Dr. Rodney Bowersox is one of 13 distinguished researchers from across the United States to be named a 2017 Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellow by the Department of Defense (DoD). The recipients will receive up to $3 million over five years for research. Bowersox is the department head and a Ford Motor Company Design Professor I in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University.
“To be named a Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellow is a tremendous honor and Dr. Bowersox is most deserving of the recognition,” said Dr. M. Katherine Banks, vice chancellor and dean of Texas A&M Engineering. “Dr. Bowersox’s research in wall–bounded gaseous turbulence will address a wide range of problems of national and DoD interest, including aerothermodynamics, hypersonic flight and turbulent combustion for propulsion and energy.”
The program awards grants to distinguished faculty and staff scientists and engineers from United States universities to conduct bold and ambitious “blue sky” basic research of strategic importance to the DoD. “Blue sky” research may lead to extraordinary outcomes, such as revolutionizing entire disciplines, creating entirely new fields or disrupting accepted theories and perspectives. These grants engage outstanding scientists and engineers in the most challenging technical issues facing the DoD.
Fellows conduct research in core science and engineering disciplines that underpin future DoD technologies, such as quantum information science, neuroscience, novel engineered materials, applied mathematics, statistics and fluid dynamics. Fellows directly engage with the DoD research enterprise to share knowledge and insights with DoD civilian and military leaders, researchers in DoD laboratories and the national security science and engineering community.
“The fellowship program provides research awards to top-tier researchers from U.S. universities to conduct revolutionary ‘high risk, high pay-off’ research of strategic importance to the Department of Defense,” said Mary J. Miller, acting assistant secretary of defense for research and engineering.
Formerly known as the National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship, the new name commemorates Dr. Vannevar Bush (1890-1974), who was the director of scientific research and development during World War II and the author of Science, The Endless Frontier. The dean of engineering at MIT, Bush later founded a large defense and electronics company. As a devoted teacher, administrator and entrepreneur, Bush yielded creative and innovative contributions to the nation’s security.
The full list of the 2017 class of Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellow can be found online: https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1133549/department-of-defense-announces-fy17-vannevar-bush-faculty-fellows