Tag: AIAA News

AIAA Announces Recipients of 2026 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 7, 2026 – Reston, Va. – AIAA is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship. The four $10,000 awards go to the following high school seniors:

Aya Elamrani-Zerifi
From: Maryland
Attending in the Fall: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Vishal Manikanden
From: Virginia
Attending in the Fall: Princeton University

Aoqi Xu
From: Georgia
Attending in the Fall: Georgia Tech

Madison Nation
From: Colorado
Attending in the Fall: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida

Read their full profiles on the AIAA website.

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 thrilled to honor the memory of aviation pioneer Roger W. Kahn with such a powerful investment in the future of aerospace. The scholarship that bears his name will support four more bright minds driving the next technology breakthroughs. His enthusiasm for aviation nearly 100 years ago will remain relevant in the next 100 years of innovation,” 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 Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About AIAA
AIAA is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With more than 33,000 individual members from 91 countries, and over 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. Visit www.aiaa.org or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Technical Rigor, Professionalism, and Enthusiasm on Display at AIAA Region II Student Conference

FROM THE INSTITUTE
The 2026 AIAA Region II Student Conference, brought together more than 330 attendees and featured 105 student presentations. The event provided a valuable forum for students to showcase their work in a professional setting, receive real-time feedback from experienced practitioners serving as judges, and build connections with peers and professionals across academia, industry, and government. AIAA Region II Director Emeritus Kurt Polzin noted that “the conference creates an environment where students can refine their ideas, strengthen their communication skills, and gain confidence presenting complex work to a broader audience.”

Human Judgment in the Age of Autonomous Warfare: Why Congress Must Keep Human Oversight in Military Decisions

FROM THE INSTITUTE
As we navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of modern warfare, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a game changer. From analyzing intelligence and refining targeting processes to streamlining logistics and enhancing capabilities in autonomous platforms across various domains such as air, land, sea, and even space, AI is reshaping how we think about conflict. The potential advantages are significant: quicker decision-making, better situational awareness, and the ability to operate effectively even in chaotic environments.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman to Open ASCEND 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 6, 2026 – Reston, Va. –  AIAA is pleased to welcome NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman back to the ASCEND stage to open ASCEND 2026 at 8 a.m., Tuesday, 19 May, Washington Hilton, Washington, DC. Isaacman first appeared at ASCEND in 2021, just after returning from commanding Inspiration4, the first all-civilian orbital spaceflight.  

Registration for ASCEND 2026 is available online. Journalists should request a Press Pass.  

Powered by AIAA, ASCEND is the world’s premier outcomes-focused, interdisciplinary space event designed to accelerate building our off-world future. Lockheed Martin is the Founding Sponsor of ASCEND. For ASCEND 2026, Commercial Space Federation (CSF) is the Premier Event Partner. Event partners include: BryceTech, ISS National Laboratory, Novaspace, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Space Force Association (SFA), Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), and The Aerospace Corporation. 

Since 2020, ASCEND has promoted the collaborative, interdisciplinary, outcomes-driven community of professionals, students, and enthusiasts around the world who are accelerating humanity’s progress toward our off-world future.  

Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell 

About AIAA 

AIAA is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With more than 33,000 individual members from 91 countries, and over 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. Visit www.aiaa.org or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X. 

The Space Station’s Past and Future Converge at ASCEND 2026

FROM THE INSTITUTE
The International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory will bring a full day of programming to ASCEND 2026 on Tuesday, 19 May, plus nearly 60 technical papers on ISS utilization and space-based research expected to be presented on Wednesday and Thursday, 20–21 May. From microgravity-enabled medical breakthroughs to startup innovation in low Earth orbit (LEO), the ISS National Lab sessions are designed to show how researchers and commercial players alike are using the orbiting laboratory as an engine for science, technology, and a sustainable space economy.

AIAA, Aerospace Corporation Launch ASCEND 2026 Classified Day

FROM THE INSTITUTE
In a couple of weeks, the AIAA community will take discussions about building our off-world future and securing the high ground of space into a classified setting. AIAA’s inaugural ASCEND 2026 Classified Day, planned for Monday, 18 May at The Aerospace Corporation’s corporate headquarters in Chantilly, VA, comes at a time of intense transformation in the U.S. space community. This unique, closed-door session at AIAA’s premier space event will bring executive‑level insights at the top-secret level to address evolving global competition and pressing challenges in the national security space domain.

AIAA Launches 30/30 Program to Spotlight Top Aerospace Young Professionals

FROM THE INSTITUTE
AIAA is accepting nominations for its new 30/30 recognition program, which will honor up to 30 early-career aerospace professionals in their 30s. (Consideration will also be given to nominees who are younger than 30 who have made notable accomplishments in their careers.) Nominations are open through 15 June 2026.

Don’t miss SGx 2026, part of ASCEND – Washington D.C. | 17–18 May

FROM THE INSTITUTE
The next era of space starts here. SGx 2026: Inventing New Orbits brings together students, young professionals, and leaders from NASA, Blue Origin, Airbus, Northrop Grumman, and beyond for two days of TEDx-style talks, hands-on workshops, and high-voltage networking at the Washington Hilton. Catch a National Geographic screening on Sally Ride, compete in the space art competition, and hear what’s next straight from the people building it. Early bird pricing ends 10 May.

Learn More

Commercial Space Federation Brings Space Policy Summit to ASCEND 2026

FROM THE INSTITUTE
The Commercial Space Federation (CSF) will take the stage at ASCEND 2026, anchoring the event’s space policy programming 19-20 May, in Washington, D.C. Long recognized as the premier advocacy organization for the commercial space sector, CSF represents satellite operators, launch providers, spaceports, remote sensing companies, commercial LEO destinations, and the broader cislunar exploration community. For ASCEND 2026, CSF has integrated its Space Policy Summit directly into the ASCEND program featuring 14 panels and six fireside chats with senior executives, top government administrators, Hill staff, and members of Congress.