Tag: Editor-in-Chief

AIAA Announces Next Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Aircraft

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 18, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce that Rakesh Kapania, Norris and Wendy Mitchell Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Virginia Tech, will serve as the next editor-in-chief of the Journal of Aircraft, with service commencing in January 2026.

Kapania succeeds Mark Drela, Terry J. Kohler Professor of Fluid Dynamics in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who has led the journal since 2023.

The AIAA Publications Committee oversees the search and selection effort for new editors-in-chief. The search committee was led by Misty Davies, NASA Ames Intelligent Systems Division, and an AIAA Publications Committee member. Kapania was chosen from a group of highly qualified candidates.

“Being selected as the Editor-in-Chief of AIAA’s Journal of Aircraft, one of the most prestigious journals in aircraft engineering, is a tremendous honor. Succeeding one of the giants of aircraft engineering, Mark Drela, is very humbling. I am thrilled to take this role at a time when there are enormous ongoing developments in all facets of aircraft engineering, including advanced air mobility, autonomy, artificial intelligence, materials, advanced manufacturing, and hypersonic vehicles.” said Kapania.

Kapania received his doctoral degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University, M.S. from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and B.S. from the Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, India. At Virginia Tech he has taught courses related to aerospace structures and computational methods. His research interests are analysis and design of aerospace structures, computational aeroelasticity, composite structures, multidisciplinary analysis and design optimization, and machine learning. Kapania has published nearly 240 archival journal articles and more than 385 proceeding papers, a significant number of them at AIAA conferences. He has guided/co-guided 59 Ph.D. and 77 M.S. students and 20 Postdoctoral Fellows. Kapania has a long history of service to AIAA, serving on technical committees, two tours of duty as an associate editor of the AIAA Journal, as a member of the editorial advisory board of the AIAA Education Series, and as Faculty Advisor to Virginia Tech’s Design/ Build/Fly team. A winner of the AIAA/ISSMO Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Award (2016) and Boeing Welliver Summer Fellowship (1996), Kapania is a Fellow of AIAA and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

The Journal of Aircraft is devoted to the advancement of the applied science and technology of airborne flight through the dissemination of original archival papers describing significant advances in aircraft, the operation of aircraft, and applications of aircraft technology to other fields.

For more information on the Journal of Aircraft, contact David Arthur, Senior Director, Publications.

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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

AIAA Announces Next Editor-in-Chief of the Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics Book Series

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 24, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce that Seetha Raghavan, professor of Aerospace Engineering and associate dean of Research and Graduate Studies at the College of Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, will serve as the next editor-in-chief of the Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics book series, with service commencing in September 2023.

Raghavan succeeds Timothy Lieuwen, Regents’ Professor and David S. Lewis, Jr. Chair of the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering and Executive Director of the Strategic Energy Institute at Georgia Institute of Technology. Lieuwen has served as editor-in-chief of the Progress Series since 2012. During this time, he has overseen development and publication of nearly 30 books on topics ranging from additive manufacturing, to Mars exploration, to laser diagnostics.

The AIAA Publications Committee oversees the search and selection effort for new editors-in-chief. The search committee was led by Steven Beresh, Sandia National Laboratories, AIAA Publications Committee member. Raghavan was chosen from a group of highly qualified candidates.

“My breadth of experience in industry and academia fuels my passion to inspire curiosity, innovation, and excellence through the prestigious legacy and continued evolution of the Progress Series, engaging the broader community as we head into a new era,” said Raghavan.

Raghavan received her doctoral degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University and her master’s degree in Aeronautics and Space Technologies at SUPAERO, France. Prior to this, she completed her bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. As an AIAA Associate Fellow and extensive participation during her 27 years of AIAA membership, Raghavan has made contributions as part of the Structural Dynamics Technical Committee and comes with experience as a highly effective leader in research, education, and service in the publications realm.

Raghavan began her career as an engineer in the aerospace industry where she gained seven years of experience in maintenance and structural analysis. During the next 15 years as a faculty member, she built and led a research team in her field of mechanics of aerospace structures and materials, contributing significantly to the area of materials for extreme environments while catalyzing national and international collaboration. Her academic leadership has led to successful creation of a doctoral program in Aerospace Engineering, mentorship of students toward national recognition, and consistent outreach that shapes the next generation of aerospace leaders. She was nationally honored by Women in Aerospace with the Aerospace Educator Award in 2019 and the Butler Center for Leadership Excellence Distinguished Purdue Alumni Award in 2023.

The Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics series is devoted to books that present a particular well-defined subject reflecting advances in the fields of aerospace science, engineering, and/or technology. In many cases, these are edited collections of papers with multiple chapter contributors.

For more information on the Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics series , contact David Arthur, Director, Publications Strategy and Acquisition.

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 aiaa.org, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

AIAA Seeks Editor-in-Chief for the Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics Series

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 10, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is seeking an outstanding candidate to assume the responsibilities of editor-in-chief for the Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics Series. The chosen candidate will assume the editorship at an exciting time as AIAA continues to expand its ability to support eBooks and other electronic content, along with publishing a range of titles in traditional print format. The next Editor-in-Chief will have an opportunity to create a lasting influence on championing emerging topics in the field into definitive publications that impact the aerospace profession. Applications are due by 14 April.

Interested candidates can read more here on the application process. While the deadline to apply for full consideration is 30 April, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. For more information, contact David Arthur, director, Publications Strategy and Acquisition.

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

Mark Drela Appointed Editor-in-Chief of AIAA’s Journal of Aircraft

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 20, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has selected Mark Drela, Terry J. Kohler Professor of Fluid Dynamics in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as its new Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Aircraft (JA). He succeeds Eli Livne, the Boeing Endowed Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the University of Washington, who has served as the fifth Editor-in-Chief for JA since 2011. Drela, the sixth editor-in-chief for JA, will begin this new role in January 2023.

The AIAA Publications Committee oversees the search and selection effort for new editors-in-chief. This year’s search committee was led by Jacqueline A. O’Connor, Pennsylvania State University, Publications Committee member. Drela was chosen from among a group of highly qualified candidates.

“The fields of aircraft engineering and aeronautics in general are vital to the global transportation system, to national defense, and to the international economy, and their importance is only growing. The Journal of Aircraft is a valuable venue for advancing engineering knowledge, tools,
and methods that are critical to developing new aeronautical concepts, vehicles, and systems to further the field. It is an honor to have been selected as its new Editor-in-Chief.” said Drela.

Drela, an AIAA Fellow, holds a Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics and a Ph.D. in Computational Fluid Dynamics in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics with a Minor in Applied Mathematics and Structures from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Some of his recent awards and honors include the 2022 ASME IGTI Turbomachinery Committee Best Paper Award, the 2018 AIAA Reed Aeronautics Award, and the 2017 AIAA Theoretical Fluids Best Paper. Drela’s research interests consist of aerodynamics, computational fluid dynamics, design methodology, computation-based design, and low-order modeling of aeromechanical systems.

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.

Craig R. Wanke Appointed Editor-in-Chief of AIAA’s Journal of Air Transportation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 20, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has selected Craig R. Wanke, Chief Engineer for MITRE’s Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD), and an AIAA Associate Fellow, as its new editor-in-chief for the Journal of Air Transportation (JAT). He succeeds Karl Bilimoria, an aerospace engineer at NASA Ames Research Center, who has served as the first editor-in-chief for JAT since 2016. The journal was originally published as the Air Traffic Control Quarterly by the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) between January 1993 and December 2015. Wanke will begin this new role as JAT’s second editor-in-chief in January 2023.

The AIAA Publications Committee oversees the search and selection effort for new editors-in-chief. This year’s search committee was led by Jacqueline A. O’Connor, Pennsylvania State University, Publications Committee member. Wanke was chosen from among a group of highly qualified candidates.

“Air Traffic Management (ATM) is in a period of rapid evolution, driven by innovations in new vehicles and new missions, advances in artificial intelligence, and the challenge of sustainability in a changing climate. JAT is a critical source for peer-reviewed, leading-edge ATM innovation, and it is a great honor to have been chosen as the editor in this exciting time,” said Wanke.

Wanke holds a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Some of his accomplishments include leading the development, field testing, and technology transfer of several capabilities now deployed as part of the FAA’s operational traffic flow management system (TFMS). Wanke has served as Principal Investigator for many years on MITRE IR&D projects, and in addition to serving as the Chief Engineer of CAASD, he also currently leads the MITRE IR&D program in aviation and surface transportation. He was an Associate Editor of JAT from 2016 to 2022, and he also has authored or co-authored more than 100 journal and conference papers on air traffic management and various aeronautical engineering topics.

