Dr. Curtis E. Larsen is currently the NASA Technical Fellow for Loads and Dynamics and is resident at the Johnson Space Center. Prior to joining the NESC, Dr. Larsen was the Technical Discipline Manager for Cargo Integration Structures in the Space Shuttle Programs Flight Operations and Integration Office. Prior to that assignment, he was a technical integration lead in the Space Shuttle System Integration Office responsible for structures, loads and dynamics for both cargo elements and the Shuttle vehicle. Dr. Larsen has also served as the Shuttle/Station technical liaison for structures and as a member of the Shuttle Loads and Structural Dynamics Panel.

Dr. Larsen has over 25 years of engineering experience and first worked at the NASA Johnson Space Center from 1985 to 1990 as a structural engineer in the Loads and Dynamics Branch of the Structures and Mechanics Division. His particular areas of expertise and interest are in stochastic structural dynamics, structural safety, and probabilistic engineering applications. Before rejoining NASA in 2001, Dr. Larsen held various engineering research, development, and design positions with companies in the offshore oil construction, building construction, and aerospace industries, including McDermott Engineering, Boeing, and United Space Alliance.

Dr. Larsen received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of North Dakota in 1980, and a Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering (Structures/Soils) from the University of North Dakota in 1982. He received a Ph.D. from Rice University in 1988. In addition, Dr. Larsen is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.