] Robert K. Goldberg, Ph.D., F.ASCE, a research aerospace engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, has been named a fellow by the ASCE Board of Direction.
Goldberg has worked at NASA Glenn for the past 32 years. He is currently in the Ceramic and Polymer Composites Branch of the Materials and Structures Division. His primary technical accomplishments have involved making revolutionary advancements in developing analysis methods to simulate the response of polymer matrix composites under high-rate dynamic loading conditions. He developed the theory and led a multi-institution team that implemented and characterized a new material model for the predictive simulation of the response of composite materials under impact conditions.
This material model has been implemented into a commercial transient dynamic finite element code and is available to all licensed users of the code. Goldberg was recognized for his technical accomplishments by being awarded the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal and the Astronauts’ Personal Achievement Award, known as the “Silver Snoopy” Award.
Goldberg has also served as an adjunct professor in the Civil Engineering Department and the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Akron since 2003. He has taught a number of undergraduate and graduate courses and served on the Ph.D. dissertation committee for 11 University of Akron students.
He has been extremely active in ASCE. He served as a member of the Committee of Technical Advancement, including a year as chair. During that year, he increased the visibility of CTA and its component committees and divisions within ASCE, increased collaboration within and outside the committees/divisions of CTA, and encouraged a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and transparency within CTA.
Before his tenure on CTA, he served on the executive committee of the ASCE Aerospace Division, including a term as chair. During his time on the Aerospace Division Executive Committee, Goldberg served as conference chair of the Earth and Space 2018 Conference: the 16th Biennial ASCE International Conference on Engineering, Science, Construction and Operations in Challenging Environments. He was recognized for his accomplishments on the Aerospace Division by being awarded the Aerospace Division Outstanding Professional Service Award. He also has served as an associate editor of the ASCE Journal of Aerospace Engineering since 2011. He was recognized for this service with the ASCE 2014 Associate Editor Award.
Goldberg received his bachelor degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from The Ohio State University, his master’s degree in applied mechanics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and his doctoral degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Cincinnati.
