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Tag: aerospace engineers
AIAA Announces Candidates for the 2026 Election
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)
AIAA Volunteers Bring Aerospace Careers to Life
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.
Boeing’s Strong Delivery Pace Continues Through October
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)
Becoming a Technical Fellow Takes More Than Expertise
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.
AIAA Announces Faculty Advisor Award Recipients
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.”
- Mohammad Ayoubi, Santa Clara University
- Danilo de Camargo Branco, Florida Institute of Technology
- Wout De Backer, University of South Carolina
- Michael Denn, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
- Mostafa Hassanalian, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
- Arif Malik, University of Texas at Dallas
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.
2025 AIAA Best Professional and Student Papers
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)
Washington 101 for the Next Generation of Aerospace Innovators
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)
AIAA Associate Fellow Deininger Died in June 2025
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)
2025 SSTC Essay Contest Winners Announced
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)