Staff

Joseph Abel, PhD, is a historian of twentieth century American labor and the curator for industry and engineering.

Dr. John D. Anderson, Jr. graduated from the University of Florida with High Honors and a Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering Degree in 1959, and from The Ohio State University with a PhD in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering in 1966.

Dorothy Cochrane curates the collections of general aviation aircraft; flight materiel (specifically personal, business, and utility production aircraft); aerial cameras; and the history of general aviation and women in aviation.

Dr. Roger Connor curates the museum’s vertical flight collection (helicopters, gyroplanes, and vertical takeoff and landing aircraft), Army ground force aircraft, remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft systems, and ground effect vehicles.

Tom Crouch joined the Smithsonian in 1974 and has served both the National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of American History in a variety of curatorial and administrative posts.

Dr. Michael Hankins is the Curator of U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps post-World War II Aviation.

Dr. Peter L. Jakab is an emeritus curator at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.  He formerly served as Chief Curator and the Museum’s Associate Director for Collections and Curatorial Affairs. He has been with the Museum since 1983.

Mr. Lee is a curator in the Aeronautics Department of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum. He curates two collections: sport and recreation aircraft including homebuilts, hang gliders, ultralights, and sailplanes, and the collection of Japanese World War II aircraft.

Christopher Moore received his BA in European History from the University of California, San Diego, and his MA in American History from George Mason University.

Thomas Paone curates the lighter-than-air collection, including balloons, blimps, and airships.  The collection consists of over 500 items, from small pieces of fabric from the Hindenburg airship, to the Explorer II go