Contact
Jerry Berg
Media Relations Department
(256) 544-0034
jerry.berg@msfc.nasa.gov

Dr. Michael Tinker (NASA)

Release: 01-145

Marshall Center engineer awarded associate fellow status in AIAA aerospace engineering society

Dr. Michael L. Tinker, a structural dynamicist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., has been named an associate fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

Tinker works on inflatable structures technology and test methods for International Space Station hardware in Marshall’s Engineering Directorate.

Tinker has been employed at Marshall since graduating from the Aerospace Engineering Department at Auburn University, Auburn, Ala., in 1989.  He has been involved in numerous space flight and research projects, including the Hubble Space Telescope, International Space Station, reusable launch vehicle technology and lightweight deployable space structures.

A member of the American Institute for more than 18 years, Tinker first joined the Auburn University student branch in 1982.  He is active in the organization, serving as vice-chair of the national Structural Dynamics Technical Committee since 1999 – a committee he will chair in 2002.  He has also been a member of the national Adaptive Structures Technical Committee for three years.

To qualify as an American Institute associate fellow, an individual must have accomplished – or been in charge of — important engineering or scientific work, work of outstanding merit or outstanding contributions to the arts, sciences or technology of aeronautics or astronautics.  Nominees must be senior members and have at least 12 years of professional experience.

Tinker has authored more than 40 technical publications, including journal papers, conference papers and various NASA publications.  He has received two NASA Technical Innovation Awards for his research, as well as numerous other awards.