James D. Raisbeck (1936-2021)

Through design and philanthropy, and by guiding the next generation of engineers, James Raisbeck contributed to the world of aviation for more than half a century. He came to Purdue in 1954 and, with a break to join the Air Force, graduated in 1961 and began his aerospace career. Working in aerodynamics at Boeing and Robertson Aircraft would lead him to open his own engineering firm in 1973.

Raisbeck himself, and the engineering company bearing his name, are jointly responsible for many contributions to the industry. These include supercritical wings for Rockwell International, performance enhancements on Learjets and Beechcraft, and noise reduction systems for Boeing’s 727.

His legacy in aviation goes far beyond those engineering contributions. He supported the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics for decades, through funding for various Design-Build-Test courses and by establishing the Raisbeck Engineering Distinguished Professor for Engineering and Technology Integration position.

In Seattle, he established Raisbeck Aviation High School (RAHS) to help attract younger people into the field. Riley Stonesifer, a graduate of RAHS who is attending Purdue on a Raisbeck Engineering Scholarship, said Raisbeck was personally involved with the work there. Stonesifer helped organize a gathering of other RAHS alumni when Raisbeck died on August 31, 2021.

"He would attend our school events, was a friend to much of the staff, and would take the time out of his day to come mentor students personally," Stonesifer says. "He was truly passionate about the field and about encouraging the next generation of pilots, engineers and astronauts to pursue what they are passionate about. He was truly one of a kind: businessman, philanthropist, mentor, father and husband."

Raisbeck received Purdue’s Distinguished Engineering Alumni award in 1979, Outstanding Aerospace Engineer award in 1999 and an honorary engineering doctorate in 2005.

Mark Geyer (1958-2021)

Recognized by NASA five times for his exceptional service and outstanding leadership, Mark Geyer spent 31 years living the sort of NASA dream that many aspire to, but very few achieve.

He held several leadership roles with NASA’s International Space Station (ISS). As the chair of the Mission Management Team and NASA lead negotiator with Russia, Geyer was responsible for coordinating operations between NASA, the Russian Space Agency and their contractors for the construction of the ISS. His leadership led to the construction of the ISS and its success as the world’s first space station. As manager of the ISS Integration Office, he defined the ISS assembly sequence and technical integration of space station elements between the international partners.

Under Geyer’s direction, the Orion Program conducted successful tests in space that contributed significantly to NASA’s ability to send astronauts to deep-space destinations.

In 2018, Geyer was named director of the Johnson Space Center, home to the nation’s astronaut corps and human space flight research and training. In that role, he led a workforce of approximately 11,000 civil servant and contractor employees and an annual budget of more than $5 billion while managing a broad range of human spaceflight activities.

Geyer’s work was celebrated by NASA with five awards: In 2000, an Exceptional Service Medal; in 2004, the Space Flight Awareness Leadership Award; in 2006, a Meritorious Executive Rank Award; in 2011 the Distinguished Executive Rank Award; and in 2015, NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal.

Geyer graduated from Purdue with his bachelor’s in aeronautics and astronautics in 1982, and a master’s in 1984. The School of Aeronautics and Astronautics recognized Geyer with the Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award in 2016. The College of Engineering chose him to be named among their 2022 Distinguished Engineering Alumni; Geyer was notified of the recognition before his death on December 7, 2021.