Lisa's profound connection with the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) spans decades and has left an indelible mark on the organization. She received the Astronaut Scholarship from 1987-1989 while attending Georgia Institute of Technology. In the years following, the ASF founders, which consisted of the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts, Betty Grissom, Dr. William Douglas and Henri Landwirth, wanted to know how their money made a difference in the lives of scholarship recipients. Lisa volunteered to contact former Astronaut Scholars and began a newsletter, which she presented regularly to the astronauts and Board of Directors; the piece became an instant success.
After years of working closely with the founding astronauts and benefiting from their mentorship, her vision for the Astronaut Scholarship became clear: the scholarship funds should only be the beginning, and the impact should be lifelong. As Lisa recalls the first Astronaut Scholar Technical Conference in 1996 where a few early scholars gathered and presented their research, she said, “From that little, tiny effort, George and I realized that the additional programs are as much or more important than the actual scholarship grant itself."
Today, Lisa assumes a pivotal role as the Vice Chair of the ASF Board of Directors, Interim-Chair of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Strategic Planning Task Force. Her contributions extend far beyond her official capacity, as she is an integral member of the Executive Committee, serves as a mentor, member of the Scholarship Selection Committee, and has previously served as Chair of the Program Committee. She also founded the Astronaut Scholars Honor Society, which exemplifies her unwavering commitment to cultivating a strong sense of community and camaraderie among past scholarship recipients.
Serving as the founder, owner, president, and principal acoustical consultant of Quietly Making Noise, LLC, Lisa has amassed over 34 years of experience in the energy and building construction industries. Notably, Lisa is the inventor and patent holder of Shut-Eye™ Acoustical Shutters, a groundbreaking solution for exterior noise mitigation. This patented design has solidified her reputation as an industry innovator.
An accomplished professional, Lisa has received several prestigious awards, including the Women's Executive Council Women's Achievement Award in Science and Technology in 2018 and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Florida Section Engineer of the Year Award for Technical Excellence in 2009 and 2010.
Lisa’s passion and impact extend beyond her professional career into philanthropic activities. She is a founding donor for the Jennifer Lynn Schott Childhood Arthritis Clinic at Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida
and shares her time and resources with Give Kids The World, Weldon Society of the Foundation for Seminole State College, Arthritis Foundation, and Parrot Heads of Central Florida. Lisa has also contributed significantly to STEM education through outreach efforts at UCF and Seminole County Public Schools, inspiring students from middle school to university level.
George Schott has over forty years of experience with fossil fuel and nuclear power generation projects worldwide. In 2010, he retired from Siemens Energy, Inc. as the Director of Project Engineering Management and Plant Layout, where he was responsible for a large, multi-disciplinary engineering organization that planned, developed, designed, implemented and operated power plants worldwide. His contributions and leadership were recognized with numerous awards, including the President’s Total Quality Eagle Award for outstanding performance and contribution. He authored and co-authored numerous publications on environmental and emissions issues, acoustics and noise control, and piping and mechanical system dynamics.
Since retirement from his primary career, George has stayed involved in the power industry on a part-time basis as the Executive Vice President of Hyperion Systems Engineering, LLC. He also works with his wife, Lisa, as a Principal Acoustical Consultant at Quietly Making Noise, LLC, on residential, commercial and industrial projects.
George has been a long-time supporter and volunteer for the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and supports additional philanthropic endeavors, including a founding donor of the Jennifer Lynn Schott Childhood Arthritis Clinic at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida, active involvement with the Foundation for Seminole State College and membership in their Weldon Society, membership in the Henri Landwirth Society of Give Kids The World, an active volunteer at Give Kids The World Village, Board member and Treasurer for Our Backyard Foundation, and past member of the Board of Directors of the Arthritis Foundation, Florida Chapter.
