For release June 5, 2006
DANIEL ASSUMES SPACE INSTITUTE HELM;
STRESSES VITAL ROLE OF PARTNERSHIPS
Partnerships are vital to the future of The University of Tennessee
Space Institute, Dr. Donald C. (Don) Daniel said in brief
“get-acquainted” remarks to the faculty, staff and students June 5.
Daniel assumed leadership of UTSI on June 1 as UT Associate Vice
President and UTSI Chief Operating Officer, succeeding Dr. John E.
Caruthers who is retiring. Meanwhile, Daniel plans a busy summer with
UTSI as home base as he reaches out to various partners.
Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (ORNL), and UT Knoxville (especially the College of
Engineering) head his list of vital partnerships, Daniel said.
He defined partnerships as “working on things together,” not “shaking
hands and asking for money.”
Daniel also pledged to keep close watch – measuring benchmarks and
numbers – on the Space Institute’s “revitalization plan,” which focuses
sharply on propulsion and materials processing as key emphasis. He said
UT leaders have authorized hiring new faculty (both research and
tenure-track professors) and other research personnel.
The former AEDC chief scientist said he has encountered enthusiasm and
keen interest in UTSI’s future locally, statewide, and regionally –
“reaching from Huntsville to Kentucky.” He said he and Dr. Joel
Muehlhauser, UT assistant vice president and dean of research at UTSI,
recently attended the Tennessee Valley Economic Corridor Summit.
“I like many things,” Daniel said, “and three of these are friendly,
polite and professional people, good, hard work that is thorough and
timely, and this beautiful place – what a privilege to work here.”
Daniel, who recently met with Gov. Phil Bredesen, said the governor’s
plans to locate a high school on the Institute’s campus for exceptional
science and mathematics students has a target opening date of 14 months.
Responding to a question, Daniel, a renowned expert in aerospace
engineering, said he thinks UTSI needs to be “selective” in planning
future propulsion (and other) projects, emphasizing the need to focus
research on needs 20 years in the future rather than focusing on
“today’s engineering needs.”
June will be an especially busy time, Daniel said, mentioning among
other activities, a planned visit by Dr. John Petersen, UT president,
who “has provided outstanding leadership,” a visit with Brig. Gen. David
Stringer, AEDC commander, an invitation to attend the UT President’s
staff meeting, and establishing “a new relationship” with the Hands On
Science Center in Tullahoma.
A former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Air Force for Science,
Technology, and Engineering, Daniel also was once Executive Director of
the Air Force Research Laboratory.
Before being chosen to lead UTSI, he was a principal research engineer
with the Georgia Tech Research Institute, a Distinguished Research
Professor with the National Defense University’s Center for Technology
and National Security Policy, and chairman of NATO’s Research and
Technology Board.
Dr. Donald C. Daniel
Writer: Weldon Payne (931) 393-7222
wpayne@utsi.edu
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