Class of 2015

NASA Glenn Research Center Hall of Fame

2015 Induction Class

The inaugural class of the NASA Glenn Research Center’s Hall of Fame was inducted to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of NASA’s predecessor organization, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). All nine of the inductees were employed during the center’s NACA period from 1941 to 1958. Glenn hosted a reunion of former NACA employees earlier in the day. The class covers a broad swath of activities from center directors to graphic artists to computing, aircraft safety, and thermodynamics.

The induction ceremony was held on September 25, 2015 in the Mission Integration Center (MIC). Center Director Jim Free and NASA Chief History Bill Barry gave inspirational introductory remarks, and the ceremony was led by local media personality, Greg Dee.  Simon Ostrach and Robert Siegel were present to receive their honors, while family members and former colleagues accepted for the others.

Event Information

• Hall of Fame Class of 2015 Press Release
• Hall of Fame Announcement (2015)
• Induction Ceremony Program (2015)
• Inductees Plaques (2015)
• Center Establishes Hall of Fame article (2015)

2015 Inductees

• Robert Deissler – World-renowned researcher and author whose theories transformed the body of knowledge of heat transfer.
• Annie Easley – Computer programmer and equal opportunity pioneer.
• Bruce Lundin – Former center director and advocate for NACA’s evolution into a space agency.
• James Modarelli – Designer of NASA’s seal and insignia and creator of the agency’s outreach program.
• Simon Ostrach – World-renowned researcher whose theories transformed the body of knowledge of heat transfer, particuarly buoyancy-driven flows and microgravity science.
• I. Irving Pinkel – Leader in aerospace safety research, including icing, fires, and crashes.
• E. Raymond Sharp – First center director who led the center’s establishment and growth for nearly two decades.
• Robert Siegel – World-renowned researcher and author whose theories transformed the body of knowledge of heat transfer.
• Abe Silverstein – Former center director, advocate of high-energy propellants, and architect of the early space program.

Event Photographs

Additional 2015 Ceremony Photographs