Burt Dicht

Burt Dicht is the Managing Director of Membership at the National Space Society (NSS) and also spearheads operations at the NSS office at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Formerly the Director of Student and Academic Education Programs at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) until October 2022, Burt orchestrated the development and execution of educational initiatives tailored for engineering faculty, university students, and pre-university educators and students. Burt started his career in aerospace at Northrop (Grumman) in 1982, where he served as a lead engineer, making important contributions on projects like the F-5E/F, F-20A, YF-23A, and F-18E/F. His journey also led him through pivotal roles at Rockwell’s Space Transportation Systems Division where he supported space shuttle payload integration and a transformative internship at the Kennedy Space Center during his collegiate years. Beyond his professional aerospace ventures, Burt served as an Exhibit Explainer at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in NYC and presently holds the rank of Major and Aerospace Education Officer for the New York Wing and the Phoenix Composite Squadron (NYC) of the Civil Air Patrol. Burt also gave back to his high school when he spearheaded the creation of the Northeast High School Project SPARC Boosters (an afterschool STEM program) in 2014, assuming the role of Director ever since. With a profound commitment to education, Burt contributes his expertise as a member of IEEE’s Pre-University Education Coordinating Committee (PECC) and as a member of the IEEE-HKN The Bridge Editorial Board. Additionally, he holds membership in the IEEE-HKN Eta Chapter and was honored as an ASME Fellow. Burt received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Temple University and an M.A. in History from California State University, Northridge. Recognized as an authority in aerospace history, Burt has penned numerous articles and is a sought-after speaker on aviation and space exploration topics.