Mitcheltree Scholarship Endowment Established at NC State University
January 11, 2007
By Mcblief , NCSU
From COE News

Dr. Robert Mitcheltree

James and Myra Mitcheltree of Simpsonville, S.C., have established a scholarship endowment in the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University in memory of their late son, Robert A. Mitcheltree, who died in a car accident on January 6, 2006, at the age of 44. The $50,000 gift will support the Robert A. Mitcheltree Scholarship Fund, which will provide scholarships for undergraduate students enrolled in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NC State.

Robert Mitcheltree received his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in aerospace engineering from NC State in 1984, 1986 and 1989, respectively. After receiving his Ph.D., Mitcheltree went to work for the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., and later moved to California in 2001 to join the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He played a key role in the design and development of the Mars Pathfinder, Mars Microprobe, Stardust, Mars Exploration Rover (MER) and Mars Sample Return projects. One of his most significant achievements was his development of the Mars Sample Return Entry Vehicle. As chief engineer of the sample return capsule, he patented a novel chuteless entry system.

Dr. Louis A. Martin-Vega, dean of the College of Engineering, said of the gift, “This is an investment in tomorrow's mechanical and aerospace engineers. We are grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Mitcheltree for their generosity and commitment to the College of Engineering. Their gift will serve as a lasting commemoration of Robert's many contributions to the field of aerospace engineering.”

The scholarship will be administered by the NC State Engineering Foundation, Inc.