AEDC shows changes in workplace at local Smithsonian exhibit

  • Published
  • By Patrick Ary
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. --  Over the last 60 years, Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) has continued to perform its primary mission: develop, test and evaluate weapon, propulsion, aerodynamic and space systems at realistic conditions for the nation.

But many things regarding the way AEDC employees worked have changed, and some of them are being shown off during an exhibit at the Cowan Center for the Arts.

As part of the Smithsonian Exhibit "The Way We Worked," which wraps up its visit to Cowan tomorrow, AEDC set up a booth with photos, historic information and instruments that were commonly used during the 1950s and 1960s.

The Smithsonian exhibit explores the diversity of the American workforce and dramatic changes in work environments and conditions throughout the years. Cowan is one of six towns in Tennessee to feature the exhibit.

Cowan Railroad Museum board member Patricia Ann Underwood said after they learned the exhibit would be coming to town, they started looking for area businesses that could contribute to the exhibit. In addition to reaching out to Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA), Arnold Engineering Development Center's operating contractor, they were able to get displays for other area landmarks such as Falls Mill, the University of the South and Kokomo Grain Company. The museum board members also had to develop a companion exhibit about Cowan to go with the Smithsonian's.

"The goal of the Smithsonian exhibit is to help the Cowan Railroad Museum and to make it a better museum for people when they come through," Underwood said.

1st Lt. Brad Chronister, a project manager in AEDC's Investments Branch, put together the display for the exhibit, going through archive photos to find pictures and tools that represented how AEDC workers did their jobs in the early years.

Several Air Force personnel took time out of their work schedules at the center to speak to students who came through about how engineers and scientists used slide rules instead of calculators and computers, as well as how force balances were calibrated for use in the wind tunnels. The exhibit included photographs of work done at AEDC during the 50s and 60s, as well as a working scale model wind tunnel, different measuring and calculation instruments and a working force balance display.

"The main focus of the exhibit was on people actually working," Chronister said. "So we tried to look away from the bigger test articles and infrastructure and tried to get down to actually seeing individuals work."

Some of the items on display even provided a little bit of a learning experience for the volunteers.

"Some of this stuff was new to me - especially the slide rule," said 1st Lt. Charmeeka Scroggins, a test project manager in AEDC's High Enthalpy Arc-Heated Facilities. "That was very new to me. I've grown up with calculators, so calculators and hand math was what I was used to."

Underwood said the AEDC display has been one of the children's favorites to visit at the exhibit.

"Brad did an excellent job putting it together," Underwood said. "He worked on it for a while, going through to see exactly what was available. I think it's wonderful."

She said the board is also glad that the center had its display staffed during the visits, so students could speak to someone familiar with the devices on display.

"We didn't know enough about that, so I'm so thankful that they send someone to give information to the children about what all is involved on the display," Underwood said. "That's really helpful."

Scroggins said several children came back to the display for a second visit to try out the different tools while she was working there, and she believes it was a good way to show the fun side of the work done at AEDC.

"I think when kids see how things are cool and they're able put their hands on it ... they entertain themselves and just learn more, and I think that's sparking their interest in engineering, science and math," she said.

Chronister said he enjoyed putting the exhibit together and going through old photos of AEDC facilities that can still be found at the center today. He also hopes the exhibit generates more student interest in science and engineering-related career paths.

"People are always talking about how students today don't seem to want to go into the hard sciences anymore," he said, "and that's something we're hoping we can facilitate through something like this."