August 2016 | Page 1

August 6 Young Professionals - Paintball Blitz Paintball @ 9:30am

August 17 Beer, Brats, and Burgers with CSBR Tivoli Brewery

October 21 5th Annual Technical Symposium Colorado School of Mines

December Colorado Space Roundup Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Note from The Chairman

By Brian Gulliver

AIAA Rocky Mountain Section,

As the incoming chair for the Rocky Mountain Section, I’m excited about

the opportunities that are ahead for AIAA and the Section during the

2016-2017 council year. We have an incredible council of dedicated

professionals who work hard to keep the Section running smooth and

are constantly on the lookout for unique and exciting events that are

relevant to the local Aerospace community. In the past year we had

multiple programs “sell-out” and it’s a testament to the involvement of

the membership in the Rocky Mountain Section. In the year ahead you

can expect the same level of quality to continue with our Annual

Technical Symposium on October 21 at the School of Mines as well as

new and unique programs that will be held through the Section. In

addition, we’ll be providing more opportunities for networking for both

Professionals and Young Professionals outside of the typical speaker

programs. Since STEM education is a critical foundation for both future

Aerospace professionals as well as prospective members, we will

continue to look for opportunities to engage STEM at all levels and will

periodically reach out to the membership to volunteer at STEM events.

I’m honored to be your chair and hope to see you all at one or more

events this year!

sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like).

August 2016 | Page 2

Section Chairman Chairman Elect

Education and STEM Honors and awards

Member-at-large Membership

Newsletter Editor Public Policy

Pre-College Outreach Professional Development

Programs Secretary Treasurer

Vice Chairman – North Vice Chairman – South

Vice Chairman – Wyoming Vice Chairman – Montana

Webmaster Young Professionals

Brian Gulliver Kay Sears Sue Janssen Taylor Lilly Heather McKay/Pam Burke Marshall Lee Adrian Nagle Tracy Copp Nicholas Zinner Fred Slane Chris Zeller Kevin Mortensen Roger McNamara John Marcatonio Rusty Powell OPEN Erik Eliasen John Grace Tyler Franklin

SECTION OFFICERS

We Need You!!

If you are interested in increasing your participation in AIAA Rocky Mountain Section, we need your help with

positions in any of the committees. If you have an interest, please contact: Kevin Mortensen –

kmortensen@uspacenet.com

Topic Page

Young Professional Events ................ 3

ATS 2016 Call for Abstracts! .............. 4

“Day at the Museum” ....................... 5

Educational Outreach........................ 8

AIAA RMS Scholarship (New) ............ 10

Movie Night ...................................... 11

RMA Awards Banquet ....................... 12

Folks,

Rocky Mountain AIAA is pleased to announce their first-ever Facebook page. It is a way to connect, share

stories and articles, and generally support the community. I encourage you to check it out and like!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/AIAA-RM/755480171153974

We'll be posting AIAA events here - a good way to find rideshare with fellow AIAA members!

Any questions or comments about the page, please contact me directly.

Joe <joehackel@netscape.net>

In this Newsletter

New Layout Design by Sara Tesch Kimley-Horn (Denver)

August 2016 | Page 3

Young Professional

Events

Excerpted from YOUNG PROFESSIONAL

ACTIVITY SECTION AWARD submission

AIAA RM held 3 main Young Professional

events in 2015-2016. All of these events

were open to any early-career individuals in

the aerospace industry or interested in the

aerospace industry (not just AIAA members).

The first was a Haunted House Night

intended to be a social event. The second

event was the RMS AIAA Annual Technical

Symposium with a focus on professional

networking, technical development,

information sharing, and development of

the presentation skills of our Young

Professionals (had over 140 Young

Professionals in attendance!). The third

event was the 2nd Annual AIAA Movie Night

at Alamo Drafthouse. We rented out a movie

theater and showed “The Martian”. During

this event we had over 150 guests in

attendance (a majority being Young

Professionals) and had opening remarks by

Citizens for Space Exploration and Lockheed

Martin representatives about Lockheed

Martin’s “Mars Base Camp” vision for Mars

exploration.

