May 31, 2002

California Students Testify before Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry

Pasadena, CA - Some of California's youngest and brightest thinkers from throughout California testified today before the Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry to deliver their projections for space enterprise in the next 25, 50 and 100 years. Leading scientists, elected officials and former astronauts make up the Commission. The hearing of the Commission was held at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena. The California Space Authority (CSA) was pleased to co-host this event with JPL.

Pictured above are, left to right: Andrea Seastrand, Executive Vice President, CSA; Scott McCalla; Trevor Foster; Jason Dorvee; Kathryn McChesney; Renee Shipman; Chana Sachs; Jamie Cutler (rear); Joy Dunn (front); Casey Hansen; and Janice Dunn, Director, Federal Government Relations, CSA.

The Commission is a congressionally mandated entity, formed to study the future of the U.S. aerospace industry in the global economy, particularly in relationship to U.S. national security. In so doing, the Commission is charged with establishing a forward-looking vision and roadmap to ensure the U.S. aerospace industry remain healthy and competitive. The Commission's findings and recommendations will greatly assist in the development of policies at the national and state levels.

Pictured at right is Cdr Sue Hegg, the Commission staffmember who was present to receive the testimony. In addition, video tapes of the presentations will be sent to the twelve Commissioners.

Students chosen to testify before the Commission comprise what is known as the Student Space Congress and their experiments and presentations help to provide national leaders with insight into the minds of tomorrow's scientists. Nine students from California testified before the Commission, each making a ten-minute presentation based on their experiments and papers. The students ranged in age from fifth grade to graduate students. Information about the students is below.

Testimony before the Commission began at 9:30 am, following a morning reception. In addition the students where provided with a short tour of the JPL facilities upon adjournment of the hearing.

The Students:

Chana Sachs, Pomelo Street Elementary School, West Hills
Chana Sachs, a fifth grader at Pomelo St. Elementary School in West Hills, CA has written an essay about the future of space travel 100 years from now. A long time space enthusiast, young Chana recently received a new and powerful telescope as a Chanukah gift and enjoys viewing the rings of Saturn. She would like to work in space someday or even be the next space tourist.

Scott McCalla, Sutter Middle School, Sacramento
Scott McCalla lives in Sacramento where he is just completing his seventh grade year in the G.A.T.E. Program and his fifth year as a member of 4-H where he is currently the club Vice President. At twelve years old, he's been a participant in the 4-H Space Science Project for three years. Working closely with NASA and the SEM Scientist program, he is one of eight members of this project who sent experiments involving the effects of space variables on yeast, film, seeds and adhesives up on the shuttle Discovery STS-102, in March of 2001. With the other project members, Scott traveled to Florida to watch the launch and tour Kennedy Space Center where they met Roy Bridges, Jr., the center's director and a former astronaut. Through 4-H, Scott is actively involved in leadership and community service, this year receiving an award for seventy-eight hours of service. He plans to be a Genetic Engineer.

Joy Dunn, Mission College Prep, San Luis Obispo
Joy Dunn is currently a sophomore at Mission College Prep in San Luis Obispo, California, where she maintains a 4.33 GPA. She is the Associated Student Body Vice President for the upcoming year and is active in Girl Scouts, soccer, softball, bike riding, math, science, engineering and computers. In these endeavors she has won multiple awards. She has been involved in building robots and model rockets and would like to be an engineer when she is older.

Renee Shipman, California State University Long Beach
Renee Shipman recently graduated earning a degree in Political Science from the California State University at Long Beach. Her primary interest is in educational policy. She has worked as an early childhood educator/administrator for five years, and has interned with local legislator, Alan Lowenthal. Renee sits on the board for the local chapter of the National Association for the Education of Young Children as public policy chair. Ms. Shipman is active in local politics as well as Model United Nations at Cal State Long Beach. It is in this latter capacity that she has become familiar with space policy. Most recently she was honored as Outstanding Delegate at the Harvard University Model United Nations simulation, for her work on the Committee for the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.

Trevor Foster, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Trevor Foster is currently a senior at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo majoring in Aerospace Engineering. He is the project manager for a high power, reusable rocket system funded by NASA Langley Research Center. He supervises the design, construction, integration and launch of the vehicle (see story). He has also designed, manufactured and tested a KNO3 based solid fuel and is currently testing a HTPB solid propellant motor with AP oxidizer and Mg/Al metal fuel. Over the summer, he worked at NASA Dryden in the Research Propulsion Branch as a student engineer. Trevor is a member of the Central Coast Aerospace Modeling Society and the current President of the Cal Poly Space Systems Club. He is a Tripoli Rocketry Association Member with his Level 3 High Power Certification.

Jason Richard Dorvee, University of California San Diego.
Jason Dorvee is a graduate of Guajome Park Academy in Vista, California where he was Senior Class President and Salutatorian in 1998. He is currently in his fourth year at the University of California San Diego and is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society. He is double majoring in Biochemistry and Space Engineering (a Self-Designed Major) under Dr. James Arnold a co-founder of UCSD, former director of the California Space Institute, and former chief scientist of lunar samples for three of the Apollo Missions. Jason has worked in a variety of fields while at UCSD, including developing, fabricating and crash testing strong light weight composites for future use in space with Dr. V.M. Karbhari, working with the Environmental Health and Safety Specialist for the Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories in the Chemistry Department, assisting in laboratory safety inspections. He also works in Forensic Anthropology at the San Diego Museum of Man, and currently is working for the California Space Institute on project CORAX and with Dr. Mike Sailor in the Department of Chemistry on developing hand held chemical detectors.

James Cutler, Stanford University
James Cutler is a graduate student at Stanford University pursuing a Ph.D. in electrical engineering. His research focus is on recovery-oriented space systems. His earlier work at Stanford helped produce Stanford's first microsatellite, Opal, which has been in orbit and operational for over two years and deployed six of the world's smallest picosatellites. Currently, he is developing a global ground station network to support university satellite missions. In the past, he spent his undergraduate days at Purdue University. James is also involved with Cosmos Education which is headquartered at Stanford. Cosmos Education is a non-profit/non-governmental organization dedicated to education in developing countries, and whose first project was "Under African Skies".

Casey Hansen, Mojave High School, Mojave
Casey Hansen is a fourth generation citizen of Mojave. She is currently enrolled in the Engineering Academy at Mojave High School. Casey is active in school leadership, cheerleading, and softball. She is inspired by the engineers, pilots and innovators at the Mojave Flight Test Center and is now considering a career in space exploration.

Kathryn McChesney - Arroyo Grande High School, Arroyo Grande
Kathryn McChesney was born August 14, 1985, in Monterey, where she lived for one year before moving to the Arroyo Grande area. She attended such local schools as Harloe Elementary and Paulding Middle School, and is now a Junior at Arroyo Grande High School. At the Endeavour Academy she first started working with space exploration, including the recently completed designing of a satellite mission. Her parents, Leroy, a mechanical engineer, and Jacquelyn, a teacher, have been the strongest support for Kathryn, investing much time and money towards her education. Her interest in engineering stems from the influence of her father and a fondness for math and science, which have inspired her to look towards a career in engineering. She hopes to attend CalTech or Stanford in the fall of 2003.