AE Alumnus to receive Guggenheim Medal

Jointly sponsored by the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME), the American Helicopter Society (AHS) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the medal recognizes individuals who make profound contributions to advancing aeronautics. Liebeck’s award cites him for “distinguished engineering as evidenced by the conception and development of Liebeck airfoils and blended wing body aircraft.”

Liebeck, a professor of the practice of aerospace engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a world-renowned authority in the fields of aerodynamics, hydrodynamics and aircraft design. He attained world recognition starting in the 1970s with his novel designs for high-lift “Liebeck airfoils.” He has made substantial contributions to a variety of related fields, including propeller design, windmill analysis, wing design for supersonic transports, and the design of high-altitude unmanned aircraft. He also recently was named an AIAA Honorary Fellow. In 1994, Liebeck was honored with the Alumni Award for Distinguished Service by the College of Engineering at Illinois.

A 48-year Boeing employee, Liebeck is program manager of Boeing’s Blended Wing Body project, developing a 500-passenger flying wing advanced concept subsonic transport aircraft that offers a 30 percent reduction in fuel burn when compared to a conventional tube and wing configuration. The BWB X-48B, a subscale prototype with a 21-foot wingspan, is undergoing development by Boeing and NASA.

In his spare time, Liebeck has designed wings for Indianapolis 500 and Formula One racing cars, the keel for the 1991 America’s Cup winning yacht, and the wing for a World Aerobatics Championship airplane.

Philanthropists and aviation supporters Daniel and Harry Guggenheim established the Guggenheim Medal in 1929. Its first recipient was aviation pioneer Orville Wright. Over the ensuing years, recipients have included some of the greatest names in aerospace such as William Boeing, Igor Sikorski, Charles Lindberg, and Charles Goddard. Liebeck will receive the Guggenheim Medal at a ceremony in Washington in May 2011.
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Contact: Susan Mumm, editor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, 217/244-5382.

Writer: William Litant, Aeronautics and Astronautics Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology .

If you have any questions about the College of Engineering, or other story ideas, contact Rick Kubetz, editor, Engineering Communications Office, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 217/244-7716.