Donald J. Campbell 1935–

Aeronautical engineer, aerospace administrator

After thirty years working on gas turbine engines and propulsion systems for the U.S. Air Force, Donald J. Campbell was appointed director of the John H. Glenn Research Center (GRC) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at Lewis Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The only black director of a NASA Center, Campbell focused on launching commercial satellites and on improving jet engines to help the American aeronautics industry become more competitive. In his decade as director, Campbell worked closely with business interests to spin-off new products and promote economic development in northeastern Ohio and with local educational institutions to encourage young people to consider careers in aeronautics.

Trained as a Mechanical Engineer

Donald J. Campbell was born on January 17, 1935, in Lima, Ohio. He grew up in Lima and earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Ohio Northern University in 1959.

Campbell began his career as a test engineer working on gas turbine engines and engine components at the Aero Propulsion Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. He later worked as a researcher, project engineer, and finally program manager for advanced air-breathing propulsion systems, moving from engineering into management. He eventually became senior planning manager for gas turbine engines on the Laboratory Commander's staff.

After earning a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University in 1974, Campbell undertook management training. He completed the Senior Executive Seminar in Management at the Carnegie Mellon School of Urban and Public Affairs and the Executive Leadership Program at the Federal Executive Institute. He also took management courses at the Brookings Institution and the Defense Systems Management School.

During the implementation of the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) Program Office at Wright-Patterson, from February through July of 1986, Campbell was the acting director of the NASP Technology Maturation Directorate. In 1987 he became acting deputy director of the Aero Propulsion Laboratory. The following year he joined the Senior Executive Service as deputy program director for the Propulsion System Program Office of the Aeronautical Systems Division. In that position he was the senior civilian executive in charge of the development and acquisition of gas-turbine aircraft engines.

In 1990 Campbell was appointed director of the Aero Propulsion and Power Laboratory. He was the senior civilian executive responsible for Air Force research and development of propulsion and power for gas turbine engines, aerospace power systems, and ramjet engines (a type of highspeed engine that has no moving parts and creates thrust by constantly heating a stream of cold intake air that is expelled behind). Campbell also oversaw projects related to fuels and lubricants. It was the first time since 1928 that a civilian had been in charge of aeronautics propulsion and power technology.

Two years later Campbell was named director of science and technology in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition in Washington, D.C. There he directed and monitored the Air Force Science and Technology Program, which included various research and development and engineering projects.

Appointed Glenn Research Center Director

On January 6, 1994, NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin appointed Campbell director of the GRC, consisting of the 350-acre site at Lewis Field in Cleveland and the 6,400-acre Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio. The GRC included twenty-four major facilities and more than five hundred specialized research laboratories. Its key programs encompassed jet engine research, microgravity research in space, the development of space transportation systems, and upgrading electrical power sources for the International Space Station. About 80 percent of NASA's space power research was performed at Glenn. The center also had a project to develop reusable launch vehicles for the space program. Campbell initially oversaw an annual budget of about $650 million and a workforce of 1,900 civil-service employees and 1,500 on-site support service contractors.

Almost immediately Campbell embarked on a restructuring that reduced the GRC's management by 26 percent. He developed a strategic plan to return the GRC's research focus back to developing jet engine technology for the nation's airlines and jet engine manufacturers and to emphasize satellite communications technology in the GRC's space division.

The GRC was central to the economy of northeast Ohio. Economic development officials in the region worked with Campbell to keep programs at the GRC and to maintain its budget. Campbell established the Lewis Incubator for Technology to help entrepreneurs and start-up companies get financial backing and marketing assistance to commercialize NASA-developed technologies. He served as NASA liaison for the Ohio Governor's Technology Action Board. By 1998 at least twenty new commercial products had been developed using GRC technologies, including Ben Hogan golf balls, LTV Steel continuous casting rollers, Moen bathroom fixtures, Goodyear tires, and a Cleveland Clinic heart pump.

At a Glance …

Born January 17, 1935, in Lima, OH; married Helen; children: four. Education: Ohio Northern University, BS, 1959; Ohio State University, MS, 1974.

