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Sheila Widnall

February 02, 2023

Sheila Marie Evans Widnall (born July 13, 1938) is an American aerospace researcher and Institute Professor Emerita at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She served as United States Secretary of the Air Force from 1993 to 1997, making her the first woman to hold that post and the first woman to lead an entire branch of the United States Armed Forces in the Department of Defense. She was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2003.[4]

Sheila Widnall
18th United States Secretary of the Air Force
In office
August 6, 1993 – October 31, 1997
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byDonald B. Rice
Succeeded byF. Whitten Peters
Personal details
Born
Sheila Marie Evans

(1938-07-13) July 13, 1938 (age 84)
Tacoma, Washington, U. S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseWilliam Widnall
Children2
EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology (SB, SM, ScD)
[1][2][3]

Life and career

Widnall was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington, graduating from the Aquinas Academy for Girls in 1956. She graduated from MIT with a SB in 1960, SM in 1961, and ScD in 1964, all in Aeronautics.[5] Her master's thesis was entitled Boundary layer stability over flexible surfaces and her doctoral thesis was entitled Unsteady loads on hydrofoils including free surface effects and cavitation, both under the supervision of Marten T. Landahl.[6][7]

Widnall was appointed as the Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1986 and joined the Engineering Systems Division, was Chair of the Faculty 1979–1981, and has served as MIT's Associate Provost from 1992–1993. In 1988 she was the President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences that same year.[8] In 2000, Widnall was elected to the American Philosophical Society.[9]

On July 4, 1993, in the wake of the Tailhook scandal, President Bill Clinton announced her nomination to be Secretary of the Air Force.[10] The Senate received her nomination July 22, 1993, and confirmed her two weeks later on August 5, 1993, 183 days after inauguration and 197 after the office became vacant.[11] She was the first woman to head a branch of the US military.[4] During her tenure she handled the Kelly Flinn scandal.[12] She was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1985,[13] serving as vice-president from 1998 to 2005[14] and winning their Arthur M. Bueche Award in 2009.[15]

Widnall was a member of the board of investigation into the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

She currently works with the Lean Advancement Initiative. She married William Soule Widnall in June 1960. Her husband earned a doctorate degree from MIT in aerospace engineering and headed the MIT-Draper team that developed the Apollo GN&C system.[16] The couple has two grown children, William and Ann Marie.[17]

Research

Widnall's research has been focused on fluid mechanics, in particular the aerodynamics of high-speed vehicles, helicopters, aircraft wakes, and turbulence. One of her most notable works is on the elliptical instability mechanism with Raymond Pierrehumbert.[18]

Writings

  • "Science and the Atari Generation." Science (August 12, 1983): 607.
  • "AAAS Presidential Lecture: Voices from the Pipeline." Science (September 30, 1988): 1740-1745.

References

  1. ^ "Sheila E. Widnall." Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols. Gale Research, 1998. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC Document Number: K1631006966. Fee. Accessed 2008-10-31. Updated: 12/12/1998.
  2. ^ "Sheila Widnall." Notable Women Scientists. Gale Group, 2000. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC Document Number: K1668000457. Fee. Accessed 2008-10-31. Updated: 11/05/2000
  3. ^ "Sheila E. Widnall." Notable Scientists: From 1900 to the Present. Online. Gale Group, 2008. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC Document Number: K1619002898 Fee. Accessed 2008-10-31. Updated: 01/01/2001.
  4. ^ a b "Widnall, Sheila E." National Women’s Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
  5. ^ "Nominations Before the Senate Armed Services Committee, First Session, 103d Congress: Hearings Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate". Vol. 103, no. 414. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1994. pp. 1094–1097. ISBN 978-0160436116.
  6. ^ Widnall, Sheila E. (1961). Boundary layer stability over flexible surfaces (Thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  7. ^ Widnall, Sheila E. (1964). Unsteady loads on hydrofoils including free surface effects and cavitation (Thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautical Engineering. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  8. ^ "Sheila Evans Widnall". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  9. ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  10. ^ Jehl, Douglas (1993-07-04). "M.I.T. Professor Is First Woman Chosen as Secretary of Air Force". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  11. ^ Palmer, Betsy (2005-03-23). 9/11 Commission Recommendations: The Senate Confirmation Process for Presidential Nominees (PDF). CRS Report for Congress. Congressional Research Service. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  12. ^ Stout, David (1997-05-24). "'Part of Me Has Died,' Pilot Says in Apology". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-31. Even as she asked in vain for an honorable discharge, First Lieut. Kelly J. Flinn said in a letter to the Secretary of the Air Force that having to leave the service was a punishment she would carry to her grave.
  13. ^ National Academy of Engineering. "The Honorable Sheila E. Widnall".
  14. ^ "National Academy of Engineering Presented Extraordinary Impact Awards". Aerospace America. 47 (10): B10. 2009.
  15. ^ "NAE announces award winners John Casani and Sheila Widnall". 1 October 2009.
  16. ^ Sheila Widnall introduces her husband William to give MIT lecture on Apollo (video)
  17. ^ Sheila E. Widnall Facts - biography
  18. ^ Pierrehumbert, Raymond; Widnall, Sheila (1982). "The Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Instabilities of a Spatially Periodic Shear Layer". Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 114: 59–82. doi:10.1017/s0022112082000044.

