Personnel News: January 2006 Archives

NASA Announces That Stephen Jurczyk is the New Langley Research Center Deputy Director

"NASA announced today Stephen Jurczyk is the new Deputy Center Director for the agency's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. Jurczyk was Langley's Director of the Research and Technology Directorate."

Bruce Lundin, Former NASA Glenn Research Center Director Dies

"Bruce Lundin, Director of NASA's Lewis Research Center from 1969 to 1977, (now the Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field, Cleveland), passed away on Tuesday, January 24, 2006. He was 86."

From: The Doane Family
Sent: Jan 27, 2006 12:00 AM
Subject: Logan

In case you have not yet heard, yesterday morning (the 25th), Logan completed his final journey. He truly faced his battle against cancer in a most dignified manner and left us extremely content with the choices he made and the life he led.

NASA's boss at Ames losing job in shakeup, SF Chronicle

"NASA Watch, an online news site that monitors space agency activities, reported Dec. 15 that Griffin plans to replace Hubbard with Worden. On Monday, Hubbard accepted an offer by the SETI Institute in Mountain View, a 120-employee organization that investigates the possibility of extraterrestrial life, to become its Carl Sagan Chair for the Study of Life in the Universe."

NASA Announces Senior Management Changes

"William (Bill) Parsons, director of the agency's Stennis Space Center, Miss., has accepted the position of deputy center director at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

G. Scott Hubbard, center director at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., has accepted a position at the SETI Institute, Mountain View, Calif. He assumes the Carl Sagan Chair for the Study of Life in the Universe on Feb. 15."

Ames director resigns, SJ Mercury News

"Some Ames employees have quietly speculated that Hubbard was forced out for being too protective of his workers and resistant to plans to trim even more positions. None would talk on the record to protect their jobs. But they fear his successor will be asked to usher in a new era at the research center -- one that is leaner, and meaner, for employees. Paul K. Davis, president of the Ames Federal Employees Union, said he was sorry to see Hubbard go and hopes his replacement "will be someone who will enable us to continue contributing to NASA's mission."

Reader note:"Yesterday another 100 were laid off at Jacobs-Sverdrup and their subs working on the ESC contract supporting the JSC engineering directorate. More will follow."

JSC Layoff Update, 6 Jan 2006

NASA ARC Internal Memo: Message from the Director - Change is Underway

"My dear friends at Ames Research Center, It has been a pleasure to be your colleague for the past 18 years and the Center Director since 2002. We have weathered some hard times together and had many great successes as well. Now it is time for a new direction."

Internal LaRC notice: TOWN MEETING with VA Congressional Members, Monday (1-23) 11:30-12 Noon

VA Congressional Members Mrs. Jo Ann Davis, Mr. Bobby Scott and Mr. Randy Forbes will each speak briefly to employees and then take questions from the audience. Please join us to hear from and talk to your congressional leaders. We encourage your attendance.

Transcription of Press Conference with Mike Griffin at NASA KSC

"GRIFFIN: We are not, in your words, we are not "whacking" the space science program to pay for human exploration. This is not "The Sopranos," we don't whack people or programs here. We have, of course, in this nation I do not need to be the one to tell you this a difficult budgetary environment. NASA is not looking forward or expecting any gifts of robust growth from either the administration or the Congress. We expect to keep approximately the funding we have, which will essentially be a very low growth funding profile and therefore, all of the components, each separate component of what NASA does can expect to have, at best, only modest growth. The difference between cuts and modest growth, I guess, needs to be explained to people. I think we're doing well and within NASA the space science program is doing well and will continue to do well."

Editor's note: With regard to "we don't whack people or programs here.", I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but that is exactly what you've done, Mike. Look what has happened to NASA's life sciences programs - and the people who did that work - during your tenure. This was a capability that took decades to create - then it was gone in an instant. Sure sounds like it has been "whacked" to me.

Cleveland's school boss finalizing CSU move, Cleveland Plain Dealer

" CSU also is finalizing a deal to bring Julian Earls, who retired as director of the NASA Glenn Research Center at the end of December, to become an executive-in-residence at the college of business. In September, Earls was offered the job as president of Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, but he eventually declined."

Editor's note: please feel free to post and comments - or your memories regarding Bob Mitcheltree. Further information on memorial services will be posted here.

Mitcheltree's coworkers write: "It is with deep, deep sadness that we inform you of the loss of a great friend, brilliant engineer, caring son, loving brother, intrepid sailor, constant explorer and southern gentleman, Robert Allen Mitcheltree."

Editor's note: News from Houston: On Wednesday, Jacobs Engineering gave notice to 125 employees. Their last day is 18 January.

Alphonso V. Diaz is the new Vice Chancellor for Administration at UCR

"UC Riverside Chancellor France A. Crdova has asked Alphonso V. Diaz, a former high-ranking administrator at NASA, to be the next Vice Chancellor for Administration. The appointment must still be approved by the UC Board of Regents."