John Rand, a polar engineer with the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, N.H., will give a talk titled “The Spirit of Inquiry: Engineering at the South Pole” on Monday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m. in Union College's Nott Memorial.
The talk is free and open to the public.
Rand, one of the foremost authorities on extreme cold-weather engineering challenges, is the National Science Foundation's project engineer for the redevelopment effort of the New South Pole Station, now under way.
His talk will include a brief introduction to the physical and environmental conditions in Antarctica; a summary of the logistical challenges to the program; a short history of the evolution of the stations at the South Pole; and the recent upgrades to the station and the science facilities.
His appearance at Union was made possible by collaboration between Union's mechanical engineering department and the 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard at Stratton Air Base, Scotia, N.Y. The 109th is the sole provider of flight support for NSF polar research and the unit that will carry all construction material to the South Pole redevelopment.
“Union College is proud to begin what I hope will be a long and productive collaboration with the 109th Airlift Wing on the exciting topic of NSF polar research,” said Roger Hull, president of Union College. “Our students and faculty are eager to make great use of a partnership that brings polar science to Union.”
Rand graduated from Norwich University with a BSME in 1969. After graduation, he entered active duty in the Army and in 1970, he was assigned to CRREL as a second lieutenant.
He was soon introduced to the polar environment with research assignments in Greenland and Antarctica. In 1972, Rand joined CRREL as a civilian employee where he served as mechanical engineer designing equipment, devices, instruments and controls for use in cold regions research. As the principal investigator for CRREL's drill development effort, Mr. Rand designed the CRREL 100-meter drill, the Wireline Drill for the Ross Ice Shelf Project, and a number of small, hand coring augers.
In 1984, Rand switched responsibilities within the Laboratory and participated in the Corps of Engineer's River Ice Management Program as a principal investigator for two work units: Structural and Operational Modification to Control Ice at Locks and Improved Ice Passage at Navigation Dams.
In 1991, he turned his interests to the South Pole. He designed and installed an innovative water supply system for the polar ice station at the South Pole in Antarctica. In 1992, he was asked by the National Science Foundation to be the NSF project engineer for the redevelopment effort for the New South Pole Station. Mr. Rand currently remains in that position.
He has authored many technical papers, has three patents and participates in national and international meetings and conferences on cold region technologies.
The Nott Memorial is located at the center of the Union College campus. Parking is available on campus and on nearby sidestreets. For more information, call 388-6131.