our own Jeff Cerro, from NASA Langley Research Center.

It was a great night and the SAWE HR Chapter was able to secure its own table for the evening.  Amanda Cutright gave a great introduction for Jeff and Jeff also gave a great acceptance speech.

All of the SAWE congratulates Jeff on his award and he is well deserving.

Photos, once posted, can be seen on the PEC Website.

This was the second year in a row that the SAWE has nominated and won the PEC Engineer of the Year award.  There have been 3 other winners from the SAWE Hampton Roads chapter, including last year’s winner, Alan Titcomb in 2017, Bill Boze, our SAWE International President, and Ian McConochie.  Also, Alan’s wife, Eileen, has won the award as well through a different society.  As you can see below, we have been in good company both years

Jeff Cerro, sitting, wins 2018 Engineer of the Year award.
Alan Titcomb wins 2017 PEC Engineer of the Year award.  Of course, he ended up in the back for some reason, tallest one in the back on the right side!  We should have put him in a chair too!

HR Chapter Supports Peninsula Engineers Council (PEC) Annual Career Day Event at NASA Langley

On February 22/23, 2018, the Hampton Roads Chapter of the SAWE supported the Peninsula Engineers Council (PEC) Career Day event at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC).  This is an annual event that provides an opportunity for local high school students to learn about careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

The SAWE mans a technical society table to discuss the mass properties discipline and related career fields with them as well as provide an opportunity to interact with us and see the models, posters, and videos we bring with us as well.

On Thursday, Nick Marickovich, Amanda Cutright, and David Cash manned the table and on Friday, Amanda, Jeff Cerro, Anjie Emmett, and Dave Covington did as well.  Amanda, Jeff, Anjie, and Dave all work at NASA, so this year we were really able to show off mass properties in the aerospace industry.  When the event is held at Newport News Shipbuilding, there is a focus on the marine industry.

The students also get a chance to perform hands-on activities and here presentations as part of the main program during the morning.

Additional pictures of the day can be seen on the PEC Website when the photos are posted.

Nick Marickovich and Amanda Cutright man the SAWE table on Thursday
Amanda Cutright interacts with students during the 2018 PEC Career Day event at NASA Langley Research Center