Career: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH, Air Force Aero Propulsion Laboratory, test engineer, researcher, project engineer, program manager for advanced air-breathing propulsion systems, Laboratory Commander's staff, senior planning manager for gas turbine engines, 1960-86, National Aerospace Plane Technology Maturation Directorate, acting director, 1986, Aero Propulsion Laboratory, acting director, 1987-88, Aeronautical Systems Division, Propulsion System Program Office, deputy program director, 1988-90, Aero Propulsion and Power Laboratory, director, 1990-92; Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, DC, director of science and technology, 1992-94; NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH, director, 1994-2003, special assistant to deputy administrator for nuclear and alternative power generation systems, 2003-04(?); NASA and Department of Defense, aerospace consultant for aeronautics and space programs, 2004(?)-.

Selected memberships: American Red Cross, director; Cleveland National Air Show, trustee; Great Lakes Science Center, trustee; Ohio Aerospace Institute, trustee; Ohio Northern University, trustee, College of Engineering Executive Advisory Board.

Selected awards: Air Force Systems Command, Certificate of Merit, Meritorious Civilian Service Award, Presidential Rank Award; National Technical Association, Technical Excellence in Government and Engineer of the Year Award; Federal Laboratory Consortium, Federal Laboratory Director of the Year for Technology Transfer, 1998; NASA, Exceptional Service Award, 2003, Presidential Rank Award, 2004.

Addresses: Home—2085 Waters Edge Dr., Westlake, OH 44145.

In 1998 the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC), representing more than six hundred of the federal government's largest laboratories and research centers, named Campbell its Laboratory Director of the Year for Technology Transfer. Upon bestowing the award, Dr. Jagdish Mathur, principal scientist at Marconi Aerospace and chair of the FLC's National Advisory Group, was quoted in Aerospace Technology Innovation: “Don is an outstanding and dedicated individual who has demonstrated leadership and personal commitment to work with American industry and the community for economic development and growth. His efforts have made a difference.”

Partnered with Educational Institutions

Campbell fostered unique relationships between the GRC and businesses, schools, and local communities to increase educational opportunities, encourage young people to pursue careers in aeronautics, and increase public understanding of aeronautics and technology. He established partnerships between the GRC and public schools, community colleges, universities, and historically black colleges and universities, awarding millions of dollars in grants and resources. In particular Campbell initiated the very successful Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy, a collaborative effort of the GRC and Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, which provided hands-on experiences to black and Hispanic students. It became a model for similar programs in other cities.

In October of 2003 Campbell retired as GRC director. He remained on as special assistant to NASA deputy administrator Frederick D. Gregory for nuclear and alternative power generation systems. Campbell was responsible for GRC-based research on alternative power generation in space, a prerequisite for human and robotic exploration beyond near-Earth orbit. Gregory said in a NASA press release: “Don's leadership and his devotion to the success of the Glenn Research Center has made it a premiere advanced technology laboratory…. Don has been an innovator his entire career and he's been a tireless advocate for both Glenn and his hometown.”

After retiring from NASA Campbell became an aerospace consultant for aeronautics and space programs at NASA and at the Department of Defense. He was an active board member of several Cleveland-area organizations. In 2006 he was honored with the Cleveland Federal Executive Board Pioneer Award for his work with the Cleveland Federal Community Leadership Institute. In September of 2007 Campbell was appointed an independent trustee of the Ohio Aerospace Institute, a nonprofit economic development agency serving Ohio's aerospace companies, universities, and national research laboratories. Campbell was the recipient of honorary doctoral degrees from Ohio Northern University, Wilberforce University, and Cranfield University in the United Kingdom.

Selected writings

Books

Challenges in Aeropropulsion, Center for AeroSpace Information, September 1995.

Sources

Periodicals

Crain's Cleveland Business, February 7, 2000, p. 2.

Online

“2003 Honorees—Donald J. Campbell,” Dominion, http://www.dom.com/about/education/strong/2003/campbell.jsp (accessed October 26, 2007).

“Biography: Donald J. Campbell,” NASA,http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/bios/djcbio.html (accessed October 26, 2007).

“Campbell Named Laboratory Director of the Year,” Aerospace Technology Innovation,http://nctn.hq.nasa.gov/innovation/Innovation72/campbell.htm (accessed October 26, 2007).

“Glenn Research Center's Donald J. Campbell Selected as NASA Deputy Administrator Special Assistant,” NASA News,http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2003/aug/HQ_03260_Campbell.html (accessed October 26, 2007).

“OAI Names Two to Its Board of Trustees,” PR Newswire, http://www.cleveland.com/business/prnewswire/index.ssf?/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=cleveland.story&STORY=/www/story/09-17-2007/0004663955&EDATE= (accessed October 27, 2007).

—Margaret Alic