Retlif’s Poggi Receives IEEE Wheeler Award
Walter A. Poggi, President and CEO of Retlif Testing Laboratories, Inc., was recognized with IEEE’s Harold Wheeler Award for his contributions to the industry and to Long Island during his 35 years at the helm of the independent testing organization. Awarded by the Long Island Section of IEEE, the Harold Wheeler Award recognizes IEEE members who have “demonstrated outstanding technical and management abilities.” Under Mr. Poggi’s guidance and stewardship, Retlif, an EMC/EMI and Environmental testing leader since 1978, has grown dramatically.
UNO Researchers Develop Nontoxic Technology Against Corrosion
University of New Orleans (UNO) researcher Al Daech is afraid of heights; not a good phobia to have when your research involves space shuttles, fuel tanks, and other, big, space-age equipment. He's been trying to conquer his fears since 1981. That's when his work on corrosion fighting collided with his fear of heights. As a Martin Marietta (now called Lockheed Martin) consultant, Daech found himself on a narrow bit of scaffolding 450 ft. in the air, inspecting one of the external fuel tanks on STS-I Columbia, the first space shuttle. Three days before the launch, a pool table-size blister formed in the external tank of the STS-I. Daech's inspection showed an oily rag wiped across the tank caused the blister. He and a crew immediately went to work.