Each year, our section hosts the RMS AIAA

Annual Technical Symposium where we

bring together students, professionals, and

companies for a day of technical

presentations, networking, and informative

panels. At this conference, Young

Professionals have the opportunity to

present on a research topic of their choice as

well as listen to and participate in the myriad

of other presentations. At the 2015 ATS,

over 35% of the presentations were given by

students, student groups, or Young

Professionals. Of the 262 registered

participants for this event, over 50% were

students or Young Professionals.

The AIAA RM section encourages

participation from both young and

experienced professionals in the majority of

our hosted activities in order to encourage

networking between the groups. Young

professionals are specifically recruited for

events like the RMS AIAA Annual Technical

Symposium to build a platform where

knowledgeable aerospace professionals can

mix with younger professionals and the

younger professionals can add new

perspectives to the event.

Events specifically planned for Young

Professionals tend to be social in nature and

all of these events are open to any early-

career individuals in the aerospace industry

or interested in the aerospace industry (not

just AIAA members). This approach is taken

with the goal of recruiting more active Young

Professional members within the Rocky

Mountain Section and to form social and

professional relationships amongst our

early-career participants.

The Movie Night event featuring “The

Martian” is a phenomenal example of this.

More details on “Movie Night 2016” is

provided on Page 11.

August 2016 | Page 4

Call for Abstracts!

By Scott Tuttle

Abstract Deadline: August 26th, 2016

Abstract Selection Notification: September 7th, 2016

The AIAA Rocky Mountain Section’s Annual Technical Symposium brings together innovative, enthusiastic, and technical minds for a one-day event to collaborate, network, and share ideas about new technologies and implementation strategies in the aerospace industry. The symposium is scheduled for Friday, October 21, 2016, at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO.

What technical information would you like to pass on to the world? What technical resource has your company brought to market? Where do you see local technology going? How would you like to advance local technology? AIAA-RM wants to share your ideas with others in the Rocky Mountain region and offer the opportunity for our members to see what lies out on the horizon!

To create a diversified podium and a variety of presentations, the symposium promotes an open format without copyright restrictions or publication requirements typical of other forums. There is NO “no paper, no podium” policy for the ATS. In other words, your presentation is all you must prepare and bring with you. Presenters need not be a member of AIAA to submit an abstract. We are interested in all ideas. Submit abstracts of 300 words or less via http://www.aiaa-rm.org/ATS by August 26th for the opportunity to present to Rocky

Mountain aeronautic & astronautic institutions, universities, and businesses on October 21st at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO.

The event will include a main hall for keynote speakers, networking, sponsor booths, and panel sessions on the Direction of the Industry, STEM Education and Outreach, Job Market/Career Advancement, and Colorado Aerospace Initiatives in the Rocky Mountain region. Three adjacent rooms will give symposium attendees the chance to listen to presentations from professionals, educators, government representatives, and students. This is the call for YOU to be one of those technical presenters. There are a limited number of presentation slots, so please submit your abstract by August 26th!

The ATS has been successful in the past four years because of wide community support. If your organization is interested in sponsoring a booth, keynote speech, specific presentation, coffee break/snack, or lunch, please email ATS2016@aiaa-rm.org.

NOTE: To submit an abstract on the AIAA site, you must create a login (takes less than a minute). After your login has been created and you are signed in, click the ATS Link “SUBMIT Abstract for ATS-2016”.

August 2016 | Page 5

Day at the Museum

By Taylor Lilly

On a cool and clear day, the looming, and

distinct bulk of a large aircraft hangar creeps

into view, flanked by several smaller homes

for my high flying imagination. With the

sight, all my memories of childhood air

shows, fighter ace movies, and choppy DOS

flight simulators come flooding back. Then,

from the passenger seat I hear a younger

voice ask “Are we there yet?” “Yes,” I reply,

“let there be planes!” With that, I realize that

I am on the threshold of creating those same

memories for the next generation of areal

dreamers.

I entered the museum and was greeted by

pictures, artifacts, and the light smell of

hanger, that distinct mixture of oil, tires, and

upholstery. I checked in with the front desk

and was told that it would be just a few

minutes before the next docent lead tour

begins. This gave me the opportunity to

peruse the story of WWII, the history of

aviation, and the plans for how this museum

will grow in time, all laid out in picture and

sign. Along the line of endorsements and

pledges of support, I realize that this is a truly

national facility. Better still, it’s a facility that

is close to home.

