Aerospace Software Engineering Award Open for Nominations 10 February 2026 – 1 June 2026

Award Recipients

2023

• Elizabeth T Whitaker
  Awarded

  Award: 2023 AIAA Aerospace Software Engineering Award

  AIAA Citation: For twenty-five years of expert knowledge contributions researching, teaching, and applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques primarily to DARPA, IARPA, and DOD aviation application.

2019

• Dr Scott A Morton
  DoD HPCMP

  Awarded

  Award: 2019 Software Engineering Award

  AIAA Citation: “For over 30 years of significant research and innovations in the software engineering of multi-disciplinary, physics-based simulation tools for the design analysis and virtual test of aeronautical systems.”

2017

• Prof Lyle N Long
  The Pennsylvania State University

  Awarded

  AIAA Citation: For inspiration, innovation and enormous dedication to modernizing aerospace engineering education and research over several decades.

2015

• Dr Karen Gundy-Burlet
  Awarded

  AIAA Citation: For over thirty years of significant research and innovations in the software engineering simulations of computational fluid dynamics and efficient spacecraft flight control software.

2013

• Dr Barry W Boehm
  Computer Science Department/USC

  Awarded

  AIAA Citation: For over four decades of significant contributions to aerospace software for spacecraft, aircraft, command and control systems and enterprise systems

2011

• Dr Paul D Nielsen
  Software Engineering Institute

  Awarded

  AIAA Citation: For leadership in the global software engineering community and for addressing the near and far term challenges of complex aerospace software.

2009

• Dr Karl D Bilimoria
  NASA Ames Research Center

  Awarded-CoRecipients

  AIAA Citation: For the Future Air Traffic Management Concepts Evaluation Tool (FACET), a significant breakthrough in simulation capability for visualization and analysis of air traffic management concepts and procedures.
• Dr Gano Broto Chatterji
  NASA Ames Research Center

  Awarded-CoRecipients

  AIAA Citation: For the Future Air Traffic Management Concepts Evaluation Tool (FACET), a significant breakthrough in simulation capability for visualization and analysis of air traffic management concepts and procedures.
• Dr Shon R Grabbe
  NASA Ames Research Center

  Awarded-CoRecipients

  AIAA Citation: For the Future Air Traffic Management Concepts Evaluation Tool (FACET), a significant breakthrough in simulation capability for visualization and analysis of air traffic management concepts and procedures.
• Daniel G Mulfinger
  NASA Ames Research Center

  Awarded-CoRecipients

  AIAA Citation: For the Future Air Traffic Management Concepts Evaluation Tool (FACET), a significant breakthrough in simulation capability for visualization and analysis of air traffic management concepts and procedures.
• Dr Kapil Sheth
  NASA/ARC-AFT

  Awarded-CoRecipients

  AIAA Citation: For the Future Air Traffic Management Concepts Evaluation Tool (FACET), a significant breakthrough in simulation capability for visualization and analysis of air traffic management concepts and procedures.
• Dr Banavar Sridhar
  NASA Ames Research Center

  Awarded-CoRecipients

  AIAA Citation: For the Future Air Traffic Management Concepts Evaluation Tool (FACET), a significant breakthrough in simulation capability for visualization and analysis of air traffic management concepts and procedures.

2007

• Mr Kenny K Cheung
  NASA Ames Research Center

  Awarded-CoRecipients

  AIAA Citation: For developing CONDUIT, a revolutionary concept for integrated control system software design and for achieving its acceptance by the aerospace industry.
• Mr. Chad R Frost
  NASA-Ames

  Awarded-CoRecipients

  AIAA Citation: For developing CONDUIT, a revolutionary concept for integrated control system software design and for achieving its acceptance by the aerospace industry.
• Dr Sean Shan-Min Swei
  NASA-ARC-TI

  Awarded-CoRecipients

  AIAA Citation: For developing CONDUIT, a revolutionary concept for integrated control system software design and for achieving its acceptance by the aerospace industry.
• Dr Mark B Tischler, ST
  US Army Aviation Development Directorate (AMRDEC)

  Awarded-CoRecipients

  AIAA Citation: For developing CONDUIT, a revolutionary concept for integrated control system software design and for achieving its acceptance by the aerospace industry.

2001

• Donald J Reifer
  Awarded

  AIAA Citation: Internationally recognized leader in software engineering and senior executive official with DoD in charge of managing major service and agency-wide information management and software initiatives

1999

• Dr Merlin Dorfman
  Retired

  Awarded

  AIAA Citation: For actively advancing the state of proctice of software engineering through AIA and AIAA committees and workshops, and for co-authoring the book, Aerospace Software Engineering.

1995

• Francis E McGarry
  Awarded

  AIAA Citation: For leadership in driving, implementing, and advocating continual improvements in software engineering practices based on software experience factory concepts and practical measurements

1993

• Mr. Watts S Humphrey
  Software Engineering Institute

  Awarded

  AIAA Citation: For promoting awareness of the importance of the software process, and for defining a Software Process Maturity Model that enables process measurement and improvement.

1991

• Christine M Anderson
  Awarded

  AIAA Citation: For contributions to the software engineering community in the last twenty yeras, including the CAMP program, numerous AIAA activites, and the current Ada 9x program.

1989

• Daniel G McNicholl
  Awarded

  AIAA Citation: For pioneering work in reusable Ada software for aerospace applications. His work in the CAMP program demonstrated an exceptionally high degree of professionalism and technical excellence and has had a direct and beneficial impact on the state of software reuse within the aerospace software engineering community