AARON COHEN Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering Texas A&M University Professor Aaron Cohen received a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1952 and an M.S. degree in Applied Mathematics from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1958. He received an Honorary Doctor of Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology (1982) and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from University of Houston-Clear Lake (UH-CL) (1989). In August 1993, Professor Cohen was appointed H.B. Zachry Professor of Engineering at Texas A&M University, where he taught senior mechanical engineering design. In August 2000 he became a professor emeritus of mechanical engineering. Professor Cohen served as Director of NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, culminating a career that began there in 1962. He held several positions leading to his appointment as Manager of the Command and Service Module in the Apollo Spacecraft Program Office. In 1972, he was named Space Shuttle Orbiter Project Manager, responsible for design, development, production, and test flights. In 1982, as Director of Research and Engineering, he directed and managed all engineering and life science research and development. In 1986, Professor Cohen was named Center Director, directing approximately 3,600 NASA employees and 14,000 support contractor personnel. In addition, he served for a year as the Acting Deputy Administrator of NASA. Professor Cohen is a Fellow of American Astronautical Society (AAS), an Honorary Member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and an Honorary Fellow in American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. At NASA, he was awarded two Exceptional Service Medals, two Outstanding Leadership Medals, and four Distinguished Service Medals. Other awards include Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive for Senior Executive Service (SES) (1981); Distinguished Executive for SES (1982, 1988); AAS’ W. Randolph Lovelace II Award, Space Flight Award, and President's Certificate of Recognition; AIAA Von Braun Award for Excellence in Space Program Management; Goddard Astronautics Award (1996); Von Karman Lectureship in Astro- nautics; 1984 ASME Medal; Texas A&M College of Engineering Alumni Honor Award (1987), Distinguished Alumni Award (1989); and UH-CL Distinguished Leadership Award (1988). He was elected a member of National Academy of Engineering (1988), was a joint recipient of the 1989 Goddard Memorial Trophy, and was awarded the Gold Knight of Management Award, NMA Texas Gold Coast Council (1989). He received the Senior Executives Association Professional Development League Executive Excellence Award for Distinguished Executive Service and the National Space Trophy from the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation, and the 1992 Roger W. Jones Award for Executive Leadership from American University. Professor Cohen has authored many articles for scientific and technical journals and publications and presented the Lawrence Hargrave Lecture at the International Aerospace Congress in 1991. Aaron Cohen was born in Corsicana, Texas, on 5 January 1931.