Bridgeport High School Alum Russell Gillispie Chosen as Program Manager for NASA Academy
By Trina Runner on July 15, 2017
What do artificial limbs, memory foam and land mine detectors have in common? All were developed by NASA researchers. In fact, research done by NASA impacts nearly every area of our lives, from baby formula to fire fighter gear. Now, Bridgeport’s Russell Gillispie is part of the team helping to inspire new research ideas and train those who attend NASA’s annual academies.
After Gillispie graduated from BHS in 2010, he earned his B.S. in Applied Physics with a Minor in Mathematics at West Virginia Wesleyan in 2014. During that time, he also had the opportunity to join the Aeronautics Academy at NASA Langley Research Center, where he helped design, build and test a continuous trailing edge flap which integrated a 3D fiber optic sensing instrument.
Fast forward to this summer. Gillispie is currently earning his M.S. in Unmaned and Autonomous Systems Engineering from 
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and was chosen for another very special opportunity with NASA.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and was chosen for another very special opportunity with NASA.
“An email was sent out from our alumni group that NASA Marshall Space Flight Center was in need of an Operations Manager,” said Gillispie. “After applying and interviewing, I was selected as the NASA Space Hardware and Robotics Academy Operation’s Manager for the summer of 2017.”
In his new position, he is responsible for planning the lecture series, weekly activities, weekend excursions, and team-building activities. The projects his team is working on include Extreme Ultraviolet Coronagraph Pointing Mechanisms, Habitat Maintenance System Simulator, Development of Hardware for an IN-Space Soldering Research Facility on the International Space Station, and Lunar Lander.
“The academy provides a challenging, immersive experience for participants,” said Gillispie. “They will have the opportunity to visit the NASA centers and will work among the best to develop expertise in infrastructure, science, technology and management.”
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