Mark D. Maughmer facts for kids

Mark D. Maughmer, born on January 18, 1950, is a professor at The Pennsylvania State University. He teaches Aerospace Engineering, which is all about designing and building aircraft. Mark is known worldwide for his amazing work in aerodynamics. This is the science of how air moves around objects, like airplanes. He's especially good at designing parts of wings called airfoils and winglets. He also helps make wings work better and designs special wind-tunnels for testing.

What Are Winglets?

PSU 90-125 winglet airfoil profile

In 1987, a pilot named Peter Masak asked Professor Maughmer for help. Peter wanted to design special winglets for his sailplane (a type of glider). Winglets are small, upward-pointing parts at the end of an airplane's wings. They help planes fly better.

Other people had tried to use winglets on gliders before. While these winglets helped gliders climb, they also slowed them down when flying fast. Peter believed they could make winglets that worked well at all speeds. Professor Maughmer decided to join him in this challenge.

Together, they worked hard and created successful winglet designs. These designs were perfect for gliding competitions. At the 1991 World Gliding Championships in Uvalde, Texas, something amazing happened. A glider with their winglets won the trophy for the highest speed. This glider was in the 15-meter class, which has a limited wingspan. It even flew faster than gliders in the unlimited span Open Class. This was a truly special result!

At first, these winglets were added to existing gliders. But now, most new high-performance gliders come with winglets already built in. Professor Maughmer has also worked with German glider designers. He has helped them add winglets and other cool improvements to their gliders.

Mark's Journey in Aviation

Mark Maughmer earned his Ph.D. (a high-level degree) in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering in 1983. He got this degree from the University of Illinois. Before that, he received his Master of Science (M.S.) from Princeton University in 1975. His first degree, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), was also from the University of Illinois in 1972.

Professor Maughmer has won many awards for his teaching. He received the PSES Outstanding Teaching Award in 1993. In 2001, he got the PSES Premier Teaching Award. He also earned the Alumni Faculty Teaching Fellow Award in 2012. In 2009, he won a national award called the ASEE Fred Merryfield Design Award. This award is for excellent teaching in engineering design.

He is also very active in professional groups. He has served on a committee for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He received the AIAA/ASEE John Leland Atwood Award in 2013. In 2014, he got the AIAA William T. Piper Award. For the Soaring Society of America, he helps with design and is on the board of directors for the Collegiate Soaring Association. He received their Exceptional Service Award in 1991. He has also served on the board of the International Organization for the Science and Technology of Soaring (OSTIV). He is currently the vice-president of that organization. Mark is also a glider pilot himself. He is a flight instructor for the Penn State Soaring Club.