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AE Says 'Happy Retirement' to Kirts

AE at Illinois wishes hearty congratulations to Undergraduate Student Coordinator Barb Kirts on her retirement from the University of Illinois!

AE Students Perform NASA Test of iPAD Use in Microgravity

Five AE students moved closer to the dream of being an astronaut when the NASA chose their team to conduct an experiment in microgravity.

Bird-like Robot Perches On Human Hand

For the first time, AE researchers demonstrate the control functions that allow birds to successfully perform a soft landing.

Butler Garners College Alumni Award

P. Barry Butler addresses the audience at the April 21 College of Engineering Awards Convocation

ISS Hosts Illinois Space Day

High School students attended Illinois Space Day recently on the U of I campus.

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Kenneth R. Sivier

Associate Professor Emeritus

ksivier@illinois.edu
msivier@juno.com		 Return to: Faculty
Office address Mailing Address Research Group
312 Talbot Lab
217-333-3364		 306 Talbot Lab
104 S. Wright St.
Urbana, IL  61801		  
Research Areas

Dr. Sivier's research activities since joining the University have included the development of high-lift, low-speed airfoils, a high-performance, low-noise propeller for use in general aviation, a study of the aircraft flight dynamics model used in the GAT-2 simulator in the Aviation Research Laboratory, an experimental study of gas flammability limits, wind energy system design, and the study of the take-off performance of aircraft from curved ("ski-jump") ramp.  He participated in the National Maglev Initiative, doing aerodynamic studies for the Maglev vehicle and has been involved in design studies of mid-size wingships and arc-winged aircraft.

Education:

  • Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering, 1967, University of Michigan
  • M.S., Aeronautical Engineering, 1955, Princeton University
  • B.S., Engineering Mathematics, 1951, University of Michigan
  • B.S., Aeronautical Engineering, 1951, University of Michigan

Academic Positions:

Dr. Sivier spent two years (1951 to 1953) as an aeronautical engineer with ARO, Inc., operators of the Air Force's Arnold Engineering and Development Center in Tullahoma, Tenn.  Following graduation from Princeton, he joined the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation where he had a number of assignments beginning as an Aerodynamics Design Engineer with the Missile Engineering Division and progressing to Senior Group Engineer with the Gas Dynamics Laboratory (working in advanced test facility development).  Entering the University of Michigan in 1962 to work on a doctorate, he was employed as an Associate Research Engineer with the Gas Dynamics Laboratories, having research and supervision responsibilities with several research activities.

Joining the University of Illinois faculty in 1967, Dr. Sivier has had assignments in the development of undergraduate aerospace laboratory programs and in undergraduate and graduate teaching in system dynamics, applied and experimental aerodynamics, aircraft flight mechanics and aircraft design.  During the summer of 1979, Dr. Sivier worked in the Advanced Design Group of the Aerodynamics Department, McDonnell Aircraft Company, St. Louis, MO.  He spent five months of a sabbatical year (1988-89) as a visiting scientist at the Wright Aeronautical Laboratories, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Dr. Sivier retired in June 1993, but continued to be active in teaching, course development, and consulting.  He was the Principal Investigator on an NSF-funded project to develop an aircraft flight simulation facility for use in the undergraduate curriculum.  He participated in a flight test program for the Pioneer UAV.  He taught a senior/graduate level course in advanced aircraft design (two semesters), participated in teaching a course in aerospace system simulation (three semesters), and developed and taught (with Prof. Bragg) a new course in designing for aircraft safety.  Over the years, he has been called back to teach the senior design courses.  Recently, he co-authored (with Diane E. Jeffers) a paper about the history of Aerospace Engineering education at the University of Illinois.  As he has for over a decade, he continues to advise the AE team that participates in the annual international AIAA Design/Build/Fly Competition.

Major Honors and Awards:

  • Associate Fellow of the AIAA.

Selected Publications:

  • "Marsplane Design Studies," (with M. F. Lembeck), presented at the National Space Society 8th Annual International Space Development Conference, May 26-29, 1989.
  • "Aerodynamic Drag of Maglev Vehicles", (with F. A. Balow), presented at the Maglev '93 Conference, May 1993.
  • "Design and Evaluation of a Midsize Wing-in-Ground Effect Transport", (with F. A. Balow and J. J. Guglielmo), AIAA Paper No.  93-3952, Presented at the AIAA/ASEE/USRA/ISPA/AHS Aircraft Design, Systems, and Operations Meeting, August 9-13, 1993.
  • "Taguchi Sizing Experiments in a Capstone Aircraft Design Course", (with S. J. D'Urso), presented at the AIAA Aircraft Systems Conference, September 18-23, 1994.
  • "Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering Education at the University of Illinois", (with Diane E. Jeffers), published in Aerospace Engineering Education During the First Century of Flight, AIAA, Reston, VA, 2004