On 3 December, we’re rallying the aerospace community to join us in an act of generosity. With your help, we strive to raise $100,000 to inspire and support the next generation of aerospace professional. You’re invited to give generously and spread the word! After you donate, share on social media and engage with AIAA Foundation Day of Giving posts on LinkedIn and Instagram with a like, comment, and share.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 5, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the winners of awards to be presented during the 2024 AIAA SciTech Forum, to be held 8–12 January 2024, Orlando, Florida. Registration is open to attend in person. Journalists can request a Press Pass here.
“We are proud to recognize these accomplished individuals for their influence on the aerospace profession, their outstanding merit, and their unique contributions to the art, science, or technology of aeronautics or astronautics,” said AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher. “Chosen by their peers, these exemplary professionals are truly inspirational. We are grateful for their efforts shaping the future of aerospace.”
For more information about the AIAA Honors and Awards program, contact Patricia A. Carr at [email protected].
2024 Gardner-Lasser Aerospace History Literature Award
The award is presented for the best original contribution to the field of aeronautical or astronautical non-fiction literature published in the last five years dealing with the science, technology, and/or impact of aeronautics or astronautics on society.
Margaret A. Weitekamp
Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
Space Craze: America’s Enduring Fascination with Real and Imagined Space Flight
2024 AIAA History Manuscript Award
This award is presented for the best historical manuscript dealing with the science, technology, and/or impact of aeronautics and astronautics on society.
Aaron M. Bateman
George Washington University
A Space Renaissance: The Strategic Defense Initiative and the Arms Race
2024 AIAA Pendray Aerospace Literature Award
The award is presented for an outstanding contribution or contributions to aeronautical and astronautical literature in the relatively recent past.
Ann P. Dowling
University of Cambridge
Combustion Noise
2024 AIAA Summerfield Book Award
This award is presented to the author of the best book recently published (within the last five years) by AIAA.
Jeffrey W. Hamstra
Lockheed Martin Corporation
The F-35 Lightning II: From Concept to Cockpit
2024 AIAA Mary W. Jackson Diversity and Inclusion Award
This award recognizes an individual or group within AIAA who has devoted time and effort and made significant contributions to the advancement of diversity and inclusion within the Institute.
Amanda Simpson
Airbus Americas (retired)
U.S. Department of Defense (retired)
For being a trailblazer in the aerospace community, a champion of diversity and inclusion in industry and government, and an inspiration to future generations.
2024 AIAA Air Breathing Propulsion Award
This award is presented to an individual for sustained, meritorious accomplishment in the arts, sciences, and technology of air breathing propulsion systems.
Aspi R. Wadia
GE Aviation (retired)
For sustained excellence, global impact, and revolutionary research and development in gas turbine aerodynamics.
2024 AIAA Aerodynamic Measurement Technology Award
This award is presented for continued contributions and achievements toward the advancement of advanced aerodynamics flowfield and surface measurement techniques for research in flight and ground test applications.
Paul M. Danehy
NASA Langley Research Center
For the development and application of optical and laser-based measurement techniques supporting NASA’s aeronautics and space exploration missions.
2024 AIAA de Florez Award for Flight Simulation
This award is presented for an outstanding individual achievement in the application of flight simulation to aerospace training, research, and development.
Marinus Maria van Paassen
Delft University
For key contributions to the fields of human-in-the-loop vehicle simulation, real-time and distributed simulation software, and aerospace human factors.
2024 AIAA Energy Systems Award
This award is presented for a significant contribution in the broad field of energy systems, specifically as related to the application of engineering sciences and systems engineering to the production, storage, distribution, and conservation of energy.
Chih-Jen Sung
University of Connecticut
For outstanding contributions to flame dynamics and low-temperature chemistry for developing fuel-flexible, ultra-low emission, efficient combustion energy systems using conventional and alternative fuels.
2024 AIAA Intelligent Systems Award
This award is presented to recognize important fundamental contributions to intelligent systems technologies and applications that advance the capabilities of aerospace systems.
