Tag: AIAA Awards Gala

AIAA Announces Recipients of 2024 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 20, 2024 – Reston, Va. –  The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship. The four $10,000 scholarships have been awarded to the following high school seniors. Read their full profiles on the AIAA website.

  • Alexis Andrulonis, 2024 recipient of AIAA’s Roger W. Kahn ScholarshipAlexis Andrulonis from Maple Glen, Pennsylvania
    Currently attending Upper Dublin High School
  • Daisy Li, 2024 recipient of AIAA’s Roger W. Kahn ScholarshipDaisy Li from Jupiter, Florida
    Currently attending Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
  • Khue Phan, 2024 recipient of AIAA’s Roger W. Kahn ScholarshipKhue Phan from Houston, Texas
    Currently attending Kerr High School
  • Leslie Nava, 2024 recipient of AIAA’s Roger W. Kahn ScholarshipLeslie Nava from Fort Worth, Texas
    Currently attending I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA

The 2024 Kahn Scholarship recipients will be recognized during the AIAA Awards Gala on Wednesday, 15 May, at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. Tickets for the AIAA Awards Gala are available now. Each of the recipients also will be matched with an AIAA professional member as a mentor who will help guide them on their career path.

The Roger W. Kahn Scholarship was created to honor the memory of Roger Kahn (1907–1962) and his passion for aviation and entertainment. Kahn spent the latter part of his career at Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation as a test pilot and then managed the technical service and sales division. In the 1940s, Kahn was actively involved with the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences (one of the predecessor organizations of AIAA) and later served as its vice president. Kahn also was an accomplished jazz musician as early as the 1920s, composing songs often featured in stage productions and early films, as well as leading numerous orchestras. He became a recording artist for some of the first record labels including Victor, Brunswick, and Columbia.

“AIAA is pleased to honor the memory of Roger W. Kahn with a scholarship supporting the next generation of the aerospace profession. Kahn’s legacy of aviation enthusiasm and accomplishment began nearly 100 years ago and will remain relevant in the next 100 years of aviation and aerospace innovation,” commented AIAA CEO Dan Dumbacher. “We are thrilled to award the Kahn Scholarship again this year to support these four impressive students as they shape the future of aerospace!”

AIAA introduced its High School Student Membership in 2021 as part of its commitment to becoming a vital lifelong link for student to access reliable resources and growth opportunities. AIAA high school members also have access to the Mentor Match program, the My Daily Launch news briefing, and webinars and on-demand content, as well as the exclusive Engage community platform to network with peers around the globe.

Basil Hassan, chair of the AIAA Foundation, added, “AIAA is honored by Roger W. Kahn’s gift to AIAA as a powerful investment in students. The AIAA Foundation is pleased to use part of this gift to help identify, mentor, and promote promising young aerospace talent. It’s especially exciting to support high school seniors at this early stage of their journey from classroom to career.”

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 TwitterFacebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA Announces Recipients of 2023 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 14, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship. The four $10,000 scholarships have been awarded to the following high school seniors:

  • Lydia-AmesLydia Ames of Nolensville, Tennessee
    Attends: Nolensville High School
  • Samannita-MikherjeeSamannita Mukherjee of Floral Park, New York
    Attends: Floral Park Memorial High School
  • Anna-PhanAnna Phan of Cypress, Texas
    Attends: Cypress Woods High School
  • Valeria-SantoyoValeria Santoyo of South Gate, California
    Attends: Saint Joseph High School

Read their full profiles on the AIAA website.

The 2023 Kahn Scholarship recipients will be recognized during the AIAA Awards Gala, Thursday, 18 May, at The John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. Tickets for the AIAA Awards Gala are available now. Each of the recipients also will be matched with an AIAA professional member as a mentor who will help guide them on their career path as part of the popular AIAA Mentor Match program.

The Roger W. Kahn Scholarship was created to honor the memory of Roger Kahn (1907–1962) and his passion for aviation and entertainment. Kahn spent the latter part of his career at Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation as a test pilot and then managed the technical service and sales division. In the 1940s, Kahn was actively involved with the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences (one of the predecessor organizations of AIAA) and later served as its vice president. Kahn also was an accomplished jazz musician as early as the 1920s, composing songs often featured in stage productions and early films, as well as leading numerous orchestras. He became a recording artist for some of the first record labels including Victor, Brunswick, and Columbia.

“AIAA is pleased to honor the memory of Roger W. Kahn with a scholarship supporting the next generation of the aerospace profession. Kahn’s legacy of aviation enthusiasm and accomplishment began nearly 100 years ago and will remain relevant in the next 100 years of aviation and aerospace innovation,” commented AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher. “We are thrilled to award the Kahn Scholarship again this year. We can’t wait to see how these four incredible students shape the future of aerospace!”

AIAA introduced its High School Student Membership in 2021 as part of its commitment to becoming a vital lifelong link for student to access reliable resources and growth opportunities. AIAA high school members also have access to the Mentor Match program, the Daily Launch newsletter, and webinars and on-demand content, as well as the exclusive Engage community platform to communicate and network with peers around the globe.

