Timothy K. Risch

Timothy K. Risch is the associate director of Research at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Selected for the position in June 2019, Risch is responsible for formulating, directing, and implementing aeronautical research for the center. He works with NASA Armstrong’s Programs and Projects, Flight Operations, and Mission Operations to identify research areas and opportunities, as well as future center innovation strategies.

Risch initiated the Innovate Armstrong program at the center to develop a focused innovation and research culture. Working cooperatively with the center chief technologist, Risch assisted in selecting Center Innovation Fund (CIF) projects and formulating Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Early Career Initiative (ECI) proposals. As a result, NASA Armstrong received its first two ECI awards in fiscal years 2021 and 2022. In addition, he served on the Agency Inventions and Contributions Board and the NASA Engineering Safety Center (NESC) Materials Capability Leadership Team.

Experience

Prior to his current role, Risch also acted as the center integration lead for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) project under the agency’s Transformative Aeronautical Concepts Program (TACP). He was responsible for developing innovative solutions to problems that plague aviation and impact safety, the environment, communities, and the global growth in air traffic.

Risch was the deputy branch chief for Aerostructures at NASA Armstrong from December 2011 and June 2019. He formulated new programs and projects and developed task plans, defined program requirements and objectives, and provided implementation oversight of complex aerospace programs and projects. Risch served as the group lead and subject matter expert for the branch’s thermal and advanced structures group. He also was the project manager for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) hypersonic ground testing and Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) F/A-18E loads calibration testing. Risch stepped away from his deputy role from July to December 2017 and January 2012 to July 2014 to become acting branch chief for Aerostructures where he managed a group of over 40 technicians and engineers. He directed the advocacy, evaluation, development, and demonstration of advanced air and spacecraft concepts and technologies.

Risch first came to NASA in August 2007, working as an Engineering Project Manager until December 2011. During this time, he managed several NASA Armstrong projects, including the X-48 Hybrid Wing Body, Hypersonic Test Vehicle 2 (HTV-2), and X-51. He also was the center’s representative to the NESC Passive Thermal Technical Committee.

Awards

Risch received many awards, including the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and NASA Program and Project Management Excellence Award in 2017, and the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Administrator Award in 2015.

Technical Papers

He authored or co-authored many technical papers, including “Multi-Dimensional Thermal Analysis of an Ideal Hypersonic Vehicle for Surface Heat Flux Reconstruction and Uncertainty Quantification,” published in April 2021, and “Verification of a Finite-Element Model for Pyrolyzing Ablative Materials,” presented at the 47th American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Thermophysics Conference in June 2017.

Education

Risch graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1980. He earned a Master of Science in chemical engineering with an emphasis in electrochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1983.