Tag: Washington DC

AIAA Announces Class of 2024 Honorary Fellows and Fellows

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 8, 2024 – Reston, Va. –The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) proudly congratulates its newly elected Class of 2024 Honorary Fellows and Fellows. The class will be inducted during a ceremony on Tuesday, 14 May, in Washington, DC, and celebrated during the AIAA Awards Gala on Wednesday, 15 May, at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts*, Washington, DC. AIAA Awards Gala tickets are available now.

“The Class of 2024 AIAA Honorary Fellows and Fellows are among the most respected names in the aerospace profession. Congratulations to each member of this year’s class for their many accomplishments,” said Laura McGill, AIAA President. “These distinguished individuals have earned the respect and admiration of our broad science and engineering community. We are in awe of their creativity and exceptional contributions to advance the performance and capability of aerospace systems.”

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, 242 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 2,064 persons have been elected as an AIAA Fellow.

“AIAA takes great pride in honoring the Class of 2024 Honorary Fellows and Fellows. These professionals have made significant and lasting contributions to the aerospace community. Their passion and dedication are inspiring the generations that follow to reach even greater heights,” added Dan Dumbacher, AIAA CEO.

2024 AIAA Honorary Fellows
Hitoshi Kuninaka, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science / Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
John S. Langford III, Electra.aero
Azad M. Madni, University of Southern California
Christopher Scolese, National Reconnaissance Office

2024 AIAA Fellows
Igor Adamovich, Ohio State University
Stephen Blanchette Jr., The Aerospace Corporation
Ruxandra M. Botez, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS)
Robert D. Cabana, NASA Headquarters (retired)
John R. Chawner, Pointwise (retired)
Charles J. Cross, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory
Misty Davies, NASA Ames Research Center
Srinath Ekkad, North Carolina State University
Edward H. Gerding, The Boeing Company
John Mace Grunsfeld, Endless Frontier Associates LLC
Richard Hofer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Yiguang Ju, Princeton University
Joseph Majdalani, Auburn University
Richard Mange, Lockheed Martin Corporation
J.D. McFarlan III, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Mehran Mesbahi, University of Washington
Clayton Mowry, Voyager Space / International Astronautical Federation
Alison Nordt, Lockheed Martin Space
Daniella Raveh, Technion – IIT
Gregory W. Reich, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory
Katherine Rink, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Donna Cowell Senft, Air Force Global Strike Command
Jeffrey P. Slotnick, The Boeing Company
S. Alan Stern, Southwest Research Institute
John Tylko, Aurora Flight Sciences, A Boeing Company
Craig Wanke, The MITRE Corporation
Annalisa Weigel, Fairmont Consulting Group
Lesley A. Weitz, The MITRE Corporation

* Note: This event is an external rental presented in coordination with the Kennedy Center Campus Rentals Office and is not produced by the Kennedy Center.

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

ASCEND Announces Commercial Space Policy Event, 15 November

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 14, 2021 – Reston, Va. – ASCEND, the interdisciplinary community focused on building humanity’s off-world future faster, today announced the detailed agenda for its East Coast Satellite Event on 15 November in Washington, DC, as part of the 2021 ASCEND centerpiece event. Powered by AIAA, ASCEND was launched in 2020 to Accelerate Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery.

For those living within commutable distance of Washington, DC, this limited-space, one-day, face-to-face event will feature discussions with national leaders on-site, networking during and after, and a live feed from the ASCEND Las Vegas stage. The AIAA National Capital Section will host a happy hour networking event at the conclusion of the day.

Registration is open now and includes full online access for 8–10 and 15–17 November. Journalists interested in covering the DC-based event in person should contact [email protected] for credentialing.

2021 ASCEND East Coast Satellite Event
15 November, 1030–1600 hrs ET
Lunch is included
Ronald Reagan Building – Rotunda Room, Washington, DC

Opening Ceremony (Livestreamed)

  • Kari Byron, Producer and Television Personality

Building Worlds That Do Not Yet Exist (Livestreamed)
Have you ever wondered if we, as the greater collective, are thinking big enough for space? Discover the futures that don’t yet exist, how incredible creators and visionaries bring their ideas into reality, and the value that such efforts can bring to drive progress. Because if we can’t dream it, we can’t get there. Let’s explore together how to imagine untapped opportunities and turn those dreams into tangible images of the future as a catalyst for accelerating growth and delivering greater value for the space enterprise!

  • Moderator: Ariel Ekblaw, Director, MIT Space Exploration Initiative, MIT Media Lab

Public-Private Partnerships: When One Shoe Doesn’t Fit All (Livestreamed)
Public–Private Partnerships (PPP) have been in use in the United States almost since the nation was founded and in aviation and space for decades – driving industry forward, introducing innovation, and reducing costs. At the same time, they are not a panacea and sometimes fail, leaving the government to step in to clean up the mess. NASA’s recent efforts to utilize PPPs for human spaceflight systems are modeled on success with the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program that benefitted from an existing launch market with well-established customer demand. Is this the appropriate model for PPPs under conditions of uncertain demand, in LEO or deep space? Are PPPs still a meaningful construct in those circumstances, or are the rules, incentives, and risk management approach governing the relationship more important? This session will go beyond the “PPP soundbite” to explore different models across various types of markets and incentives.

