AIAA Executive Director Sandra Magnus to Speak at San Diego Wind Tunnel
Will Discuss the Importance of Students and Young Professionals to the Aerospace Industry
November 20, 2013 – Reston, Va. – Dr. Sandra H. Magnus, the executive director of The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) will speak at the San Diego Wind Tunnel, 3050 Pacific Highway, San Diego, Calif., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, December 6, 2013. Magnus will speak about the critical role that students and young professionals play in strengthening the aerospace industry. Magnus will also talk about her experiences as an astronaut and as a former resident of the International Space Station (ISS).
“Dr. Magnus’s talk to the San Diego membership, with a focus on Young Professionals and students, will highlight the importance of member involvement when it comes to advocating on behalf of the aerospace industry,” said John Rose, AIAA’s deputy director of public policy for western states. “Sharing her experiences as an astronaut and a crew member on the ISS will surely remind our members of the amazing accomplishments the people in our industry created. There couldn’t be a more fitting venue than inside of a wind tunnel for Dr. Magnus to share some of her amazing adventures and highlight the critical contributions our members make to our global industry.”
Magnus, a former astronaut, is a veteran of three space shuttle flights, STS-112, STS-126and STS-135, and spent four and a half months on the ISS as part of the Expedition 18 crew. For more information on Magnus’ talk, please contact Cesar Martin at cesar.martin@aiaa-sd.org. Admission is free for credentialed members of the media. For more information on the San Diego Wind Tunnel, please contact Monica England at mengland@lswt.com, or at 858-518-3809.
Built in 1947, and owned by the San Diego Air & Space Museum, the San Diego Wind Tunnel is the last privately owned wind tunnel in the United States. Used by numerous military and civil aerospace development programs the tunnel has played a role in the testing of the F-106, B-58, F-111, F-16, Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Predator UAV, Tomahawk Cruise Missile, and the Advanced Cruise Missile. The only wind tunnel in the nation capable of performing low-speed flutter testing, Boeing used the tunnel extensively in the development of its B-787 Dreamliner. During its lifespan, almost every major aerospace firm in the US has turned to the tunnel for their testing needs. The tunnel has also played a role in the Olympic movement, with the USA Olympic Luge Team, Skelton Team and Bobsled teams testing their gear and equipment in the tunnel, as well as over 500 professional and amateur cyclists, including the Discovery Cycling Team using the facility for testing of aerodynamic designs.
AIAA is the largest aerospace professional society in the world, serving a diverse range of more than 35,000 individual members from 80 countries, and 100 corporate members. AIAA members help make the world safer, more connected, more accessible, and more prosperous. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org.
