search

UMD    CORE




Robert A. Pattishall, Sr. (aerospace engineering ’69)

Robert A. Pattishall, Sr. (aerospace engineering ’69)

 

The Robert A. Pattishall Endowed Scholarship has been established by Marti Pattishall to honor her late husband and preserve his dedication to supporting women in engineering. The scholarship will support future women in engineering who are active in the Women in Aeronautics and Astronautics (WIAA) Program and who demonstrate a passion for excellence, superior motivation, and intellectual curiosity. 

Robert A. Pattishall, Sr. was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. He earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering in 1969 from the University of Maryland A. James Clark School of Engineering, and went on to have a successful career in both the government and private industry.

During his career, Pattishall received recognition for his work and was the inaugural recipient of two prestigious government awards. In 1986, he received the United States of America, Central Intelligence Agency Engineer of the Year in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the development of collection systems of critical importance to the security interests of the United States. 

In 1999, he received the National Reconnaissance Office’s (NRO) Dr. Joseph V. Charyk Award for leading the development of revolutionary new capabilities fundamentally changing how NRO missions succeed, and by providing a path for achieving information superiority well into the next century. Pattishall was the founding father of NRO’s Advance Systems and Technology Directorate and pioneered programs that shaped U.S. space posture well into the 21st century.

Throughout his career, he was passionate about both his education and others and encouraged women engineers through mentorship in the field and encouraging his own five granddaughters to pursue STEM courses in school.

It is the family’s wish that through the creation of this scholarship, they will not only honor Pattishall’s memory and life, but continue his legacy by providing educational resources to future women in aerospace engineering.

Support the Robert A. Pattishall Endowed Scholarship.



Related Articles:
Celebrating Black Aerospace Engineers: James Lankford (M.S. ‘14, Ph.D. ‘18)
Alumna Blasts Into Space
Meet the A. James Clark Scholars Class of '27
Alumnus Receives National Medal of Technology and Innovation
Introducing the Clark Scholars Program Network
Alumna Rose Weinstein Receives NASA Early Career Achievement Medal
Celebrating Hispanic/Latinx Aerospace Engineers: Oliver Ortiz
Senior Jerry Liu Receives NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
UMD Student Ryan Jones Awarded DoD SMART Scholarship
Aerospace Engineering Inducts Class of 2023 Academy of Distinguished Alumni Members

March 3, 2020


«Previous Story  

 

 

Current Headlines

Agents of Positive Change: Highlighting Women Maryland Engineers

UMD Professor and Alum Among 2024 VFS Awardees

Celebrating Women in Aerospace Engineering: Christine Hartzell

Alum Astronaut Reports From Space Station: ‘I’m Still in Awe’

Patil, Datta Land Best Paper Award from AIAA

Two Aerospace Engineering Students Named Patti Grace Smith Fellows

Alumna Blasts Into Space

Celebrating Black Aerospace Engineers: Miles Robinson ‘17

Clark School's Online Master of Engineering Soars to No. 6 National Rank

Baeder Named Igor Sikorsky Distinguished Professor in Rotorcraft

 
 
Back to top  
CORE Home Clark School Home UMD Home Aerospace Engineering