Randal W. Beard
Brigham Young University
For his innovative contributions to the guidance and control of autonomous aircraft and to the mentoring and training of the next generation of aerospace leaders.
2024 AIAA Mechanics and Control of Flight Award
This award is presented for an outstanding recent technical or scientific contribution by an individual in the mechanics, guidance, or control of flight in space or the atmosphere.
David Mitchell
Mitchell Aerospace Research
For industry-defining research and globally recognized leadership in flying qualities, handling qualities, and PIO evaluation in both fixed wing and rotary wing vehicles.
2024 AIAA Propellants and Combustion Award
This award is presented for outstanding technical contributions to aeronautical or astronautical combustion engineering.
Jeffrey Cohen
RTX Corporation
For outstanding contributions to sprays, combustion control, and gas turbine combustion.
2024 AIAA Structures, Structural Dynamics, & Materials Award
This award is presented to an individual who has been responsible for an outstanding sustained technical or scientific contribution in aerospace structures, structural dynamics, or materials.
Carlos E. S. Cesnik
University of Michigan
For seminal contributions to research and education in structural modeling, dynamics, and health monitoring emphasizing multiphysics effects in very flexible aircraft, rotorcraft, and hypersonic vehicles.
2024 AIAA Survivability Award
This award is presented to an individual or a team to recognize outstanding achievement or contribution in design, analysis, implementation and/or education of survivability in an aerospace system.
Gary C. Wollenweber
GE Aerospace
For exceptional contributions during a longstanding career in aircraft engine thermal design that has led to improved aircraft survivability through IR signature reduction.
2024 AIAA Wyld Propulsion Award
This award is presented for outstanding achievement in the development or application of rocket propulsion systems.
Joseph Majdalani
Auburn University
For groundbreaking theoretical modeling and research on cyclonic rocket engines, revolutionizing the understanding of these and many other liquid, solid, and hybrid rocket engines.
Media Contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
FROM THE INSTITUTE
AIAA presented its premier awards at the AIAA Awards Gala, 30 April, at Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, DC. The Class of 2025 AIAA Fellows and AIAA Honorary Fellows and AIAA Foundation award and scholarship recipients also were recognized.
Full Story (Aerospace America)
Via Satellite reports, “The space economy, which for millennia was only a distant dream, is now a present reality. A rapidly expanding sector that uses satellites and space-based technologies, the space economy is poised to transform industries across the board. By 2035, predictions indicate that the space economy is expected to exceed $1.8 trillion, with more than 60,000 satellites in orbit by 2030. This isn’t just about rockets and telescopes; it’s about using the unique capabilities of space to enhance processes, efficiency and resilience on Earth.”
Full Story (Via Satellite)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2025 – Reston, Va. – AIAA is pleased to announce its newly elected Class of 2026 Associate Fellows. The Institute will formally honor the class at the AIAA Associate Fellows Induction Ceremony and Dinner, Wednesday, 14 January 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Orlando during AIAA SciTech Forum 2026, 12–16 January 2026, Orlando, Florida.
“Congratulations to each member of the Class of 2026 Associate Fellows,” said AIAA President Dan Hastings. “This distinguished group of professionals has performed extraordinary work and advanced the state of science and technology in aeronautics and astronautics. They exemplify a dedication to excellence in their specific technical disciplines. We are proud of their achievements as they shape the future of aerospace.”
The grade of Associate Fellow recognizes individuals “who have accomplished or been in charge of important engineering or scientific work, or who have done original work of outstanding merit, or who have otherwise made outstanding contributions to the arts, sciences, or technology of aeronautics or astronautics.” To be selected as an Associate Fellow an individual must be an AIAA Senior Member in good standing, with at least 12 years of professional experience, and be recommended by three AIAA members.
For more information on the AIAA Honors Program or AIAA Associate Fellows, contact Patricia A. Carr at [email protected].