After a few minutes I look back and notice

the crowd has grown from 3 to 30 in just a

few minutes. As if on cue, I hear a passionate

voice announce the beginning of the next

tour. I follow his direction, guide my young

comrade to the briefing room, and sit in

anticipation. Our docent is an older man, but

by no means old. He is a passionate speaker,

but not overpowering. He is a man who

clearly loves the topic he is speaking on and

wishes to share both his interest and its

importance with the crowd. Over the next

few minutes, the gathering, rise, fall, and

waning lessons of the air war of WWII is laid

August 2016 | Page 6

before us. Much like the briefing room used

in that time, the talk covers geography, man

power, and capability.

It was informative without belaboring the

point. That led me to believe that our guide

was just as eager to see the planes as we

were.

Upon leaving the briefing room and entering

the first hanger, I see the towering view of a

B-25 Mitchell, fully restored and flight

worthy, sitting eagerly by the hanger doors,

waiting for her chance to return to the air. I

know, now, that this is no static museum of

history laid to rest. I remember the sign on

side of the larger hanger, WestPac

Restoration. While Hollywood likes to

imagine what would happen if museum

relics came to life at night, I know for sure

that these pieces love to go outside and play

on the weekend. There is something special

about standing next to machines which don’t

just represent their purpose, but live it. With

3,400 HP at the ready, the size of this war

machine gives a glimpse into the world of

1942.

In the opposite corner, my young flight cadet

has found the TBF Avenger, her wings folded

but not broken. Always an inquisitive mind,

he asks the necessary question, “Why did

they call it the Avenger?” As Ironman, the

Hulk, and the rest of the gang are nowhere

to be found, there has to be more to this

story. Our docent takes this one in stride,

regaling the two dozen people in tow with a

brief history of the bombing of Pearl Harbor

and the mood of the country at that time.

Yet again, the importance of the home front,

the public, and their support of the fighting

men and women of the country enters the

tale.

Emboldened by one question being

answered, a second comes quickly on its

heels, “What’s that plane for?” A smile

draws wide on the docents face, “It’s your

next assignment, if you like.” We were then

introduced to a new docent, our guide for

the navy trainer in the museum. Fortunate

for my young cadet, the rest of the crowd

happens to have a bit more grey in their hair,

leaving this assignment uncontested. So my

young companion and I break off from the

group and stay with our new docent, our

flight instructor.

Over the next 15 minutes, all the flight

controls are explained, played with, and put

through their motions, responding nimbly

and fast under the determined hand of a

new young pilot. History should be studied,

and remembered. And there is no better way

than through experience; I know this

experience will not soon be forgotten.

August 2016 | Page 7

With his training complete, we wandered

through the next two hangers of the

museum, noting exhibits on wardrobe and

training, medals and campaigns, and all the

background needed to keep these warbirds

aloft. Our education was augmented by full

size turbochargers, cut-away tail sections,

and ordinance. We passed trucks, half-

tracks, and auxiliary equipment. Then we got

to the restoration facility. The adrenaline to

the life blood of the museum story is

WestPac Restoration. Under the guidance of

the docent, we saw the tremendous work,

ceaseless effort, and toil that goes into

bringing a recovered derelict back to show-

room fighting condition. Originally (and

authentically) tooled fabrication shop,

propeller shop, paint shop, and assembly

areas mark the domains of consummate

experts in forming metal into ready and

willing areal warriors.

Then, after hours of looking, walking,

learning, and enjoying our Saturday, our

stomachs signal that it is time for food. I ask

my young companion and am told that

cheeseburgers are definitely in order. With

one last stop at the gift shop for signed P-38

artwork, I am back in the car and on my way,

keeping the conversation alive. An

experience like this does not end when you

leave the door.

Over lunch comes explanations of wings and

ailerons, the why’s and how’s of a World

War, and debate over whether chocolate or

strawberry milkshakes go best with

cheeseburgers.

If you happen to find yourself in the area

with a little free time, I would recommend,

without reservation, a visit to the National

Museum of World War II Aviation. Check the

website for tour times and further

information

(http://www.worldwariiaviation.org/).

Fly High!

August 2016 | Page 8

Educational Outreach

By Sue Janssen

When you tell kids “I’m a rocket scientist”

their eyes grow big and they may ask for

your autograph. Teachers are very

appreciative when professionals help them

bring science and math to life by sharing

stories and activities about airplanes,

rockets and space. AIAA RMS actively

supports educational outreach in our

communities in several ways – volunteering,

organizing events, and providing

sponsorship.

