News

MERC employees enjoy their annual chili cookoff, a chance to show off their culinary skills. After a fierce competition including some rather innovative and interesting recipes, chili judges Jacob Pendley, Hillarie Furman, and Daniel Edwards declared Jim Parker’s Marlboro Line Dancer Chili to be the winner. Congratulations on the victory, Jim!

  Andrew Smelser, aerospace engineer in the Fixed Wing program at MERC, has been recognized as Restoration Volunteer of the Year at Museum of Aviation, Warner Robins, GA. Andrew received this award for his contributions to restoring the World War II era B-17 bomber and VB-26 bomber. The award was presented by Ken Emery, Museum…

Congratulations to the following employees for their years of service to MERC. These employees were honored at an employee recognition luncheon on April 13. Front row (left to right): Ed Irwin (30), Connie Susko (15), Jake Missall (5), Gary Baker (25), Jeff Peets (5). Top row (left to right): Justin Smilski (15), Sam Forgerson (5),…

Congratulations to Ms. Andi Mitchell, MERC Executive Director, for receiving an award for her service as chairwoman of the 2021 Middle Georgia Military Affairs Committee. The award was presented by Col. Lindsay Droz, the 78th Air Base Wing Commander. Andi has served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce and as…

It’s ugly Christmas sweater day at MERC. Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

MERC would like to recognize our own Harrison Verhine for his 2nd place finish at the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Annual Virtual Conference and Exposition. Harrison’s work on automating aircraft induction schedules leverages  his experience working at MERC in developing simulations of Air Logistics Complex operations and helps further MERC and Mercer…

Click the link below to view the article and video. Mercer University Professors earn $344,289 grant through Department of Defense Program | WGXA A more in-depth write up from Mercer’s “The Den” publication: Chemistry professors receive $344K DOD grant for corrosion-related research (mercer.edu)

MERC recently instrumented a Navy MH‐60S with strain gages, accelerometers, and a data acquisition system as part of a strain survey designed to validate the finite element model that MERC previously developed for the Navy Multi‐Mission Helicopter Program Office (PMA‐299). The ground testing for the Sierra Strain Survey (SSS) took place the week of 14…

Two MERC engineers presented papers at the Vertical Flight Society (VFS) forum, held virtually this year October 6 – 8.  Dr. Ken Taylor’s paper, “Determining TH-1H Tailboom Loads from Measured Strain Gage Data,” discussed work performed by MERC for the United States Air Force.  His co-authors included Maggie Gibson and Katie Mason Mullis from MERC. …