Ajit Achuthan, Clarkson University
Kevin R. Anderson, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Dale C. Arney, NASA Langley Research Center
Dilmurat M. Azimov, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
Damiano Baccarella, University of Tennessee
Sean Bailey, University of Kentucky
Brent W. Barbee, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / University of Maryland, College Park
Tadas P. Bartkus, Ohio Aerospace Institute
Tahllee Baynard , Lockheed Martin Space
David R. Beering, Intelligent Designs LLC
Kevin D. Bell, The Aerospace Corporation
Mark G. Benton, Sr., Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Arizona
Reid A. Berdanier, Pennsylvania State University
Robert A. Bettinger, Air Force Institute of Technology
Natasha Bosanac, University of Colorado Boulder
Pablo C. Bueno, Southwest Research Institute
Goutam Chattopadhyay, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
John G. Clark, Lockheed Martin
Cameron W. Coates, Kennesaw State University
Richard K. Cohn, Ursa Major Technologies
Lt. Col. Christopher Coley, United States Air Force
Velibor Ćormarković, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Christopher Courtin, Electra.aero
Beni Cukurel, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology
Daniel R. Cuppoletti, University of Cincinnati
Danielle S. Curcio, RTX
Andrea Da Ronch, University of Southampton
Scott T M Dawson, Illinois Institute of Technology
Jan W. Delfs, German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Edward P. DeMauro, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Benjamin Dickinson, Air Force Research Laboratory
Con J. Doolan, University of New South Wales
Christopher Brian Dreyer, Colorado School of Mines
Harold Ennulat, Software Engineering Institute
Alper Erturk, Georgia Institute of Technology
Antony D. Evans, Airbus
Nicolas Fezans, German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Matthew L. Fotia, Air Force Research Laboratory
Jacob George, Metrolaser Inc.
Leslie Gertsch, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Ritesh Ghimire, United States Federal Aviation Administration
Keith D. Goodfellow, Aerojet Rocketdyne / L3Harris
Amelia D. Greig, BAE Systems Inc.
Mark Robert Grindle, Systems Enginuity
Peter Hancock, University of Central Florida
Darren John Hartl, Texas A&M University
Liam M. Healy, Naval Research Laboratory
Jesse B. Hoagg, University of Kentucky
Kristin Houston, L3Harris Technologies
Erin Hubbard, NASA Glenn Research Center
Lester A. Ingham, Honda Aircraft Company
Louise Jandura, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Elishka L. Jepson, RTX
Michael Jones, Systems Technology, Inc.
Daewon Kim, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Hyun Jung Kim, KAIST
Michael P. Kinzel, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Julie E. Kleinhenz, NASA Glenn Research Center
Ali R. Kolaini, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Ramesh Kolar, U.S. Army DEVCOM AvMC TDD-A DSE CD&A
Jarret M. Lafleur, Sandia National Laboratories / Ursa Major Technologies
Rhea P. Liem, Imperial College London
Yu Cheng Liu, Tsinghua University
Yang Liu, City College of New York
Francisco Lopez Jimenez, University of Colorado Boulder
Alejandro Lopez Ortega, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mark H. Lowenberg, University of Bristol
Christopher A. Lupp, Air Force Research Laboratory
Ou Ma, University of Cincinnati
Lori A. Magruder, University of Texas at Austin
Luca Massa, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Ellen Yi Chen Mazumdar, Georgia Institute of Technology
Matthew McCrink, Ohio State University
Matthew McGilvray, University of Oxford
Michael D. McPartland, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Marcel Milanes, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Michael Z. Miller, Georgia Tech Research Institute
Guy Juan Montoro, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
James D. Moreland, Jr., MEI Innovative Solutions Inc.
