IDGE Personnel

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Dr. Martin E. Glicksman, Principal Investigator
John Tod Horton Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Bachelor of Metallurgical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. Ph.D. in Physical Metallurgy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. IDGE involvement includes the initial concept, design, and development of the experiment; setting IDGE’s scientific priorities, agenda, and operational needs; supervising and coordinating all RPI personnel and activities, spokesman for the experiment, and liaison to the NASA Project Manager and to NASA HQ. email

Dr. Matthew B. Koss, Lead Scientist
Research Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering

A.B. in Physics, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY. Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics, Tufts University, Medford, MA. IDGE responsibilities include data management and analysis, preparation and testing of flight growth chambers, development and use of telescience for flight experiments, and calibration of temperature measurements. Other responsibilities include financial and budget reporting as well as liaison to NASA Project Scientist, and backup/substitute for Principal Investigator. email. He also has a Home Page.

Dr. Afina Lupulescu, Postdoctoral Research Associate

Ph.D. centered on Melt Segregation, in Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.  IDGE responsibilities include:  data reduction and analysis of USMP-3 data, data reduction and analysis of USMP-4 data, development of a new image processing and data reduction methodology.  email

Dr. Jeffrey C. LaCombe, Postdoctoral Research Associate

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut. Ph.D. in Materials Engineering at Rensselaer. IDGE involvement is focused on data analysis, including video image processing, computer programming, electronics, image processing, experiment design and construction, and data analysis. email.

Laura A. Tennenhouse, Graduate Research Assistant (Recent departure)

B.S. in Chemistry, University of Michigan (1990). M.S. in Chemistry, Cornell University (1992). IDGE project responsibilities included materials purification to prepare succinonitrile and pivalic acid for IDGE use. Currently concluding an MS in Materials Science & Engineering at Rensselaer, focusing on the effects of natural convection in dendritic growth. email

Douglas P. Corrigan, Graduate Research Assistant, NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program

B.S. in Engineering Physics at Rensselaer. M.S. in Engineering Physics at Rensselaer. Project responsibility currently is centered on the development of image processing routines and applications designed to facilitate the characterization of dendrite morphologies. email.

Julie Frei, Graduate Research Assistant

B.S. in  Materials Engineering at California Polytechnic State University .  Responsibilities include the development of image processing software and equipment as well as general data analysis activities.  Currently working towards a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering at Rensselaer. . email.

Sara Schubert, Undergraduate Research Assistant

IDGE project responsibilities include USMP4 data reduction and creation of microgravity demonstrations. Currently pursuing a BS in Biomedical Engineering at Rensselaer. email. She also has a Home Page.

Lenore Rossini, Undergraduate Research Assistant

IDGE project responsibility is home page maintenence. Currently pursuing a BS in Computer Engineering at Rensselaer. email. She also has a Home Page.

Carol H. Campbell, Administrative Secretary

B.S., Rutgers University. Responsibilities include coordination of schedules for RPI, oversight for financial documentation, and general departmental communication.
ROCC Cadre for USMP-4 Mission, November 19 to December 5, 1997
  • Thomas Aitkenhead ('98, CSYS) 
  • Brian Aufderheide (GRAD, CHEG) 
  • InYoung Bang ('98, MECH) 
  • Stephen Bartolucci (GRAD, MS&E) 
  • Sumita Basu (GRAD, CHEG) 
  • Zach Berndlmaier ('98, EE) 
  • Gary Blumberg ('99, ECSE) 
  • Lauri Bolton ('99, AERO/MECH) 
  • Chris Contard ('99, AERO/MECH) 
  • Paula Crawford (GRAD, MS&E) 
  • Pam Daum ('00, EE) 
  • Helene Dyjak ('99, MECH) 
  • Jill Evenski ('00, EE) 
  • Saavik Ford ('98, PHYS) 
  • Julie Frei (GRAD, MS&E) 
  • Faris Gammoh ('00, EE) 
  • Ben Gordon ('97, CIVE) 
    		•
  • Heather Kompa ('01, PHYS) 
  • Mahdad Koosh ('97, MECH) 
  • Stephen Koper ('98, EE) 
  • Tobi Kosanke (GRAD, E&ES) 
  • Davienne Monbleu ('99, PHYS) 
  • Fabien Nicaise ('99, AERO/MECH) 
  • Pratima Rao (GRAD, MS&E) 
  • Dena Renzo ('99, MS&E) 
  • Craig Romei ('98, EE) 
  • Lenore Rossini ('00, CSYS) 
  • Sara Schubert ('99, BME) 
  • Justin Silberberg (GRAD, BME) 
  • Annette Stassberger ('98, AERO) 
  • Paul Swiatocha ('99, CSCI/MATH) 
  • Renee Turban ('00, CSCI) 
  • Kim Walker ('99, EE) 
  • Kristina Wines ('98, MECH) 
  • Akif Yigit (GRAD, PHYS) 
    		•

     ROCC Cadre for USMP-3 Mission, February 22 to March 9, 1996
  • Jesus Acevedo ('96, MSE) 
  • Thomas Aitkenhead ('97, ECSE) 
  • Tobi Cohen (GRAD, E&ES) 
  • Douglas Corrigan (GRAD, EPHYS) 
  • Paula Crawford (GRAD, MSE) 
  • Stefanie Dannenmann (GRAD, SUNY Geo) 
  • Peter Jennes (STAFF, E&ES) 
  • Daniel Kirk ('97, MECH) 
  • Mahdad Koosh ('97, MECH) 
  • Stefan Kosanke (GRAD, SUNY Geo) 
  • Brian Nguyen ('98, MSE) 
    		•
    • Jennifer Oudemool ('96, MSE) 
    • Mark Overberg (GRAD, EPHYS) 
    • James Parslow ('99, MECH) 
    • Charles Player ('96, MECH) 
    • Hillary Ritenburg ('96, MSE) 
    • Christopher Smith (GRAD, MECH) 
    • Raymond Stits (GRAD, ECSE) 
    • Annette Strassberger ('97, AERO) 
    • Pedro Vizcaya (GRAD, ECSE) 
    • Matthew Walker ('98, ECSE)

    Lewis Research Center

    Diane Malarik, Project Manager

    email
     
     

    Edward A. Winsa, Project Scientist Emerits

    email
     
     

    Francis P. Chiaramonte, Project Scientist

    email
     
     

    Ray Pavlik, Project Lead/Task Manager


     
     
     

    Other Lewis Personnel, 

    Kathy Kashmar (Configuration Management Analyst), Jim Ogrin (Lead Mechanical), Andy Kawecki (Machinist Technician), Dean Schrage (Mechanical Engineer-PVA), Dave Vachon (Mechanical Designer), Badal Das (Structural Analyst), Jim Moore (Mechanical Engineer), Dan Williston (Mechanical Technician), Dick Abramczyk (Lead Electrical), Andy Fedak (Electrical Technician), Tim Gobeli (Electrical Engineer), Mike Homko (Electrical Designer), Jim McDade (Diagnostics Engineer-Elec), Raquel Whittlesey (Lead Software), Gregory Fedor (Computer Engineer), Liu Yang (Software Engineer).