[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 30 (Monday, February 25, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E228-E229]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS AEROSPACE ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY MORAN

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 25, 2008

  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, sports fans across the country 
likely know the University of Kansas for its winning tradition in men's 
basketball and recently for the success of its football team that won 
the 2008 Orange Bowl. While these are accomplishments Kansans are proud 
of, I want to draw attention today to the impressive talents and 
accomplishments in the University's aerospace engineering program.
  Earlier this year, at the American Institute of Aeronautics and 
Astronautics 46th Annual Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, two 
University of Kansas students and one professor were honored for 
excellence in aircraft design, aeronautics research and instruction.
  Nobuya Nishio, an aerospace engineering student, won first place in 
the international aircraft design competition for designing an eye-
catching two-seat airplane with a 300-mile range capable of traveling 
143 miles per hour. Nobuya is the eighteenth student from the 
University of Kansas to place first in this competition since 1968.
  Another Kansas student, Roelof Vos received the Abe M. Zarem Award 
for Aeronautics Research. Roelof's groundbreaking

[[Page E229]]

work on actuators will enhance the ability of airplanes to fly through 
turbulent air while maintaining smooth flight. In addition to the 
improvements this will bring to passenger comfort, planes will benefit 
from the new actuator technology by experiencing less airframe fatigue, 
which leads to less stressed aircraft, safer flight and ultimately 
lower cost air travel.
  Both of these students were under the instruction and mentorship of 
Dr. Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering. 
Professor Barrett received the Abe M. Zarem Educator Award in 
recognition of his outstanding instruction. His research focuses on 
flight control using adaptive aerostructures that have been integrated 
in high speed, high precision flight control systems and are ideal for 
countermunitions. Professor Barrett's lab is the only academic facility 
in the country that specializes in these countermunitions that protect 
our Armed Forces by intercepting mortars and other weapons.
  American economic competitiveness is strengthened as more students 
study and excel in the academic areas of science, technology, 
engineering and mathematics. I join Kansans in congratulating Nobuya, 
Roelof and Professor Barrett for their outstanding creativity, insight 
and hard work. Jayhawks not only excel in athletics but fly high in the 
classroom, as well.

                          ____________________