Catalin C. Nae, INCAS – National Institute for Aerospace Research “Elie Carafoli”
Björn Nagel, German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Douglas J. Neill, Computational Engineering Software, LLC
Linda O’Brien, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Mark Olmos, Northrop Grumman Space Systems
Michael Otte, University of Maryland, College Park
Ganesh J. Pai, KBR
Pinaki Pal, Argonne National Laboratory
Amit Pandey, Lockheed Martin Space Systems
Marco Pavone, Stanford University / NVIDIA
Tanya Pemberton, The Aerospace Corporation
Daniel Plakosh, Carnegie Mellon University / Software Engineering Institute
Brent Pomeroy, NASA Langley Research Center
Savio James Poovathingal, University of Kentucky
Russell W. Powers, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division
Michael W. Renfro, University of Kentucky
Nilton O. Renno , University of Michigan
Christopher L. Reynolds, Lockheed Martin Space Systems
Daniel R. Richardson, Sandia National Laboratories
James L. Rutledge, Air Force Institute of Technology
Umberto Saetti, University of Maryland, College Park
Marco Sagliano, University of Bologna
Abhishek Saha, University of California, San Diego
Gerald B. Sanders, NASA Johnson Space Center (retired)
Grady Pike Saunders, Amentum Technology, Inc.
Bryan E. Schmidt, Case Western Reserve University
Brandon Sforzo, Argonne National Laboratory
Peter J. Sharer, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
Paul Sierpinski, NASA Kennedy Space Center
Rohan Sood, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Shawn S. Stephens, United States Air Force
James P. Stewart, Electra.aero
Liang Sun, Baylor University
Takao Suzuki, Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Hideyuki Taguchi, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Jimmy C. Tai, Georgia Institute of Technology
Jekan Thangavelautham , University of Arizona
James Chris Thomas, Southwest Research Institute
Christoph Torens, German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Paul J. van Susante, Michigan Technological University
Diane C. Villanueva, The MITRE Corporation
James M. Walton, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Alan Weston, Astra
Brian S. Woodard, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Kris Zacny, Honeybee Robotics, a Blue Origin Company
Hossein Zare-Behtash, Emirates Aviation University
Bo Zhang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Yufei Zhang, Tsinghua University
Liwei Zhang, University of Texas at Arlington
Dianyun Zhang, Purdue University
Wenwen Zhao, Zhejiang University
AIAA Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
FROM THE INSTITUTE
We are excited to announce the winners of this year’s Space Systems Technical Committee Student Essay Contest. With the theme “Explore the growing population of objects in Earth orbit, identifying contributing causes, consequences, traffic management implications, mitigation approaches, and prospects for the future,” young minds from across the country demonstrated exceptional curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Their essays explored how space debris is formed, the risks it poses to satellites and astronauts, and the innovative solutions that could shape a safer future in space.
Full Story (Aerospace America)
The draft standard AIAA S-110A (revision of AIAA S-110-2005), Space Systems—Structures, Structural Items, and Pressurized Structures is undergoing a second public review. The AIAA Structures Committee on Standards is responsible for developing this revised draft standard. The document establishes baseline structural requirements for the design, test, qualification, and acceptance of spaceflight structures and pressurized structures. To obtain a copy for review, please contact Michele Dominiak . Public review deadline: 29 August 2025.
Learn More
FROM THE INSTITUTE
William (Bill) D. Deininger, Ph.D., died on 21 June. He was 68 years old. Deininger graduated with a B.S. in Physics from the State University of New York Cortland (1979). He then received an M.S. in Physics and Plasma Physics from Colorado State University (1982) and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from University of Pisa (1995).
Full Story (Aerospace America)
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The Council Nominating Committee has selected candidates for next year’s openings on the AIAA Council of Directors. Council Nominating Committee Chair Laura Richard and AIAA Governance and Executive Operations Administrator Susan Silva confirmed the names of the candidates who will appear on the 2026 ballot.
Full Story (Aerospace America)
On Tuesday, 2 December, join us in the Day of Giving to help raise $100,000 in support of these vital programs. Your contribution, of any size, will help launch the next generation of aerospace leaders. All donations made through the first week of December will go to the Day of Giving.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 5, 2026 – Reston, Va. – Charbel Farhat has been awarded the 2026 Daniel Guggenheim Medal for pioneering advances in the computational mechanics of fluid-structure interaction, transforming simulation methodologies and enabling major breakthroughs in aircraft design and optimization. He will receive the prestigious award during AIAA AVIATION Forum 2026, 8–12 June, San Diego, Calif.
