Yvonne C. Brill Received the Inaugural Kate Gleason Award

NEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2011 – Yvonne C. Brill, a resident of Skillman, N.J., and consultant, was honored by ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) for expanding the frontiers of space through innovations in rocket and jet propulsion, including the invention of the hydrazine resistojet engine used for geosynchronous and low earth orbit communication satellites; and for having the foresight to champion the hybrid electric mono-propellant rocket engine.  She received the Kate Gleason Award.

Established in 2011, the award recognizes a female engineer who is a highly successful entrepreneur in a field of engineering or who has had a lifetime of achievement in the engineering profession.  The award honors the legacy of Kate Gleason, the first woman to be welcomed into ASME as a full member.  The award was presented to Ms. Brill during ASME’s 2011 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, held in Denver, Nov. 11 through 17.

Brill is a consultant specializing in space propulsion systems and satellite technology.  Since retiring from the International Maritime Satellite Organization (INMARSAT) in 1991, she has served as a member of many U.S. National Research Council (NRC) committees that provide science and technology policy advice to the federal government.  She is presently a member of the NRC Space Studies Board.

She began her career at Douglas Aircraft on the West Coast and eventually joined RCA Astro Electronics in the East.  She also spent time at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and was with INMARSAT in London from 1986 until her retirement. 

Her patented invention while at RCA, the electro thermal hydrazine thruster (EHT) manufactured by the Aerojet Redmond Division, was initially flight proven in 1983 and is currently an industry standard.  While at RCA she also managed the build, integration and test of a Teflon Solid Propellant Propulsion System for the RCA/Navy Nova spacecraft.  Successful launch and utilization of the Nova satellite in May 1981 brought electric propulsion to an operational status in the United States.

Brill is the author/co-author of a number of publications and has provided numerous advanced technical seminars for various professional groups.  She has encouraged young people to enter the engineering profession and has mentored women at all stages in their careers.

Among her many honors, Brill was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.  She is an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a Fellow of the Society of Women Engineers.  She was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2010 for her invention of the EHT and other space propulsion innovations.

Brill received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Manitoba, Canada, in 1945; and her master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, in 1951.

About ASME ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world.