AIAA Baltimore Section

AIAA Baltimore Section

2008 Engineer of the Year

and Awards Dinner

On May 28, 2008, the Baltimore Section was pleased to award its annual Engineer of the Year Award to James V. McAdams of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab for his efforts as Mission Design Lead Engineer for the MESSENGER Mercury Orbiter mission. Mr. McAdams optimized the trajectory and maneuver schedule for this mission, which will use six gravity-assist flybys of Earth, Venus and Mercury, designing what Mr. Tom Strikwerda, who nominated Jim for the award, said “may be the most challenging planetary mission in history”. Jim also created and led the development of MESSENGER education and public outreach products, and played a critical role in creating the Mercury Flyby Visualization Tool, which provides simulated views of Mercury from MESSENGER's perspective, during the close-encounter phase of each Mercury flyby.

Tom Milnes (left, Region I Director) and Tom Strikwerda (rt, APL) present

Jim McAdams with 2008 Engineer of the Year Award

Dr. Nancy Chabot, also of the MESSENGER team at APL, was the invited speaker for the dinner. She shared new images of this little-explored planet with the attendees, and enthusiastically spoke about possible options for its geological formation and history.

Guest Speaker Nancy Chabot discusses MESSENGER

Three Anniversary Celebrants also attended: Kathy Hartman of NASA, and David VanWie of APL both have been members of AIAA continuously for 25 years, while Victor Lougheed (our Treasurer) has amassed 50 years! All three told interesting stories from their many years in aerospace, some instructive and some quite humorous.

Dave VanWie, Kathy Hartman (both 25 years), and Victor Lougheed (50 years)

recount the past with Carolyn Slivinski, Vice Chair

Tom Milnes received a plaque to convey the thanks of the Baltimore Section for his many years of service to the section, and for his work in advancing aerospace and educational efforts as an involved mentor to many students. Marvine Hamner presented the plaque to Tom, whose tenure as Region I Director is coming to an end.