Alvin Seiff Memorial Award
The Alvin Seiff Memorial Award, presented annually at the International Planetary Probe Workshop, recognizes and honors a scientist, engineer, technologist, or mission planner for an outstanding contribution to the understanding of the atmospheres of planets or moons utilizing high-speed entry probes.
Background
Alvin Seiff's contributions to the fields of planetary exploration, planetary probe technology, and mentoring a generation of world class planetary scientists and technologists are legendary. His leadership using ballistic ranges and innovative engineering analysis played a key role in determining the aerodynamics and aerothermodynamics of the Apollo entry vehicle that was used several times to return astronauts from the Moon.
Shortly after President Kennedy told the nation we would put a man on the Moon and bring him home safely within the decade, Seiff assembled a group of young people from across the nation to contribute to this goal. Under his leadership at NASA Ames, the center made key contributions defining the aerodynamics and aerothermodynamics of the Apollo Earth return vehicle.
Later in his career, Seiff pursued his goal of inverting the entry physics "problem" into the "solution" of using the response of an entry probe to determine the structure and composition of an unknown planetary atmosphere. This powerful concept was proven with the Planetary Atmospheric Entry Test project, which demonstrated that inversion of the entry physics problem could be done in the Earth's atmosphere.
Seiff was the principal investigator on experiments utilizing the approach he pioneered to determine the structure of the atmospheres of Mars, Venus, and Jupiter. This was accomplished by the flights of the Viking, Pioneer-Venus, and Galileo entry probes. Seiff’s work on planetary atmospheres is broadly published in scientific literature and textbooks. He is broadly recognized for his contributions, both nationally and internationally. He won the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement three times and was awarded the honor of the Dryden Lectureship by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics for his work on planetary atmospheres.
Perhaps as important as his contributions to NASA's goals in science and engineering was the product of his leadership: coaching and mentoring. Scores of young engineers and scientists who worked for and with Seiff became world-class researchers, leaders, and managers for NASA and the Department of Defense, including a center director of Ames, organizational directors, division chiefs, and branch chiefs.
Seiff embodied the best of what is expect from a leader and exemplified the saying "give more than you take from the circle of life." He truly "soared to the stars," literally touching three planets with his experiments. Seiff gave his best to the international planetary science community. He died in 2000 but his inspiration continues.
The Award
The young researchers today will stand on the shoulders of the giants from the past to discover great things in the future.
An important element of the International Planetary Probe Workshops is to introduce, motivate and educate young people in the field of scientific studies of planetary atmospheres. Only by placing today's research activities in the proper historical context through recognizing, appreciating, and understanding the contributions of our predecessors and utilizing the experience and knowledge gained by past generations of explorers can we define a framework for future explorations.
As solar system explorers, we are bound by our colleagues’ achievements and are obligated to further this chain of scientific discovery to the next generation. This award and lecture is named for Seiff to celebrate his lifetime of dedication to the engineering, technology, and scientific studies of planetary atmospheres and provide young researchers who never had the chance to know him with the opportunity to learn how his work truly influences virtually every aspect of planetary exploration.
The Alvin Seiff Memorial Award recipient will be recognized for his or her substantial contributions to the field of planetary entry and descent science and technology and will be selected by vote of the International Steering Committee and previous recipients.
The Alvin Seiff Memorial Award will comprise expenses to attend the International Planetary Probe Workshop, a plaque or medal, and certificate. The recipient gives a plenary lecture during the workshop—either at the banquet or during one of the workshop sessions.) Prior to the winner giving his or her lecture, a member of the International Steering Committee will give a very short synopsis of Al's contributions to set the tone for the occasion.
2008 Alvin Seiff Award Recipient: Professor Jacques Blamont
In recognition of his contributions to the Pioneer-Venus and Vega Missions, the development of nephelometry and balloon technologies for atmospheric exploration, for decades of landmark scientific achievements and for his key contributions to establish the 20th century European presence in robotic solar system exploration, the Organizing Committee of the International Planetary Probe Workshop bestows the 2008 Alvin Seiff award upon Professor Jacques Blamont.