Greetings from Margo Ratcliff!I graduated with a B.S. from Tulane University (New Orleans, LA.) and a M.S. from Texas A&M University (College Station, TX.).  Both of my degrees are in Mechanical Engineering.  I previously worked in California for seven years in the aircraft industry, two years in Mississippi in the rocket industry, and two years in Indiana for the consumer products industry.  In 2005, I became an assistant professor in Mechanical Engineering Technology at Purdue University – College of Technology – Columbus, Indiana.  Currently, I am also an affiliate professor for the pre-engineering program, Project Lead the Way.  While at Purdue, I’ve encouraged students to design, build, and test devices for our different classes.  We’ve designed, built, and tested the following:  projectile motion devices for Dynamics classes, a pulse jet engine for Thermodynamics class, and a high altitude UAV with a telescopic wing for Independent Study class.  For our UAV project, we worked with resources and technical guidance from Gevers Aircraft, Inc.   In the fall of 2008, I will switch gears and become a full time Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. student at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio.  I am already working with Dr. Khalid Lafdi’s Carbon group at the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI).  We are studying the mechanical and thermal characteristics of different nanofluids.  I am also working with the University of Dayton Advanced Rocket Team (UDART) to build and test a student rocket.  Airbuoyant, Inc. and Team LunaTrex are our current sponsors and they are providing us with the resources to build and test the rocket. 

I hope to contribute to Team LunaTrex with my mechanical engineering knowledge and background, a good attitude, and some great drive.  I would love to see some versatile, cost-effective, useful technologies leave our LunaTrex door.  As a team, I think we can accomplish many unique things - anything is possible at this point. 

From Pete Bitar: There would be no Team LunaTrex without Margo. She is the "glue" that brought most of us together, and has a heart of caring and of gold, beyond her intellect, drive, professionalism, and passion.

Thanks for Sharing, Margo.