Members volunteer in classrooms and for

many events throughout the year. Here is a

summary of the activities:

Members volunteered to be judges at

the Wyoming and Colorado State Fairs

for the third year. The goal of the AIAA

RMS Prize is to encourage students to

explore aerospace sciences, engineering,

and technologies. RMS gave awards to

first and second place for the best senior

and junior projects. Each winner

received a certificate, an Arduino Starter

Kit, and a one-year AIAA student

membership.

Several AIAA RMS members served as

mentors for the inaugural “It’s a STEM

Thing” Aerospace Mentor Dinner

organized by The STEM High School and

Academy. We also distributed flyers

about this event at Colorado Aerospace

Day to solicit support for and attendance

by others. In recognition of our support,

Mike Shallenberger, host for the dinner

(and 2015 RMS Educator of the Year),

talked about the importance of

belonging to a professional society and

showed the new AIAA Credo video.

AIAA members volunteers as the judging

team for the flight competitions at the

Colorado Technical Student Association

(COTSA) State Conference. Many of the

volunteers were cadets from the USAFA.

The Educational Outreach committee

frequently acts as a liaison between

members and organizations or schools

looking for volunteers. There are

enthusiastic responses from our

membership. For example, a request for

a speaker at a middle school resulted in

10 volunteers! Opportunities and events

this year included the following:

Young Professionals to be subjects for

the AIAA STEM K-12 committee career

poster

Mentors and judges for Rocky Mountain

BEST Robotics

August 2016 | Page 9

Mentors and judges for Colorado FIRST

Lego League

Guides for GESTEM (Girls Exploring

Science, Technology, Engineering and

Mathematics)

Support for Grandview High school

STEAMapalooza

Mentors for “It’s a STEM Thing”

Aerospace Career dinner

Volunteers for STEM Scouts

The Educational Outreach committee

organized several activities in 2015 and

we plan to hold these again in 2016:

At an “Engineers as Educators”

workshop thirteen folks learned how to

engage with students through

experiential learning. Participants built

gliders from foam picnic plates, explored

material properties, designed

mechanisms from “stuff,” and

experimented with “potato batteries.”

AIAA RMS volunteers created a “Space

Mission Adventure” based on

requirements for the Boy Scout Space

Exploration and Engineering merit

badges. Colorado Adventure Point

provided the facility and much-needed

logistics such as registration and

reproduction. This two-day workshop for

middle and high school students (not

only scouts) included hands-on activities

such as constructing a model of orbits,

powering LED with different types of

produce, building models of ISS modules,

taking “core samples” of cupcakes, and

reverse engineering of toys and

appliances. What they learned from

these experiences was put to use in the

capstone activity of designing an

inhabited base somewhere in the solar

system. Feedback from the participants

and parents was extremely positive.

RMS created a workshop called “Good

Vibrations” for Girls Exploring Science,

Technology, Engineering and Math

(GESTEM). Approximately 90 6th and 7th

grade girls plus their guides attended.

The team of volunteers demonstrated

sound and vibration concepts and the

girls performed experiments to

understand the effects of stiffness,

weight, and geometry on natural

frequency. Finally, the girls assembled

wind chimes that were “engineered” to

sound pleasant. One teacher told us that

we did an outstanding job! We are

looking forward to the official evaluation

summary from the GESTEM participants

so we can improve the workshop for next

year.

August 2016 | Page 10

Check out our new webpage which focuses

on educational outreach information,

resources and events. There is a new

educational outreach email distribution list

(aiaa-eo@aiaa-rm.org) to aid in

communicating with members who are

interested in supporting outreach. Also, we

now have an email distribution list for

Educator Associates (aiaa-ea@aiaa-rm.org)

within the section to facilitate

communication with these important

members. Check the website often for

updates. If you are interested in

volunteering for educational outreach

activities, please contact Sue Janssen at:

susan.g.janssen@gmail.com.

BIG NEWS!

AIAA RMS Undergraduate Scholarship

The council funded an AIAA RMS Undergraduate Scholarship. The AIAA Foundation will

administer the scholarship. Look for more information in the fall when student members can

submit their applications.

Eligibility requirements include:

Must be a current AIAA Student member in good standing.

