NIA News Release: 2016-03 NIA Samuel P. Langley DISTINGUISHED Professor from UMD Elected to National Academy of Engineering

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         February 23, 2016

Harla Sherwood

National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, Va.

757-636-6300

harla.sherwood@nianet.org

NIA Release: 2016-03

NIA Samuel P. Langley DISTINGUISHED Professor from UMD Elected to National Academy of Engineering

 

Dr. James E. Hubbard, Jr., National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) Samuel P. Langley Distinguished Professor from the University of Maryland (UMD), has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Election to membership is one of the highest professional honors accorded to an engineer.  Dr. Hubbard is one of 80 new U.S. members, bringing the total U.S. membership in the Academy to only 2,275.  Candidates are elected to the NAE membership by their peers who are current NAE members.

Professor Hubbard was recognized as the key pioneer in developing piezo-film sensors and piezo-electric actuation systems for smart structures and materials applications, as well as for his extensive contribution to aerospace engineering in the field of smart structures – initially as a faculty member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), then as an industrialist for a number of successful high technology start-ups, and now for contributions during his current role as Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland in residence at NIA.

Dr. Hubbard’s career has spanned some 30 years. His work has resulted in multiple patents which have demonstrated the efficacy and practicality of the techniques that he and his students have developed over the years. These techniques have been viewed as innovative and revolutionary by his colleagues. In recognition of these accomplishments, the University of Maryland named Dr. Hubbard the University of Maryland Samuel P. Langley Distinguished Professor at the National Institute of Aerospace. Dr. Hubbard received his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering in 1977, Master of Mechanical Engineering in 1979, and Doctor of Philosophy in 1982 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dr. Hubbard began his professional career in the early 1970’s as a United States Coast Guard licensed Marine Engineer with an unlimited horsepower rating to operate steam and diesel plants on ships. He was invited to join the faculty at MIT and conduct research in the area of active vibration control of structures. Hubbard held senior research positions at the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Optron Systems, Inc., Boston University, and PhotoSense, Inc. before coming to UMD a decade and a half ago. He has received the Black Engineer of the Year President’s Award; SPIE – The International Society for Optical Engineering Smart Structures Product Innovation Award; four Charles Stark Draper Engineering Vice President’s Annual Award’s for Best Technical Patent, Best Paper, Best Invention, and Significant Patent Award; and the IBM Young Faculty Development Award. A Fellow of the Vertical Flight Foundation, Dr. Hubbard was selected in 1984 as a NASA Astronaut Candidate, and in 2000 was given “The Key to the City” in his hometown of Danville, Virginia for Lifetime Achievements and Community Service. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and well as the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He has more than 100 technical publications, 24 U.S. and Worldwide patents, and has served on numerous technical Boards and Committees.

New NAE members will be officially inducted on October 9, 2016.

For more information on the National Academy of Engineering, visit:

www.nae.edu

For more information about the National Institute of Aerospace, visit:

www.NIAnet.org