The Daniel Guggenheim Medal was established in 1929 to honor innovators who make notable achievements in the advancement of aeronautics. Its first recipient was Orville Wright. The medal is jointly sponsored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), SAE International (SAE), and the Vertical Flight Society (VFS).
“During his 36-year academic career, Farhat has made outstanding contributions to fixed wing aeroelasticity and supersonic parachute inflation dynamics that have advanced the safety and practicality of aviation; and that of related driving forces of global technology development and innovations with significant economic and social benefits. He has pioneered computational methods that have enabled the solution of safety-critical aero-elastic and aero-servo-elastic problems. He has introduced physics-based machine learning into the development of high-fidelity multidisciplinary design analysis and optimization (MDAO) frameworks to allow them to be computationally tractable and thus attractive to designers” said George Springer, Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University, and nominator.
“On behalf of the Guggenheim Medal Board, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations on this well-deserved recognition. Prof. Farhat’s outstanding contributions to computational mechanics, aero-elasticity and aircraft design/optimization have had a significant impact on both the aerospace industry and the broader community,” added George Kardomateas, Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, and chair, Guggenheim Medal Board.
Charbel Farhat is the Vivian Church Hoff Professor of Aircraft Structures at Stanford University and a professor in the Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering. He chaired Stanford’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics from 2008 to 2023 and held its inaugural Spilker Chair. He has directed major research centers, including the KACST-Stanford Center of Excellence for Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Army High Performance Computing Research Center, and served on national advisory bodies such as the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and the Space Technology Industry-Government-University Roundtable. Recognized by the U.S. Navy as a Primary Key-Influencer, he flew with the Blue Angels in 2014.
Farhat earned his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and is an AIAA Fellow. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering, and the Lebanese Academy of Sciences. His honors include the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship, three honorary doctorates, the Kuwait Prize, and major distinctions in computational mechanics and high-performance computing, including the IEEE Gordon Bell and Sidney Fernbach Awards. A Fellow of multiple professional societies, he has also received French national honors. Farhat has authored over 650 publications, served as Editor-in-Chief of two leading journals, and contributes broadly to research in fluid–structure interaction, CFD, structural mechanics, high-performance computing, and physics-based machine learning.
Past recipients of the Guggenheim Medal are some of the greatest names in aerospace, including Holt Ashley, Lawrence Bell, William Boeing, James Doolittle, Donald Douglas, Charles Stark Draper, Hugh Dryden, Robert Goddard, Jerome Hunsaker, Theodore von Kármán, Charles Lindbergh, Glenn Martin, Frank Robinson, Burt Rutan, Igor Sikorsky, and Walter Vincenti, among many others.
For more information about the AIAA/ASME/SAE/VFS Daniel Guggenheim Medal, contact Patricia A. Carr, Guggenheim Secretary, at [email protected].
AIAA Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About ASME
ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world. For more information visit www.asme.org.
About SAE International
SAE is the leader in connecting and educating mobility professionals to enable safe, clean, and accessible mobility solutions. SAE International is a global association of more than 128,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries. Our core competencies are life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development. SAE International’s charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series. For more information visit www.sae.org.
About The Vertical Flight Society
Founded as the American Helicopter Society in 1943, the Vertical Flight Society today advocates, promotes and supports global vertical flight technology and professional development. For 80 years, the Society has provided leadership for the advancement of vertical flight. For more information, visit www.vtol.org or follow us on Twitter at @VTOLsociety.
FROM THE INSTITUTE
On 21 November, the AIAA Mid-Atlantic Section held its annual Young Professionals, Students, and Educators Conference at JHUAPL. The conference – a flagship event for the section – brings together high school, undergrad, and graduate students, as well as educators and young professionals from all over the East Coast and beyond. Presenters shared their research and networked with professionals from a wide variety of aerospace specialties and disciplines.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) proudly congratulates its newly elected Class of 2026 Honorary Fellows and Fellows. The class will be inducted during a ceremony on Monday, May 18, 2026, in Washington, DC.
