Terri L. Tramel

Dr. Terri (Brock) Tramel received a BSAE from WVU in 1985. One of the first women in an Air Force program recruit more engineers, Ms. Brock reported for Officer Training to Lackland AFB Texas after graduation. While in the Air Force, she worked in turbine engine test data analysis until an injury forced her retirement from the military. She took a position as a Quality Engineer with Aerojet Corporation, working on solid propulsion systems for the MX missile. She also began work on her MSME, specializing in Aerospace Sciences at the University of California, Davis. In 1989 she completed her MS degree and also began to perform research on the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) with the Tech Systems division of Aerojet.

In 1991 Ms. Tramel moved to Sverdrup Technology Corporation and was assigned to the Arnold Engineering Development Center in Tennessee, to continue work on the NASP. Originated in 1951, the center operates aerodynamic and propulsion wind tunnels, rocket and turbine engine test cells. The center has helped to develop most of the aerospace systems in the U.S. government's inventory, including the Atlas, Titan, Minuteman and Peacekeeper ICBMs, the Space Shuttle, space station, and Projects Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. In 1996, Ms. Tramel was promoted to Analysis Engineer and performed a variety of work, primarily involved with propulsion and turbine engines. In 1997 she also began work on her Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee, focusing on laser processing of materials. Her dissertation, completed in 2001 concerned Laser Surface Alloying Technologies for Metals.

Since 2000, Dr. Tramel has been employed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Starting as a Test Facility Engineer, Dr. Tramel has performed increasing levels of technical leadership within NASA over the past 12 years. Beginning as a Subsystem Manager, she managed propulsion systems development projects at increasing levels of responsibility. Dr. Tramel was the Level 2 Engineering System Management Leader for the Aries Launch System, Project Engineer and Requirements Lead Engineer for Launch Abort Systems. In 2006-7 she was Project Manager for the LOX/Methane rocket engine development project, and from 2007-2010 has served as deputy Project Manager for all cryogenic fluid management projects. From 2010-11 she served as a Technical Specialist for the Metallic Engineering Division of NASA, and since 2011 has served as Technical Specialist at the Laboratory level for all Materials and Materials Processing projects.

Dr. Tramel has made numerous presentations and published technical articles on laser alloying, cryogenic fluid management, various aspects of rocket propulsion and propulsion testing and other technical and management related topics.