Mr. Kent Wang fell in love with both aviation and the Smithsonian Institute since he moved to Washington, D. C. in 1995. He was attracted to the National Air and Space Museum years ago and decided that he could best contribute to the future of aviation by joining the volunteer corps. In 1997, he began working as an Information Specialist at the Smithsonian. Most important, Kent was committed to serves as the focal point and personal face for all visitor activities at the museum.
When Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center recruited the docents prior to its open in May 2003, Kent applied. He received an initial training combines six months of classroom and "in-the-museum" instruction with a six-month apprenticeship with an experienced docent. In 2004, Kent also received a rigorous 13-weeks-long training on the downtown museum's artifacts, galleries, and research areas as well as on techniques for conducting effective tours. The best part of the docent program for Kent is working with the always-willing and enthusiastic museum research staff and opening up the eyes of visitors to the positive and interesting experiences museums have to offer. "It's always illuminating and gratifying when you realize you have caught someone's attention." Kent said.
Kent believes in science as a main source of knowledge and the key to resolving issues. American air and space heritage has had a dramatic impact on how we live, how we travel, how we think and on the very freedoms that we hold so dear. No part of our lives has been untouched by men and women enshrined in this museum. It is his commitments to promote their life stories for as long as men tell tales of bravery and daring. From the world famous aerospace heroes to the quiet, obscure designers and dreamers, these aviators represent a cross-section of America. Kent enjoys aviation history and would likes to share his knowledge and enthusiasm with others.
A staunch ballistic missile defense advocate and aeronautics technology buff, Kent is also an aviation buff and talented aeronautics engineer. He has extensive background in all aspects of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system engineering process as it applies to the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) system elements and integration into the Aegis Weapon System (AWS). He specializes in the analysis of missile detect, track, engage technologies and tactical, strategic and development issues. His knowledge of aeronautics is encyclopedic; his studies and analyses of interactions between radars and sensors continue to be solicited by government and industry throughout the community. His technical experience has ranged from the operational and engineering of tactical missile at sea to aerodynamics performance of aircraft.
Mr. Wang is currently a retired IP technologist specialized in electro-optical sensors at U.S. Department of Commerce. He was a Senior Military Engineer at AMSEC and also served as a principle engineer for Aegis BMD program prior to joining the Department of Commerce in 2006. Mr. Wang is a nationally renowned engineer on SM-3. SM-3 is being developed as part of the Missile Defense Agency's sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. The missiles are deploying on Aegis Cruisers and Destroyers to defend against short- to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats in the midcourse phase of flight. During his 30 years of Naval Weapon Systems experience he conducted numerous study of Standard Missile performance and worked as a weapon system analyst on the functional design for the Tartar, Terrier, SM-1, SM-2, and SM-3 programs.
Mr. Wang holds both bachelor's degree and master's degree in electrical engineering from the California State Polytechnic University at Pomona. Kent is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). His research interests include the history of technology, aerospace history, advanced missile technology analysis for multidisciplinary design environments, with emphasis on sea-based Ballistic Missile Defense capability. Mr. Wang has published more than 36 technical papers on variety of topics ranging from adaptive signal processing and missile guidance to the latest development of Aegis Weapon System for Ballistic Missile Defense.
The National Air and Space Museum maintains the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It is also a vital center for research into the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight. It's like nowhere else on earth. Mr. Kent Wang is a weekend volunteer docent at National Air and Space Museum both on the Mall and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Being a docent of such a wonderful museum is really an honor of which the Smithsonian might well be proud and being an aviation buff that Kent is.
When Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center recruited the docents prior to its open in May 2003, Kent applied. He received an initial training combines six months of classroom and "in-the-museum" instruction with a six-month apprenticeship with an experienced docent. In 2004, Kent also received a rigorous 13-weeks-long training on the downtown museum's artifacts, galleries, and research areas as well as on techniques for conducting effective tours. The best part of the docent program for Kent is working with the always-willing and enthusiastic museum research staff and opening up the eyes of visitors to the positive and interesting experiences museums have to offer. "It's always illuminating and gratifying when you realize you have caught someone's attention." Kent said.
Kent believes in science as a main source of knowledge and the key to resolving issues. American air and space heritage has had a dramatic impact on how we live, how we travel, how we think and on the very freedoms that we hold so dear. No part of our lives has been untouched by men and women enshrined in this museum. It is his commitments to promote their life stories for as long as men tell tales of bravery and daring. From the world famous aerospace heroes to the quiet, obscure designers and dreamers, these aviators represent a cross-section of America. Kent enjoys aviation history and would likes to share his knowledge and enthusiasm with others.
A staunch ballistic missile defense advocate and aeronautics technology buff, Kent is also an aviation buff and talented aeronautics engineer. He has extensive background in all aspects of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system engineering process as it applies to the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) system elements and integration into the Aegis Weapon System (AWS). He specializes in the analysis of missile detect, track, engage technologies and tactical, strategic and development issues. His knowledge of aeronautics is encyclopedic; his studies and analyses of interactions between radars and sensors continue to be solicited by government and industry throughout the community. His technical experience has ranged from the operational and engineering of tactical missile at sea to aerodynamics performance of aircraft.
Mr. Wang is currently a retired IP technologist specialized in electro-optical sensors at U.S. Department of Commerce. He was a Senior Military Engineer at AMSEC and also served as a principle engineer for Aegis BMD program prior to joining the Department of Commerce in 2006. Mr. Wang is a nationally renowned engineer on SM-3. SM-3 is being developed as part of the Missile Defense Agency's sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. The missiles are deploying on Aegis Cruisers and Destroyers to defend against short- to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats in the midcourse phase of flight. During his 30 years of Naval Weapon Systems experience he conducted numerous study of Standard Missile performance and worked as a weapon system analyst on the functional design for the Tartar, Terrier, SM-1, SM-2, and SM-3 programs.
Mr. Wang holds both bachelor's degree and master's degree in electrical engineering from the California State Polytechnic University at Pomona. Kent is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). His research interests include the history of technology, aerospace history, advanced missile technology analysis for multidisciplinary design environments, with emphasis on sea-based Ballistic Missile Defense capability. Mr. Wang has published more than 36 technical papers on variety of topics ranging from adaptive signal processing and missile guidance to the latest development of Aegis Weapon System for Ballistic Missile Defense.
The National Air and Space Museum maintains the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It is also a vital center for research into the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight. It's like nowhere else on earth. Mr. Kent Wang is a weekend volunteer docent at National Air and Space Museum both on the Mall and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Being a docent of such a wonderful museum is really an honor of which the Smithsonian might well be proud and being an aviation buff that Kent is.