October 3, 2005

Purdue honors six aerospace engineering alumni

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue School of Aeronautics and Astronautics will honor six alumni with the 2005 Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award on Thursday (Oct. 6).

The awards will be presented during an evening ceremony at the University Inn hotel in West Lafayette.

"This award was created to recognize the school's very best alumni for significant contributions to the aerospace field," said Thomas N. Farris, professor and head of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. "The celebration gives us an opportunity to have our students interact with the best possible role models."

With this year's recipients, 101 graduates of the school have received the awards since its inception in 1999. More information about the award recipients is available online.

This year's recipients are:

• Andrea M. Chavez, from Broomfield, Colo., who earned a bachelor's degree in 1988. She currently is director of manufacturing and test operations for Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.

• Thomas S. Gates, from Poquoson, Va., who earned a bachelor's degree in 1981, a master's degree in 1983 and a doctorate in 1989. He currently is head of the Mechanics of Structures and Materials Branch, Research and Technology Directorate, NASA Langley Research Center.

• Debra L. Haley, from Xenia, Ohio, who earned a bachelor's degree in 1978. She currently is executive director for the Development and Fielding Systems Group at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

• Stephen A. Rizzi, from Newport News, Va., who earned a master's degree in 1985 and a doctorate in 1989. He currently is a senior research engineer at the NASA Langley Research Center.

• William E. Schmitendorf, from Irvine, Calif., who earned a bachelor's degree in 1963, a master's degree in 1965 and a doctorate in 1968. He currently is associate dean of engineering at the University of California, Irvine.

• Richard E. Van Allen, from Beverly Hills, Calif., earned a bachelor's degree in 1968, a master's degree in 1969 and a doctorate in 1977. He currently is director of the Space Systems Division of Microcosm Inc.

Writers: Emil Venere, (765) 494-4709, venere@purdue.edu

Cynthia Sequin, (765) 494-4192, csequin@purdue.edu

Sources: Thomas Farris, (765) 494-5117, farrist@purdue.edu

Eric Gentry, development director, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, (765) 494-9124, ecgentry@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: The awards will be presented at the University Inn hotel, 3001 Northwestern Ave. in West Lafayette. A reception will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by a 7:30 p.m. dinner.

Related Web site:
Outstanding Aerospace Engineer awards page

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