“Congratulations to each member of the Class of 2026 AIAA Honorary Fellows and Fellows for their remarkable accomplishments. They are among the most respected names in the aerospace profession,” said Dan Hastings, AIAA President. “These distinguished individuals have earned the respect and admiration of the global science and engineering community. We are in awe of their creativity and exceptional contributions that have advanced aerospace.”
Honorary Fellow is AIAA’s highest distinction, recognizing preeminent individuals who have made significant contributions to the aerospace industry and who embody the highest possible standards in aeronautics and astronautics. In 1933, Orville Wright became the first AIAA Honorary Fellow. Today, 245 people have been named AIAA Honorary Fellow.
AIAA confers Fellow upon individuals in recognition of their notable and valuable contributions to the arts, sciences or technology of aeronautics and astronautics. Nominees are AIAA Associate Fellows. Since the inception of this honor 2,120 persons have been elected as an AIAA Fellow.
“The Class of 2026 Honorary Fellows and Fellows are impressive aerospace professionals. They are dreamers who have transformed our understanding of flight and exploration, pushing the boundaries of human potential. I am privileged to call them friends and colleagues. Their groundbreaking work reminds me that innovation is born from passion, persistence, and the audacious belief that we can always reach a little further than we thought possible,” added AIAA CEO Clay Mowry.
Laura J. McGill, Sandia National Laboratories
Daniel J. Scheeres, University of Colorado Boulder
Steven H. Walker, Lockheed Martin Corporation (retired)
William H. Ailor, III, The Aerospace Corporation (retired)
The Honorable Robert Behler, RFBehler Engineering and Consulting, LLC
Gillian Bussey, US Space Force
Simone D’Amico, Stanford University
Paul Danehy, NASA Langley Research Center
Juan M. de Bedout, RTX
Daniel Dumbacher, Purdue University
Miroslav Krstic, University of California San Diego
Sanjiva Lele, Stanford University
Arthur A. Mabbett, North Wind
Dan E. Marren, Marren Associates LLC
David M. McGowan, NASA Langley Research Center
Karl Wieland Naumann, kwnaumann Dynamic Technologies Expertise and Consulting
David Oh, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Paul H. Park, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bell Helicopter, Northrop Grumman (retired)
Khanh D. Pham, Air Force Research Laboratory/Space Vehicles Directorate
Dawn R. Phillips, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Ugo Piomelli, Queen’s University
Kurt Polzin, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Rusty Powell, Astrion
Sukesh Roy, Spectral Energies, LLC
Hoyt Lee Sampson, Jr., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Puneet Singla, Pennsylvania State University
Sonya T. Smith, Howard University
Kon-Well Wang, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Christopher Watkins, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
James W. Weber, Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research & Engineering
David Williams, Illinois Institute of Technology
Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Registration Is Open for the World’s Largest Aerospace R&D Event
October 9, 2025 – Reston, Va. – AIAA announced registration is open for the premier aerospace R&D event of the year, AIAA SciTech Forum 2026, 12–16 January, Hyatt Regency Orlando, Orlando, Florida.
The forum’s inspirational theme, “Breaking Barriers Together: Boundless Discovery,” will deliver sessions and presentations envisioning the possibilities for aerospace’s future. More than 5,000 engineering minds from across industry, government, and academia are expected to gather, setting the pace of innovation and connection for the year.
From artificial intelligence and autonomy to high-speed propulsion and quantum computing, the program is designed to engage aerospace professionals in the next breakthroughs. The forum features nearly 3,000 technical presentations, as well as an extensive lineup of aerospace and defense industry leaders and innovators from across industry, government, and academia as speakers.
Confirmed plenary speakers include:
New this year is the intensive Career Accelerator Program for university students. This full-day program will provide practical and actionable strategies to attendees to launch and navigate their careers in aerospace. Planned for Monday, 12 January, attendees will gain insights into what it takes to succeed in the industry with a series of expert-led microsessions offering leadership development tools and the latest career advice. The popular Student Lounge will be sponsored by Lockheed Martin for the next generation of aerospace professionals to network with each other throughout the week.