  • Mary Lynne Dittmar, Executive Vice President, Axiom Space (Moderator)
  • Dan Dumbacher, Executive Director, AIAA
  • Henry Hertzfeld, Research Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University

Policy for Growing Commercial Space Opportunities (Live, in person after lunch)

Opening remarks will be given by Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), Chairman, House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee.

The panel discussion that follows will sharpen our focus on how policy can be used to accelerate, enhance, and shape commercial space opportunities while balancing the array of technical, financial, legal, and programmatic factors. Topics for the dynamic discussion include: When is it appropriate for government to use commercial services? What are the benefits and risks of firm-fixed-price procurements and Other Transactional Authorities? How can government and industry work together to accelerate “hard tech” development for space? How can regulations encourage the growth of purely private space ventures while still protecting public safety and other national interests?

  • Tim Dominick, Chair, AIAA Public Policy (Moderator)
  • Mike Gold, Executive Vice President for Civil Space and External Affairs, Redwire Space
  • Tom Hammond, Senior Policy Advisor, House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee (Minority Staff)
  • Ezinne Uzo-Okoro, Assistant Director for Space Policy, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)

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

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND promotes 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! For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

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 Announces its Class of 2023 Honorary Fellows and Fellows

Three Honorary Fellows and 28 Fellows Elected

February 13, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) proudly congratulates its newly elected Class of 2023 Honorary Fellows and Fellows. The three new Honorary Fellows and 28 new Fellows will be inducted at a ceremony on Wednesday, 17 May, in Arlington, Virginia. AIAA will celebrate the new Honorary Fellows and Fellows during the AIAA Awards Gala, Thursday, 18 May, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts*, Washington, DC. Tickets for the AIAA Awards Gala are available now.

“The Class of 2023 AIAA Honorary Fellows and Fellows are among the best minds in the aerospace profession. I commend each member of this year’s Class for their many accomplishments,” said Laura McGill, AIAA President. “These distinguished individuals have earned the respect and gratitude of our broad science and engineering community. We are in awe of their creativity and exceptional contributions to advance the performance and capability of aerospace systems.”

Honorary Fellow is the highest distinction conferred by AIAA and recognizes preeminent individuals who have had long and highly contributory careers in aerospace and who embody the highest possible standards in aeronautics and astronautics. In 1933, Orville Wright became the first AIAA Honorary Fellow. Today, AIAA Honorary Fellows and AIAA Fellows are the most respected names in the aerospace industry.

AIAA confers the distinction of 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, 2,036 distinguished persons have been elected as a Fellow.

“AIAA takes great pride in honoring the Class of 2023 Honorary Fellows and Fellows. These professionals have made significant and lasting contributions to the aerospace community. Their passion and dedication are inspiring the generations that follow to reach even greater heights,” added Dan Dumbacher, AIAA Executive Director.

For more information on the AIAA Honors Program, AIAA Honorary Fellows, or AIAA Fellows, contact Patricia A. Carr at [email protected].

2023 AIAA Honorary Fellows
Mark Drela, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
James G. Maser, Aerojet Rocketdyne
William A. Sirignano, University of California, Irvine

2023 AIAA Fellows
Behçet Açıkmeşe, University of Washington
Steven J. Beresh, Sandia National Laboratories
Charles F. Bolden Jr., The Charles F. Bolden Group
Helmut Ciezki, DLR – German Aerospace Center
Capt. Meredith B. Colket III, Combustion Consulting Services, LLC, United Technologies Research Center (retired)
Daniel DeLaurentis, Purdue University
Christopher D’Souza, NASA Johnson Space Center
Ismet Gursul, University of Bath
Kauser S. Imtiaz, NASA
R. Steven Justice, The Ginn Group
Raymond M. Kolonay, Air Force Research Laboratory
Rodney Makoske, Lockheed Martin
Jill Marlowe, NASA
Pamela Melroy, NASA
David G. Mitchell, Mitchell Aerospace Research
Eugene Morelli, NASA Langley Research Center
Scott E. Palo, University of Colorado Boulder
Surendra Sharma, NASA Ames Research Center
Robert T.-I. Shin, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Rickey J. Shyne, NASA Glenn Research Center
Leena Singh, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Michael Sinnett, Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Lawrence W. Stephens, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control
Mitchell L.R. Walker II, Georgia Institute of Technology
Brian L. Wardle, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Michael E. White, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Michael Winter, Pratt & Whitney
Thomas H. Zurbuchen, NASA (retired)

*Please note that this event is an external rental presented in coordination with the Kennedy Center Campus Rentals Office and is not produced by the Kennedy Center.