Further reading

  • "Widnall of MIT Is New President-elect Of AAAS." Physics Today (February 1986), p. 69.
  • Biography, "Dr. Sheila E. Widnall." Office of the Secretary of the Air Force/Public Affairs, November 1993.
  • Dr. Sheila E. Widnall, "<https://archive.today/20130221044842/http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio_print.asp?bioID=7582>", July 23, 1997.
  • Air Force Times, August 2, 1993, p. 4.
  • Sears, William R., "Sheila E. Widnall: President-Elect of AAAS," in Association Affairs, June 6, 1986, pp. 1119–1200.
  • Stone, Steve, "Air Force Secretary Salutes Female Aviators," in Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, October 10, 1993, p. B3.
  • "USAF Head Approved," in Aviation Week & Space Technology, August 9, 1993, p. 26.
  • Biography, Dr. Sheila E. Widnall, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force/Public Affairs, November 1993.
  • Ewing, Lee, Air Force Times, Panelists Laud Widnall, Approve Her Nomination, August 2, 1993, p. 4.
  • Stone, Steve, Aviation Week & Space Technology, USAF Head Approved, August 9, 1993, p. 26.
  • Stone, Steve, Physics Today, Widnall of MIT Is New President-elect Of AAAS, February 1986, p. 69.
  • Biography, Dr. Sheila E. Widnall, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force/Public Affairs, November 1993.
  • Nature Q&A with Sheila Widnall

External links

  • USAF biography at archive.today (archived 2012-12-12)
  • CNN All Politics biography
  • Women’s International Center biography
  • IEEE biography
  • MIT faculty page
  • "DoD image". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  • Sheila Widnall Playlist Appearance on WMBR's Dinnertime Sampler radio show March 2, 2005
  • Appearances on C-SPAN  
Military offices
Preceded by Secretary of the Air Force
1993–1997 		Succeeded by