Premier sponsor Lockheed Martin will deliver sessions during the week on its AI Fight Club™, a head-to-head competitive environment designed to accelerate how artificial intelligence is developed and deployed. Speakers will share insights about this comprehensive testing ground that simulates how AI systems perform across domains – air, land, sea and space – to test models that meet Department of Defense (DOD) qualifications.
Features of the forum include:
Additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. For the most up-to-date program and registration information, visit SciTech.aiaa.org. Press passes are available by emailing [email protected].
Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on LinkedIn, Instagram, X/Twitter, and Facebook.
FROM THE INSTITUTE
As commercial spaceflight expands and small satellites reshape the space economy, one reality remains unchanged: policy discussed in Washington, DC, matters. This was AIAA’s Director of Public Policy & Government Relations Ryan Cooperman’s core message at the SmallSat Education Conference at NASA Kennedy Space Center, where he joined over 700 students and educators passionate about space. He offered a crash course on the U.S. legislative process in which he discussed how policy is made, who shapes it, and why it matters to the future of aerospace.
Full Story (Aerospace America)
FROM THE INSTITUTE
AIAA technical committees (TCs) and integration and outreach committees (IOCs) have selected the best professional and student technical papers presented at recent AIAA forums. With a standard award criteria and selection process from the respective committees, the following technical papers were selected as the “best,” and thereby were presented with a Certificate of Merit. The papers can be found online at the AIAA Aerospace Research Central (arc.aiaa.org), marked as “Best Paper.”
Full Story (Aerospace America)
November 7, 2025 – AIAA has announced six recipients of the Faculty Advisor Award, which recognizes faculty advisors at chartered AIAA Student Branches who have made outstanding contributions to their branch and to local, regional, and national activities.
“Faculty advisors are the backbone of our student branches. These six remarkable individuals don’t just advise—they mentor, advocate, and connect students to the university, AIAA, and our broader aerospace community,” said AIAA CEO Clay Mowry. “Their passion is igniting the next generation. They are propelling students beyond the lecture halls and labs to achieve the breakthroughs that will shape the future of aerospace.”
The individuals will be recognized at an awards recognition event during AIAA SciTech Forum 2026 in Orlando, Florida, on 12 January. They also will be recognized locally by their AIAA professional sections.
AIAA has 263 student branches, with a total active membership of over 9,000 students worldwide. Student branches foster opportunities for collaboration and serve as a club for engineering students on campus. The faculty advisor plays a critical role in sustaining student branches and encouraging their growth and success.
Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on LinkedIn, Instagram, X/Twitter, and Facebook.
FROM THE INSTITUTE
Early- and mid-career engineers looking for a career boost might want to look beyond everyday problem-solving and consider becoming a technical fellow. Four Senior Technical Fellows at Lockheed Martin — experts in artificial intelligence, sensor fusion, propulsion, and directed energy — who collectively support a technical community of nearly 17,000 professionals, discussed what it takes to become a Technical Fellow during a Hub session at AIAA AVIATION Forum and ASCEND in July.
Reuters reports, “Boeing said on Tuesday that it delivered 53 jets in October, bringing its total for the year to 493, and received 15 new orders last month. The U.S. planemaker delivered 39 of its best-selling 737 MAX jets, including nine to Southwest Airlines and five to Irish budget airline Ryanair. It delivered one 737 NG to be converted into a P-8 maritime patrol plane for the U.S. Navy. Boeing also delivered 13 widebody jets: seven 787 Dreamliners, two 777 freighters and four 767s.”
Full Story (Reuters)
From the Institute
Since September, AIAA has been bringing student branches together with volunteer and staff speakers to inspire the next generation of aerospace professionals in our Back to School Campaign. From the University of Maryland, College Park to San Diego State University, AIAA representatives have met with student branches across the country to share their own career journeys and answer questions about how students can map their own paths forward. The initiative reflects AIAA’s commitment to support our members as they grow from students into accomplished professionals.