Widen tabakoff biography of williams county

Born in Bulgaria and educated in Germany, Widen Tabakoff first visited Cincinnati in after being invited by the U.S. Army to join Werner von Braun’s world-renowned team of rocket scientists. This team would develop Saturn 5 complex that would send Apollo 11 to the moon.

In , while on duty with the U.S.

Army, Tabakoff worked alongside the U.S. Army Engineering Division Laboratory testing materials for use in the nozzle of the Saturn V complex, when he first became acquainted with University of Cincinnati faculty.

Widen tabakoff biography of williams Widen Tabakoff is Emeriti Professor of Aerospace Engineering & Engineering Mechanics at the University of Cincinnati. He received his PhD in from the University of Berlin. He began working at UC in

Professor Ray Murray, the acting department head for aerospace, jumped at the opportunity to incorporate Tabakoff’s wealth of knowledge into the university by offering him a position. He full-heartedly accepted and began to lay the groundwork for why the aerospace department is what it is today.

In the midst of supporting a great number of graduate students’ research, Tabakoff created the College of Engineering and Applied Science Engineering Research Center’s (ERC) first gas dynamic & propulsion laboratories’ infrastructure that is still in use today.

Professor Awatef Hamed speaks about her mentor then colleague and dear friend Widen Tabakoff, and of his momentous contributions to CEAS, “He was an incredibly talented engineer and innovative scientist.

Even though internationally recognized for his propulsion and space research, he was modest and very generous to all, from students to colleagues and collaborators. He established the gas and propulsions laboratory and encouraged everybody, students, faculty, and partners from industry and government to utilize it.”

Upon his arrival at UC, Tabakoff was the only aerospace faculty member to have earned a PhD degree.

Tabakoff obtained his Doktor-Ingenieur, in aerospace engineering from the University of Berlin in

Shortly after arriving at UC, his advanced knowledge and generous nature led him to collaborate with mathematics, physics and astronomy faculty members in order to form the Institute of Space Sciences in In the meantime, he single-handedly taught numerous new graduate and undergraduate courses to allow the rest of the aerospace faculty to receive their doctoral degrees.

The Institute of Space Sciences was the conduit for Tabakoff to establish the MS & PhD Aerospace Engineering programs.

The first MS graduate was Leonard Beitch in , followed by Rodney Boudreaux (MS in and PhD in ) who went on to become the vice president of RocketDyne.

In , Tabakoff established the prestigious co-operative education program between the aerospace engineering department and General Electric. By the year , over 1, GE engineers graduated with MS and PhD degrees.

Tabakoff implemented the first externally funded research program at the University of Cincinnati, raising over $ million during his career.

Widen tabakoff biography of williams brothers Today the Gas Dynamics and Propulsions Lab in Rhodes is permanently named for its founder, Dr. Widen Tabakoff, thanks to Hamed, director of the CEAS Center for Intelligent Propulsion and Advancement Life Management of Systems.

Today the Gas Dynamics and Propulsions Lab in Rhodes is permanently named for its founder, Dr. Widen Tabakoff, thanks to Hamed, director of the CEAS Center for Intelligent Propulsion and Advancement Life Management of Systems.

Hamed reflects, “Without his tremendous knowledge and recognized expertise by the U.S. Army and Navy, it would not have possible for UC to establish the propulsion lab’s impressive air supply system required for advanced aerospace research.

I strived to follow his example with $40 million awards dedicated to support the aerospace engineering research infrastructure with over $10 million for Eminent and Research Scholar faculty endowments. He was like a father to me and will be greatly missed.”

Tabakoff’s affiliations with many professional and societal organizations and committees, included:

Along with many awards for best research papers, Tabakoff’s work was recognized by many prestigious awards throughout his lifetime, including:

UC CEAS Dean Teik Lim reflects, “Widen's ground-breaking contributions to the aerospace field are undisputed and are mirrored in his outstanding reputation and countless awards and honors.

His legacy will live on through his work and his significant contributions to the advancement of aerospace education and research at the university.

Widen tabakoff biography of williams family Widen Tabakoff, PhD Under the leadership of Dr. Tabakoff, the Aerospace program at the University of Cincinnati skyrocketed. He started a strong externally-funded research program that still continues today, and as head of UC's Center of Excellence in Propulsion, he also secured millions of federal funding and built the propulsion and gas.

Widen Tabakoff was a kind-hearted man, a state-of-the-art researcher and a tremendous friend — he will be deeply missed by all the people whose lives he impacted.”

UC Magazine article by Editor John Bach, Still Climbing, features the initial stages and progress of the aerospace engineering program highlighting Tabakoff’s early contributions to the program.