February 02, 2023
sheila, widnall, sheila, marie, evans, widnall, born, july, 1938, american, aerospace, researcher, institute, professor, emerita, massachusetts, institute, technology, served, united, states, secretary, force, from, 1993, 1997, making, first, woman, hold, that. Sheila Marie Evans Widnall born July 13 1938 is an American aerospace researcher and Institute Professor Emerita at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT She served as United States Secretary of the Air Force from 1993 to 1997 making her the first woman to hold that post and the first woman to lead an entire branch of the United States Armed Forces in the Department of Defense She was inducted into the National Women s Hall of Fame in 2003 4 Sheila Widnall18th United States Secretary of the Air ForceIn office August 6 1993 October 31 1997PresidentBill ClintonPreceded byDonald B RiceSucceeded byF Whitten PetersPersonal detailsBornSheila Marie Evans 1938 07 13 July 13 1938 age 84 Tacoma Washington U S Political partyDemocraticSpouseWilliam WidnallChildren2EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology SB SM ScD 1 2 3 Contents 1 Life and career 2 Research 3 Writings 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksLife and career EditWidnall was born and raised in Tacoma Washington graduating from the Aquinas Academy for Girls in 1956 She graduated from MIT with a SB in 1960 SM in 1961 and ScD in 1964 all in Aeronautics 5 Her master s thesis was entitled Boundary layer stability over flexible surfaces and her doctoral thesis was entitled Unsteady loads on hydrofoils including free surface effects and cavitation both under the supervision of Marten T Landahl 6 7 Widnall was appointed as the Abby Rockefeller Mauze Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1986 and joined the Engineering Systems Division was Chair of the Faculty 1979 1981 and has served as MIT s Associate Provost from 1992 1993 In 1988 she was the President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences that same year 8 In 2000 Widnall was elected to the American Philosophical Society 9 On July 4 1993 in the wake of the Tailhook scandal President Bill Clinton announced her nomination to be Secretary of the Air Force 10 The Senate received her nomination July 22 1993 and confirmed her two weeks later on August 5 1993 183 days after inauguration and 197 after the office became vacant 11 She was the first woman to head a branch of the US military 4 During her tenure she handled the Kelly Flinn scandal 12 She was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1985 13 serving as vice president from 1998 to 2005 14 and winning their Arthur M Bueche Award in 2009 15 Widnall was a member of the board of investigation into the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster She currently works with the Lean Advancement Initiative She married William Soule Widnall in June 1960 Her husband earned a doctorate degree from MIT in aerospace engineering and headed the MIT Draper team that developed the Apollo GN amp C system 16 The couple has two grown children William and Ann Marie 17 Research EditWidnall s research has been focused on fluid mechanics in particular the aerodynamics of high speed vehicles helicopters aircraft wakes and turbulence One of her most notable works is on the elliptical instability mechanism with Raymond Pierrehumbert 18 Writings Edit Science and the Atari Generation Science August 12 1983 607 AAAS Presidential Lecture Voices from the Pipeline Science September 30 1988 1740 1745 References Edit Sheila E Widnall Encyclopedia of World Biography 2nd ed 17 Vols Gale Research 1998 Reproduced in Biography Resource Center Farmington Hills Mich Gale 2008 http galenet galegroup com servlet BioRC Document Number K1631006966 Fee Accessed 2008 10 31 Updated 12 12 1998 Sheila Widnall Notable Women Scientists Gale Group 2000 Reproduced in Biography Resource Center Farmington Hills Mich Gale 2008 http galenet galegroup com servlet BioRC Document Number K1668000457 Fee Accessed 2008 10 31 Updated 11 05 2000 Sheila E Widnall Notable Scientists From 1900 to the Present Online Gale Group 2008 Reproduced in Biography Resource Center Farmington Hills Mich Gale 2008 http galenet galegroup com servlet BioRC Document Number K1619002898 Fee Accessed 2008 10 31 Updated 01 01 2001 a b Widnall Sheila E National Women s Hall of Fame Retrieved 2019 03 23 Nominations Before the Senate Armed Services Committee First Session 103d Congress Hearings Before the Committee on Armed Services United States Senate Vol 103 no 414 Washington D C U S Government Printing Office 1994 pp 1094 1097 ISBN 978 0160436116 Widnall Sheila E 1961 Boundary layer stability over flexible surfaces Thesis Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Retrieved 2022 03 01 Widnall Sheila E 1964 Unsteady loads on hydrofoils including free surface effects and cavitation Thesis Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Aeronautical Engineering Retrieved 2022 03 01 Sheila Evans Widnall American Academy of Arts amp Sciences Retrieved 2021 11 30 APS Member History search amphilsoc org Retrieved 2021 11 30 Jehl Douglas 1993 07 04 M I T Professor Is First Woman Chosen as Secretary of Air Force New York Times Retrieved 2008 10 31 Palmer Betsy 2005 03 23 9 11 Commission Recommendations The Senate Confirmation Process for Presidential Nominees PDF CRS Report for Congress Congressional Research Service Retrieved 2008 01 31 Stout David 1997 05 24 Part of Me Has Died Pilot Says in Apology New York Times Retrieved 2008 10 31 Even as she asked in vain for an honorable discharge First Lieut Kelly J Flinn said in a letter to the Secretary of the Air Force that having to leave the service was a punishment she would carry to her grave National Academy of Engineering The Honorable Sheila E Widnall National Academy of Engineering Presented Extraordinary Impact Awards Aerospace America 47 10 B10 2009 NAE announces award winners John Casani and Sheila Widnall 1 October 2009 Sheila Widnall introduces her husband William to give MIT lecture on Apollo video Sheila E Widnall Facts biography Pierrehumbert Raymond Widnall Sheila 1982 The Two Dimensional and Three Dimensional Instabilities of a Spatially Periodic Shear Layer Journal of Fluid Mechanics 114 59 82 doi 10 1017 s0022112082000044 Further reading Edit Widnall of MIT Is New President elect Of AAAS Physics Today February 1986 p 69 Biography Dr Sheila E Widnall Office of the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs November 1993 Dr Sheila E Widnall lt https archive today 20130221044842 http www af mil information bios bio print asp bioID 7582 gt July 23 1997 Air Force Times August 2 1993 p 4 Sears William R Sheila E Widnall President Elect of AAAS in Association Affairs June 6 1986 pp 1119 1200 Stone Steve Air Force Secretary Salutes Female Aviators in Norfolk Virginian Pilot October 10 1993 p B3 USAF Head Approved in Aviation Week amp Space Technology August 9 1993 p 26 Biography Dr Sheila E Widnall Office of the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs November 1993 Ewing Lee Air Force Times Panelists Laud Widnall Approve Her Nomination August 2 1993 p 4 Stone Steve Aviation Week amp Space Technology USAF Head Approved August 9 1993 p 26 Stone Steve Physics Today Widnall of MIT Is New President elect Of AAAS February 1986 p 69 Biography Dr Sheila E Widnall Office of the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs November 1993 Nature Q amp A with Sheila WidnallExternal links EditUSAF biography at archive today archived 2012 12 12 NASA biography CNN All Politics biography Women s International Center biography IEEE biography MIT faculty page DoD image U S Department of Defense Retrieved December 20 2008 Sheila Widnall Playlist Appearance on WMBR s Dinnertime Sampler radio show March 2 2005 Appearances on C SPAN Military officesPreceded byMerrill McPeakActing Secretary of the Air Force1993 1997 Succeeded byWhitten Peters Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sheila Widnall amp oldid 1116374241, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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