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

AIAA Announces 2023 Premier Award Winners

Aerospace’s Best and Brightest to be Honored at AIAA Awards Gala

February 13, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the 2023 recipients of its most prestigious awards, the AIAA Premier Awards, recognizing the most influential and inspiring individuals in aerospace whose outstanding contributions merit the highest accolades. A new award – the AIAA Award for Aerospace Excellence – was added in 2023 in order to celebrate a unique program or mission in the aerospace community deserving timely recognition.

Presentation of the 2023 AIAA Premier Awards and recognition of the Institute’s Class of 2023 Honorary Fellows and Fellows will take place at the AIAA Awards Gala, Thursday, 18 May, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts*, Washington, DC. Tickets are available now.

“Congratulations to our premier award winners,” said AIAA President Laura McGill. “We are inspired by their hard work and achievements, and we thank them for their dedication to the aerospace industry. AIAA is committed to ensuring that aerospace professionals are recognized and celebrated for their innovations and discoveries that make the world safer, more connected, more accessible, and more prosperous.”

The winners are:

AIAA Award for Aerospace Excellence – Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Team, NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

AIAA Public Service Award – Bill Nye, The Planetary Society

AIAA Reed Aeronautics Award – John S. Langford III, Electra.Aero

AIAA Distinguished Service Award – David R. Riley, Boeing Research & Technology (retired)

AIAA International Cooperation Award – Vincent A. Orlando, MIT Lincoln Laboratory

AIAA Engineer of the Year Award – Alison A. Nordt, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center

AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award – Charlie Atkinson, Jennifer Love-Pruitt, Michael T. Menzel, and Lee D. Feinberg, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Northrop Grumman Team – James Webb Space Telescope 

AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award – Phillip J. Ansell, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Award Citations

AIAA Award for Aerospace Excellence
This award honors a unique achievement by a group or team in the aerospace community that is shaping the future of aerospace and inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in aerospace. The award is designed for timely recognition of a recent program or mission.

NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Team

    , honored “In recognition of humanity’s first time purposely changing the motion of a celestial object by a team of protectors of our home planet.” Accepting the award on behalf of the DART team: Jeremy John, JHUAPL, and Lindley Johnson, NASA.

AIAA Public Service Award
The award honors a person who has demonstrated sustained and visible support for aviation and space goals.

Bill Nye,

    The Planetary Society, honored “For demonstrating sustained and visible support for aviation and space goals through popular media outreach.”

AIAA Reed Aeronautics Award
The highest honor AIAA bestows for notable achievements in the field of aeronautics. The award is named after Dr. Sylvanus A. Reed, aeronautical engineer, designer, and founding member of the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences in 1932.

John S. Langford III,

    Electra.Aero, honored “For exemplary achievement as an outstanding aeronautical engineer, visionary leadership in the development of autonomous flight, and relentless advocacy of the future aerospace workforce.”

AIAA Distinguished Service Award
AIAA recognizes an individual member who has provided distinguished service to the Institute over a period of years.

David R. Riley

    , Boeing Research & Technology (retired), honored “In recognition of over four decades of dedicated leadership and service to AIAA at the section, region, national, and international levels.”

AIAA International Cooperation Award
The award is presented to a member who has made a recent individual contribution in the application of scientific and mathematical principles leading to a significant accomplishment or event worthy of AIAA’s national or international recognition.

Vincent A. Orlando,

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory, honored “For over 40 years of sustained technical innovation, standards development, and international harmonization of aviation surveillance system technology.”

AIAA Engineer of the Year Award
The award is presented to a member of the Institute who has made a recent individual, technical contribution in the application of scientific and mathematical principles leading to a significant technical accomplishment.

Alison A. Nordt,

    Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, honored “For exceptional engineering and technical leadership in the development of the Near Infrared Camera critical to the success of the James Webb Space Telescope.”

AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award
The highest honor AIAA bestows for notable achievement in the field of astronautics. It was endowed by Mrs. Goddard in the 1940s as the ARS Goddard Memorial Award to commemorate her husband, Robert H. Goddard—rocket visionary, pioneer, bold experimentalist, and superb engineer whose early liquid rocket engine launches set the stage for the development of astronautics.

Charlie Atkinson, Jennifer Love-Pruitt, Michael T. Menzel, and Lee D. Feinberg,

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Northrop Grumman Team – James Webb Space Telescope, honored “For delivering groundbreaking engineering performance for the James Webb Space Telescope, to advance the study of every phase of cosmic history.”

AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award
The award is presented for a notable contribution made by a young person, age 35 or under, to the advancement of aeronautics or astronautics. This award honors Lawrence B. Sperry, pioneer aviator and inventor, who died in 1923 in a forced landing while attempting a flight across the English Channel.

Phillip J. Ansell,

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, honored “For outstanding contributions to electrified aircraft technologies and pioneering work toward sustainable aviation.”

*Please note that this event is an external rental presented in coordination with the Kennedy Center Campus Rentals Office and is not produced by the Kennedy Center.

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, and follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, 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/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.