Gov. Terry McAuliffe appointed Engineering Prof. James C. McDaniel to the state Aerospace Advisory Council Friday. The Council is tasked with advising the governor and other executive agencies on policy and funding in aerospace economic development, workforce development in the industry and educational programs and curriculum related to aerospace.
McDaniel served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force for five years after earning his bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University. He went on to earn his doctorate degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University. He is the University Liaison Professor in the National Institute of Aerospace and has been closely associated with the Aero Program at the University for 50 years. He leads a consortium of universities, industries and government bodies in his extensive research projects.
“My research currently is in the areas of hypersonic propulsion for vehicles that can be used for space access and of the interaction of spacecraft with the International Space Station,” McDaniel said in an email. “These programs are funded by NASA and the Air Force and provide funding for both graduate and undergraduate research at U.Va.”
The Advisory Council is comprised of 19 members, including four legislative members. Among the 15 citizen members, the Governor appoints one representative from the University, as well as one from Old Dominion University and one from Virginia Tech.
The Council also aids in suggesting strategies for the development and promotion of existing and new aerospace companies, federal aerospace agencies and applied research and technology in the Virginia aerospace sector.
“I see my role as promoting programs that are important to supporting university aerospace research and STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Math] education in the commonwealth,” McDaniel said. “My experience with the Virginia Space Grant Consortium on STEM educational programs and with the National Institute of Aerospace on research, education and outreach programs will provide the background I need to support these programs.”
McDaniel cited several pertinent issues under the Council’s purview which will demand immediate attention.
“NASA has decided to no longer fund research in hypersonics, even though there is a lot of support at the Langley Research Center, and this will leave my hypersonic propulsion research Center unfunded past the end of this year,” he said. “This is a major research program at U.Va., in fact the largest current grant in SEAS, and funds graduate students, undergraduate students, faculty and staff. It will have a major impact on aerospace research at U.Va. if funding in hypersonics is not continued.”
McDaniel said he plans to work closely with the director of NASA's Langley center to promote awareness of the importance of NASA to aerospace engineering. He also stressed the importance of private sector investment in aerospace, saying it can create jobs and provide additional funding to universities.
“I want to make the Council aware of the importance of the industrial and government support of aerospace to the economy and job opportunities in Virginia,” he said.
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