JAT is devoted to the dissemination of original archival papers describing new developments in air traffic management and aviation operations of all flight vehicles, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and space vehicles, operating in the global airspace system.

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.

Russell M. Cummings Appointed Editor-in-Chief of the AIAA Education Series

October 7, 2022 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has selected Russell M. Cummings, Professor of Aeronautics, U.S. Air Force Academy, and AIAA Fellow, as its new editor-in-chief for the AIAA Education Series. Cummings will begin this new role in January 2023. He succeeds Joseph Schetz of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, who has served as editor-in-chief of the book series since 2003.

The AIAA Publications Committee oversees the search and selection effort for new editors-in-chief. This year’s search committee was led by Noel Clemens, University of Texas at Austin, AIAA Publications Committee member. Cummings was chosen from among a group of highly qualified candidates.

“My experiences with book publishing, coupled with my education, research, and program management background, have given me significant insight into the Education Series and how we can continue to improve and expand the reach of the series,” said Cummings.

Cummings holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California, and Master of Engineering and B.S. degrees in Aeronautical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University. He is currently a Professor of Aeronautics and managing director of the Department of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP) Hypersonic Vehicle Simulation Institute at the U.S. Air Force Academy. From 2015 to 2018, he was the technical director at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) European Office of Aerospace Research & Development in London. He has previously worked at Hughes Aircraft Company, NASA Ames Research Center, and California Polytechnic State University.

Cummings currently serves as deputy editor of AIAA’s Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets and is an associate editor of AIAA’s Journal of Aircraft. He has also served as an associate editor for Elsevier’s Aerospace Science & Technology. He is co-author of the sixth edition of Aerodynamics for Engineers, and lead author for the textbook, Applied Computational Aerodynamics. Cummings also is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

The AIAA Education Series publishes books that are adopted for classroom use in many of the top undergraduate and graduate engineering programs around the world. These important texts are also referred to on a daily basis by aeronautics and astronautics professionals who want to expand their knowledge and expertise. Books in the series present the subject material tutorially, discussing fundamental principles and concepts.

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.

AIAA Statement on FY22 Consolidated Appropriations Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 14, 2022 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) issued the following statement from AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher:

“AIAA applauds the final passage of the FY22 Consolidated Appropriations Act. We are pleased this omnibus spending package is now in place to fund the federal government through September 2022. The $1.5 trillion bill includes $728.5 billion for the DOD ($119.2 billion for RDT&E), $18.1 billion for the FAA, $24 billion for NASA, $1 billion for NIST, $5.9 billion for NOAA, and $8.8 billion for the NSF. In addition, the legislation includes approximately $14 billion in emergency funding to support humanitarian, security, and economic assistance for Ukraine and our Central European partners following the Russian invasion.

While these appropriations are welcome, they come nearly six months into the current fiscal year and after two continuing resolutions. Unfortunately, such tactics have become commonplace in Congress.

AIAA—the world’s largest aerospace professional society—continues to call on lawmakers to return to a regular process, passing appropriations on time and continuing to provide initiatives for recovery from the pandemic to ensure that the United States retains global aerospace leadership. The U.S. aerospace and defense industry is a multi-trillion-dollar enterprise that supports millions of direct and indirect jobs nationally and many more globally. It is imperative for Congress to provide stable and predictable funding for federal programs and organizations as we rebuild our aging infrastructure, support and grow our workforce while ensuring COVID-19 safety measures, and develop technologies that advance the state of the art and fuel economic growth.”

Media contact: Rebecca B. 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 or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA Seeks Editor-in-Chief for the AIAA Education Series

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 8, 2022 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is seeking an outstanding candidate to assume the responsibilities of editor-in-chief for the AIAA Education Series. Applications are due by 30 April. The chosen candidate will assume the editorship at an exciting time as AIAA continues to expand its ability to support eBooks and other electronic content, along with publishing a range of titles in traditional print format.

The AIAA Education Series publishes books that are adopted for classroom use in many of the top undergraduate and graduate engineering programs around the world. These important texts are also referred to daily by aeronautics and astronautics professionals who want to expand their knowledge and expertise. Books in the series present the subject material tutorially, discussing fundamental principles and concepts.

Interested candidates can read more here on the application process. While the deadline to apply for full consideration is 30 April, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. For more information, contact Michele Dominiak, managing director, Publications, at [email protected].

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