Basil Hassan, chair of the AIAA Foundation, added, “AIAA is honored by Roger W. Kahn’s gift to AIAA as a powerful investment in students. The AIAA Foundation is pleased to use part of this gift to help identify, mentor, and promote promising young aerospace talent. It’s especially exciting to support high school seniors at this early stage of their journey from classroom to career.”

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 TwitterFacebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA Announces Class of 2025 Honorary Fellows and Fellows

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 9, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) proudly congratulates its newly elected Class of 2025 Honorary Fellows and Fellows. The class will be inducted during a ceremony on Tuesday, 29 April, in Washington, DC, and celebrated during the AIAA Awards Gala on Wednesday, 30 April, AIAA Awards Gala tickets will be available in early 2025.

“Congratulations to each member of the Class of 2025 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 2,092 persons have been elected as an AIAA Fellow.

“The Class of 2025 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.

2025 AIAA Honorary Fellows

Maj. Gen. Charles F. Bolden Jr., USMC (Ret.), The Charles F. Bolden Group LLC
Alec Gallimore, Duke University
The Honorable Steven J. Isakowitz, The Aerospace Corporation

2025 AIAA Fellows

Maj. Gen. James B. Armor Jr., USAF (Ret.), The Armor Group LLC
Hamsa Balakrishnan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Brett A. Bednarcyk, NASA Glenn Research Center
John Maurice Carson III, NASA
Paul J. Cefola, University at Buffalo
Todd K. Citron, The Boeing Company
Stephen B. Clay, Air Force Research Laboratory
William A. Crossley, Purdue University
Boris Diskin, NASA Langley Research Center
Mary Lynne Dittmar, Axiom Space (retired) / Dittmar Associates
Stephen N. Frick, Lockheed Martin Space
Demoz Gebre-Egziabher, University of Minnesota
Luisella Giulicchi, European Space Agency
Vinay K. Goyal, The Aerospace Corporation
Michael J. Hirschberg, The Vertical Flight Society
Tristram Tupper Hyde, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Oliver L.P. Masefield, SolvAero Consulting GmbH
Richard G. Morgan, University of Queensland
Natasha A. Neogi, NASA Langley Research Center
Robert Pearce, NASA
Mason Peck, Cornell University
Lisa J. Porter, LogiQ, Inc.
Joseph M. Powers, University of Notre Dame
Michael G. Ryschkewitsch, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Murray L. Scott, Advanced Composite Structures Australia
Philippe R. Spalart, Flexcompute
Paul F. Taylor, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
Manuel Torres, Lockheed Martin

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  aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/TwitterFacebookLinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA Announces Recipients of 2025 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 28, 2025 – Reston, Va. –  The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship. The four $10,000 awards go to the following high school seniors:

  • Farrah BerryFarrah Berry from Midlothian, Virginia
    Currently attending Trinity Episcopal School
  • Kazi Afra SaiaraKazi Afra Saiara from Fairfax, Virginia
    Currently attending Chantilly High School
  • Logan SpeightLogan Speight from Greensboro, North Carolina
    Currently attending James B. Dudley High School
  • Sowmya VenkateshSowmya Venkatesh from Pleasanton, California
    Currently attending Amador Valley High School

Read their full profiles on the AIAA website. They will be recognized during the AIAA Awards Gala on Wednesday, 30 April, at Grand Hyatt Washington, Washington, DC. Tickets for the event are available now.

The Roger W. Kahn Scholarship was created to honor the memory of Roger W. Kahn (1907–1962) and his passion for aviation and entertainment. Kahn spent the latter part of his career at Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation as a test pilot and then managed the technical service and sales division. In the 1940s, he was actively involved with the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences (one of the predecessor organizations of AIAA) and later served as its vice president.

Kahn also was an accomplished jazz musician as early as the 1920s, composing songs often featured in stage productions and early films, as well as leading numerous orchestras. He became a recording artist for some of the first record labels including Victor, Brunswick, and Columbia.

Kahn left a legacy gift to AIAA – a song called “Crazy Rhythm” – that he wrote in 1928. AIAA used the proceeds of his trust to establish the scholarship in 2020. Since then, 16 students have received the scholarship to pursue university degrees in engineering.

“AIAA is pleased to honor the memory of aviation pioneer Roger W. Kahn. His enthusiasm for aviation nearly 100 years ago will remain relevant in the next 100 years of innovation. The scholarship that bears his name will support four more bright minds driving the next technology breakthroughs in aerospace,” commented AIAA CEO Clay Mowry.

Laura McGill, chair of the AIAA Foundation, added, “The AIAA Foundation is pleased to use part of Roger W. Kahn’s gift to identify, mentor, and promote promising young aerospace talent on their first steps from classroom to career. We can’t wait to see them shape the future of aerospace.”

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 X/TwitterFacebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.