Dennis L. Huff is Deputy Chief of the Aeropropulsion Division at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland, Ohio. In this capacity, he provides technical leadership for Glenn’s aeropropulsion research including acoustics, icing, turbomachinery, inlets, nozzles, combustion, and engine systems. Previously, Huff was Chief of the Acoustics Branch and led teams from NASA, industry, and universities to develop engine-noise-reduction technologies. Projects included chevron nozzles and swept/leaned stators that have been proven to reduce jet and fan noise and are being implemented by industry.
Huff served as the project scientist for the Subsonic Fixed Wing Project of NASA’s Fundamental Aeronautics Program, where he was the technical project lead for disciplines including materials and structures, power, combustion, acoustics, aeroelasticity, and aerodynamics. Prior to his current position, Huff was Acting Deputy Chief for the Structures and Acoustics Division at Glenn. He began his NASA career in 1985 as a researcher for Glenn’s Propeller and Acoustics Branch. After serving in this position, he became element manager for engine noise, where he managed programs for subsonic engine noise activities of $10 to $16 million per year. Prior to working at NASA, Huff was an aerodynamicist at Sikorsky Aircraft.
Huff received both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Akron. He was awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 2002 and the NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership in 2005. Huff was the Chairman of the Aeroacoustics Technical Committee of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and was an invited plenary speaker at the AIAA/Confederation of European Aerospace Societies (CEAS) Aeroacoustics Conference in 2004. He has written over 25 papers on unsteady aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, and aeroacoustics.
