Resume

Ram Manvi received the Ph.D. degree from Washington State University in 1968, specializing in mechanical engineering sciences. He is a registered Professional Mechanical Engineer in California He has over four decades of responsible experience, here and abroad (India, France, United Kingdom, and Iran), in engineering education, academic administration, project management, research, and professional practice. His extensive background includes: (1) teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in engineering; (2) consulting for industry; 3) serving as department chair and college dean at CSULA; (4) service to ASME in various leadership positions; and (5) Principal Investigator of grants and contracts funded by industry, & NASA, NSF, and the State of California. He was involved at California State University, Los Angeles from September 1971 to December 2007, and at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, from May 1974 to September 2007, in teaching and research the areas of Advanced Energy Systems, Spacecraft Thermal Control, Nuclear Space Power, Evaluation and Assessment of Advanced Space Technologies, Systems Engineering and Mars Exploration. Dr Manvi has published extensively. His hobbies include listening to classical music, museum visits, international travel, camping, and nature walks.

1.                                         Highest Degree

1968    Doctor of Philosophy

Washington State University, Pullman, WA

Mechanical Engineering

Specialization:  Shock Physics 

2.     Academic Experience:

1985-Present: Teaching of Undergraduate and Graduate Level Courses in Thermal Systems Engineering, Advanced Energy Conversion, Mass Transfer, Combustion, Optimization, Energy Systems, Fluid Mechanics, and Computer Applications in Mechanical Systems.
1981 –1985: Dean, School of Engineering and Technology, California State University, Los Angeles.
1979 -1981: Chairman, Department of Mechanical Engineering, CSULA.
1972 -1973: Lecturer, Retraining of Aerospace Engineers for Energy Utilities, UCLA Extension.
1969 -1971: Visiting Professor, Pahlavi University, Shiraz, IRAN.
1964 –1968: Graduate Research Assistant, Shock Dynamics Laboratory, Washington State University.  

3.    JPL Experience: 

Recent

Ø  Thermal Control Design  of  Venus Lander, OSTM & DAWN Spacecrafts, 2005-2007

Ø  Next Generation capabilities in Space Systems and Mission Analysis: Technology R&D Strategic Planning, 2000-2005

Ø  Conceptual Mission Design of Large Earth Observing Space Telescope, & Future Titan & Venus Lander Space Missions, 2004-2005

Ø  Thermal Technology Research & Development for Extreme Environment, particularly future missions to Titan & Venus Missions 2003 to Present

In the Past (Listed chronologically)

Ø  Hydrogen Energy Systems, 1974-1976

Ø  Coal Feeding Systems, 1976-1977

Ø  Solar Thermal Systems, 1977-1979

Ø  Cogeneration Technology Alternatives, 1979-1981

Ø  Thermal Energy Storage, 1981-1983

Ø  Solar Fuels and Chemicals, 1983-1984

Ø  SP-100 Space Nuclear Power Systems, 1984-1993

Ø  Computer-Aided Engineering, 1986-1989

Ø  Thermal Systems Engineering, GALILEO Project, 1987-1991

Ø  CASSINI Spacecraft Thermal Modeling; Reentry, 1991-1993

Ø  Space Experiments-STEP, Comet Penetrate 1993-1994

Ø  Mars Exploration Technology Task manager for Thermal Control & Survivable Systems

Ø  Advanced Batteries & Electronics at Low Temperatures, 1994-1996

Ø  Planetary Protection Technology Development Task Manager (Contamination control, cleaning & Sterilization), 1996-1999

Ø  NASA Cross Enterprise Technology Development Program, 1999-2000, NRA Management, Planning, Implementation, &    
    Evaluation of a large number of R&D proposals on various Space Technologies, 1999-2001

4. Other

1961 –1964: Senior Scientific Officer, Atomic Energy Establishment, Bombay, INDIA. 

1960 –1961: Engineer Trainee, Centre Etudes Nucleaire, Saclay, FRANCE.

1972- Science Applications Inc, Consultant on Hypersonic Entry Heating of Ballistic Vehicles

5. Publications

The list of past publications, & presentations is quite extensive and covers a wide spectrum of professional activities related to energy conversion, and thermal systems engineering. Listed here is a short list of recent publications since spring of 2002.

1.      "Technology Portfolio Options For NASA Missions Using Decision
Trees “, By R. Manvi, C. Weisbin, W.Zimmerman, & G. Rodriguez,
 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, Montana, March 2002

2.       "Revolutionary Concepts for Human Outer Planet Exploration
(HOPE)", By R. Manvi et.al.Conference on Human Space Exploration, The Space Technology and Applications International Forum (STAIF), Albuquerque, NM. February 2003

3.      "Decision Tree Assessment of Challenging Technologies For A
Mission To Europa”, By R. Manvi, et al., Paper # AS 22163, Journal of Aerospace Engineering/ASCE, July 2003

4.      "Selection of an Effective Architecture for Precursor Mission
to Callisto", By R. Manvi & C. Weisbin, Paper # 03ICES-334, SAE/ICES 2003 Conference, Vancouver, BC, and July 2003.

5.      “A Methodology to Determine Impact of Autonomy Technologies on Space Science Mission,” By   A.  Howard, W. Lincoln, R. Manvi, G. Rodriguez, C.R. Weisbin,

10th International Symposium on Robotics and Applications, Seville, Spain,

June 2004.

6.      “A Multi-Mission, Multi-Program Technology Resource-Allocation Approach for NASA, By C. R. Weisbin, G. Rodriguez, A. Elfes, J. Derleth, J.H. Smith, R. Manvi, B. Kennedy, and K. Shelton, Paper accepted for publication in: Synergy Between Systems Engineering and Project Management; Joint Conference of the International Systems Engineering Conference (ICSE) and The International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE); Las Vegas, Nevada; September 15-18, 2004

7.      A. Howard, W. Lincoln, R. Manvi, C. Weisbin, G. Rodriguez, and M. Drummond. "A Methodology to Determine Impact of Robotic Technologies on Space Exploration Missions," Proceedings of the World Automation Congress, Seville, Spain, June 28 - July 1, 2004.

8.      C.R. Weisbin, R. Manvi, K.E. Shelton, V. Adumitroaie, J.E. Derleth, and A. Elfes. "Capability-Development Return on Investment for the NASA Aeronautics Program", 16th International Conference on Systems Engineering (ICSEng 2005), Las Vegas, NV, pgs. 231-237, August 16-18, 2005.

9.      R. Manvi, C.R. Weisbin, A. Elfes, and G. Rodriguez. "Risk-Driven Interdependent Task Analysis Applied to a NASA R&D Program", IEA/AIE 2005 18th International Conference on Industrial & Engineering Applications (IEA) of Artificial Intelligence & Expert Systems (AIE), Bari, Italy, June 22-25, 2005. Proceedings published in the Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes Artificial Intelligence series, Vol. 3533, 2005.

10.  Elfes, C.R. Weisbin, R. Manvi, V. Adumitroaie, W.P. Lincoln, and K. Shelton. "Extending the START Framework: Computation of Optimal Capability Development Portfolios Using a Decision Theory Approach," Journal of the International Council on Systems Engineering, submitted for publication 2006. 

Tau Beta Pi
Sigma Xi
Phi Kappa Phi

7. Professional development activities in the past five years

2002          NASA Six Sigma Training Course
2003          NASA Space Systems Course
2004          NASA Systems Engineering Course
2005          Professional Ethics Course
2006          NASA Export Control