Must have completed at least 1 academic semester of full-time college work.

Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000 on a 4.000 scale.

Must be enrolled in an accredited college or university within the section (currently Colorado,

Wyoming and Montana) of the United States or U.S. Territories.

Applicants must be US Citizens.

Applicant's education plan shall be such as to provide entry into some field of science or

engineering encompassed by the technical activities of AIAA.

August 2016 | Page 11

Movie Night 2016

By Lisa Holowinski

The AIAA RM section held its second movie

night at the Alamo Drafthouse theater in

Littleton, CO. The night ended up being a

resounding success and a fun night for all. As

it was with the first movie night last year,

AIAA started the evening with opening

remarks from AIAA RM Post-Chair and LM

Orion Program Director Paul Anderson and

then built upon its predecessor by

welcoming a few additional guests to the

pre-movie lineup.

John Brackney, Vice Chair of Colorado

Citizens for Space Exploration and Director

of Strategic Engagement for Webolutions, a

digital strategy firm, spoke on behalf of

Colorado Citizens for Space Exploration.

Then, Kay Sears, Rocky Mountain AIAA Chair-

Elect and Vice President of Business

Development at Lockheed Martin Space

Systems, presented the Mayor of Littleton

Bruce Beckman with a flag that flew aboard

NASA’s Orion spacecraft during its EFT-1

flight test in 2014.

Last on the agenda, AIAA member and

Lockheed Martin Orion Production Strategy

Lead Rob Chambers introduced movie goers

to Lockheed Martin’s Mars Base Camp – a

12-year conceptual plan to introduce

humans to the red planet. The audience was

treated to an exciting video showing the

details of the plan, after which “The

Martian” seamlessly launched.

Attendance was estimated at 150-160

individuals. At the event, twelve people

requested AIAA membership information.

Reception and feedback of the event was

very positive from both movie-goers and the

Alamo Drafthouse staff. Everyone is looking

forward to the next movie night!

Stats on Movie Night 2016

Movie was “The Martian” preceded by four presentations:

Opening remarks by AIAA Post-Chair Paul Anderson

John Brackney speaks on Citizens for Space Exploration

AIAA Chair Elect and LM Vice President Kay Sears presents Orion EFT-1 Flag to Littleton Mayor Bruce Beckman

AIAA member Rob Chambers speaks on Lockheed Martin’s Mars Base Camp and Introduces Video

Approximately 150-160 guests

12 people signed the Membership list

Event was very well-received: participants and Alamo Drafthouse looking forward to the next movie event

Very positive feedback day-of and in the days following event

High profile guest

Mayor of Littleton Bruce Beckman

August 2016 | Page 12

RMS Awards Banquet

By Kevin Mortensen

On April 22nd, 2016, the RMS held its Annual

Awards Banquet to recognize its Young

Engineer, Engineer, Educator (College), and

Educator (K-12) of Year recipients.

Additionally, the RMS used this venue to

thank the outgoing (2015-2016) Council

members and official announce the

incoming (2016-2017) Council members.

The RMS Council considered new venues

with the intent that it should be a location of

interest to the RMS members that would

also relate to the featured speaker’s topic.

The Council decided on The Wildlife

Experience paired with Mr. Daniel Adamo,

Astrodynamics Consultant, and his

presentation “Questioning the Surface of

Mars as the 21st Century’s Ultimate

Pioneering Destination in Space.” The

Wildlife Experience afforded RMS guests an

opportunity to visit the Globeology exhibit

which showcases seven biomes of Earth.

Following the meal, Mr. Adamo give his

presentation that discussed limitations on

Mars colonization. The pairing was a success

as the event was sold out with 80 tickets sold

and another two on a waitlist prior to the

event. The feedback that we have received

has shown that RMS members and their

guests liked the venue and plan to attend the

event next year.

The 2016 awards winners are (left to right):

Young Engineer of the Year Capt Brian

Kester, USAF Academy

Engineer of the Year Dr. Lisa Hardaway,

Ball Aerospace and Technologies

Educator of the Year (College) Capt Grant

Thomas, USAF Academy

Educator of the Year (K-12) Ellicott

Elementary School (Kindergarten)

More information about the 2016 Annual

Awards Banquet

can be found at

the RM website:

www.aiaa-

rm.org.