Cadets, faculty recognized at research awards ceremony

  • Published
  • By Amy Gillentine
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Office of Research
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  Cadets and faculty members were recognized for their research efforts March 3 at the Academy's 19th-annual Research Awards Ceremony.

The ceremony celebrated the best Academy research in the basic sciences, humanities, engineering and social sciences.

This year's winning projects included creating a nuclear physics curriculum here, developing a new engine design, exploring spacecraft docking techniques at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and investigating cost savings from sustainable buildings.

The event honored the research efforts of senior cadets who gave up summer leave to work at laboratories and offices around the nation.

Overall, 157 cadets went on summer research projects, ranging from serving as an intern for former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to researching new enzymes to detect and neutralize chemical and biological hazards.

Cadet 1st Class Spencer Teiken won the Moore Award for his research into leadership in energy and environmental designs. He worked at Fleetwood Homes in Iowa to determine if implementing more stringent design standards saves money in commercial buildings. Teiken applied his research to Air Force buildings as well.

Cadet 1st Class Daniel Hicks spent his summer research working at Montana State University, finding the properties of a newly discovered protein enzyme. This enzyme, he said, can change the way the U.S. responds to chemical warfare and biohazards.

"This enzyme reacts differently at high temperatures," he said. "So we can use it to clean up after chemical spills or chemical warfare. Just insert this enzyme and it renders very dangerous chemicals completely nontoxic."

Cadet 1st Class Michael Grimmer spent his time on a project known as Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, in laboratories at MIT.

"We examined ways of flying to and docking at the International Space Station," he said. "SPHERES are small devices, about the size of volleyballs. Basically, we're trying to find new ways to dock with the ISS."

Academy faculty members received their share of the accolades during the ceremony, from work in philosophy and history, to new engine designs and comparisons of roundabouts, to the laws of thermodynamics.

"Research keeps the material alive for me," said Dr. Jeanne Heidler, who won a joint award with assistant German language professor Lt. Col. Rouven Steeves. The two received the McDermott Award for Humanities. "People say 'its history - there's nothing new.' But there are always new perspectives. Research is important to me because it keeps the material fresh and interesting for the cadets."

One award honored innovation in engine designs. Assistant aeronautics professor Lt. Col. A.J. Rolling won the Frank J. Seiler Award in Engineering for a new engine designs that will save the Air Force millions in fuel costs, and for a patent-pending design into an engine system.

"Last year, we ran the tests and found out that this design will allow a cruise missile to loiter for 24 hours and then dash to take out a target at Mach 1.8 (1,334.8 mph)," he said.

The event's keynote speaker, Intel Corporation's principal strategist Keith Uebele, said invention is necessary but not enough - it takes innovation and an emotional connection to make a difference, he said.

Uebele is a liaison connecting Intel Corp with the Homeland Security Department's Center of Innovation here.

"There's a difference between innovation and invention," he said during his speech. "Invention is important, answering those open-ended questions. We need it. But we need innovation. We need to implement what we've learned. Without innovation, we can't create the future we want."

Thomas D Moore Award for Outstanding Summer Research

Engineer: Cadet 1st Class Michel Grimmer
Humanities: Cadet 1st Class Bryce Mitchell
Basic Sciences:  Cadet 1st Class Daniel Hicks
Social Sciences: Cadet 1st Class Spencer Teiken

McDermott Award for Faculty Research in the Humanities

Lt. Col. Rouven Steeves and Dr. Jeanne Heidler

McDermott Award in Social Sciences

Lt. Col. John Martin

Frank J. Seiler Award for Basic Sciences

Lt. Col. Mario Serna

Frank J Seiler Award for Engineering:

Lt. Col. A.J. Rolling

Martinson Award for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Dr. Mark Jensen

Institute for National Security Studies Maj. Gen Robert E. Linhard Award

Editors and authors of "On Limited Nuclear War in the 21st Century"

Including Dr. Schuyler Foerster and Dr. Jim Smith

Visit https://eis.usafa.edu/academics/dean/dfe/dfer/Awards/Pages/Home.aspx for more information.