Aerospace History: Changes in the Field through the Eyes of AHA Aerospace History Fellows

Session Abstract

Since the advent of the Fellowship in Aerospace History in 1986, the field of aerospace history has changed dramatically.  Long dominated (in numbers, if not quality) by enthusiasts with a fetish for technology, the field has grown in the number of scholars and the diversity of approaches over the last 28 years.  Despite being steeped in a high technology topic, aerospace historians still find tremendous challenges in dealing with the ongoing digital revolution.  Sponsored by NASA, the Fellowship in Aerospace History is a legacy of former NASA Chief Historian Sylvia Kraemer.  Joining her as panel chair will be current NASA Chief Historian Bill Barry and three of the twenty-seven recipients of the Fellowship in Aerospace History to discuss: changes in the state of aerospace history, how the conduct and presentation of aerospace history has changed, and how the Aerospace History Fellowship influenced their careers.