yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (11/07/90)
Sarah Keegan NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. November 5, 1990 (Phone: 202/453-2754) 4 P.M. EST Del Harding Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif. (Phone: 415/604-9000) Nancy Lovato Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, Calif. (Phone: 805/258-3448) RELEASE: 90-149 NEW AMES RESEARCH CENTER DEPUTY DIRECTOR TO HEAD AMES-DRYDEN Arnold D. Aldrich, NASA Associate Administrator for Aeronautics, Exploration and Technology, today announced an organizational change at NASA's Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif., designed to reinforce and strengthen national flight research capabilities at the Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility (DFRF), Edwards, Calif. A new Ames Deputy Center Director position will be located at Dryden and will serve as the Director of the Dryden facility. All administrative and operational organizational elements of Dryden will report to this individual. In announcing the change, Aldrich said "This updated management structure at Ames will take advantage of Ames' institutional capability to conduct research along a full continuum, ranging from computation through validation flight test. It simultaneously will provide enhanced recognition for the unique capabilities of Dryden for conceiving and executing national flight-test programs." Kenneth J. Szalai has been selected as the Ames Deputy Director who, under the new Ames' management organization, will be located at Dryden and will direct Dryden's research and operations, effective Dec. 3, 1990. The appointment was announced today by Dr. Dale Compton, Ames Director. "This appointment recognizes the importance of flight research to the nation's aeronautics program and underscores Dryden's importance as a national asset for conducting this research," said Compton. "Szalai is an internationally recognized expert on flight control and flight systems and has extensive experience with flight research. He is particularly well qualified to take this leadership position." Martin A. Knutson, Director of the Flight Operations and Research Directorate, will return to the Ames Mountain View site to direct flight operations there. "Knutson has done an excellent job at Dryden and the additional experience he has gained will add to the already close coordination between the two sites," Compton said. Szalai, 48, previously served as Chief of the Research Engineering Division at Dryden. He joined NASA in 1964 and held various research and systems engineering positions of increasing responsibility before moving into management as a branch chief. He also was principal investigator on the first digital fly-by- wire aircraft. Szalai has authored over 25 technical papers and reports. He is a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Szalai has received numerous awards including the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal and the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive. Szalai received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1964 and a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970. He and his wife reside in Lancaster, Calif., with their three children.