The AIAA Foundation annually awards financial aid to graduate and undergraduate students in science or engineering programs related to aerospace. Its graduate scholarship program presents awards to graduate students doing excellent research in the air and space sciences. The Foundation also offers scholarships to college sophomores, juniors, and seniors each year, and recipients can apply to renew their scholarships annually until they graduate.
Each year the AIAA Foundation presents the Orville and Wilbur Wright Graduate Awards. These $5,000 awards, given in memory of the Wright brothers’ contributions to the evolution of flight, honor full-time graduate students.
The winners are:
In addition, Julia CrowleyFaranga, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, received the Neil Armstrong Graduate Award. This $5,000 award honors the character and achievements of the late astronaut, military pilot and educator, Neil A. Armstrong.
The AIAA Foundation also presented the John Leland Atwood Graduate Award to Thibaud Teil, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado. Established in 1999, the $1,250 award, sponsored by endowments from Rockwell and what is now The Boeing Company and named in memory of John Leland “Lee” Atwood, former chief executive officer of Rockwell, North America, recognizes a student actively engaged in research in the areas covered by the technical committees (TC) of AIAA.
Three AIAA TCs also presented graduate awards:
The AIAA Foundation have awarded ten AIAA Foundation undergraduate scholarships for the 2017–2018 academic year.
The $5,000 David and Catherine Thompson Space Technology Scholarship, named for and endowed by former AIAA President David Thompson, chairman, chief executive officer, and president of Orbital ATK, Dulles, Virginia, and his wife Catherine, was presented to Deborah Jackson, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Arizona.
The $5,000 Vicki and George Muellner Scholarship for Aerospace Engineering, named for and endowed by former AIAA President Lt. Gen. George Muellner, U.S. Air Force (retired) and president of advanced systems for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (retired), and his wife Vicki, was presented to Bindi Nagda, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida.
The $5,000 Wernher von Braun Scholarship, named in honor of German rocketeer and founder of the U.S. space program, Wernher von Braun, was presented to Trupti Mahendrakar, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Arizona.
The $1,500 Leatrice Gregory Pendray Scholarship, awarded to the Foundation’s top female scholarship applicant, was presented to EliseAnn Koskelo, Pomona College, Claremont, California.
Six AIAA Foundation scholarships were presented by AIAA Technical Committees (TC) to students performing research in the TC’s area:
The Digital Avionics TC presented four scholarships of $2,000 each:
For more information on the AIAA Foundation Graduate Awards and Undergraduate Scholarship Program, please contact Felicia Livingston at felicial@aiaa.org or 703.264.7502. Join us as we continue to inspire teachers and students. For more information and to donate, please visit www.aiaafoundation.org.
AIAA Scholarships and Graduate Awards site is now accepting applications for the 2018–2019 academic year. The application deadline is 31 January 2018. For more information, visit us online: www.aiaa.org/scholarships.
The AIAA Orange County (OC) Section recently hosted the 14th annual AIAA Southern California Aerospace Systems and Technology (ASAT) Conference and Banquet on 13 May. Building on more than a decade-long tradition, this conference brought together Southern California engineers, educators, researchers, students, leaders, and enthusiasts for the fourteenth year in a row. The one-day program consisted of 31 presentations in a number of parallel tracks both in the morning and afternoon sessions. Each session was initiated by a prominent keynote speaker. The 2017 ASAT keynote speakers were: Prof. George Bibel, University of North Dakota with his talk Beyond the Black Box: The Forensics of Airplane Crashes, and Dennis R. Jenkins, Project Director, Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, California Science Center Foundation with his talk Preparing the Final Mission of Space Shuttle Endeavor. The banquet speaker was Michael S. Staab, Spacecraft System Engineer/Flight Director, Mars Exploration Rover Mission, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, with his talk on Perspectives from Saturn: Cassini’s Two-Decade Exploration of the Ringed Planet.
Similar to past years, ASAT 2017 accepted unclassified presentations on all aspects of aerospace systems, technology, vehicle design, program management, policy, economics and education and was structured in three major categories:
The banquet, which immediately followed the conference, included an overview of section activities for the year and presentation of awards. Lotfi El-Bayoumy, AIAA OC Section’s Honors & Awards officer, recognized the following individuals:
For the third year, the Gohardani Presentation Award in Aeronautics and Aerospace was also presented to two of the most thought-provoking and exceptional all-around presentations delivered during the ASAT conference, based on: content, reasoning, organization, timing, management, style, clarity, interactivity, engagement with the audience, and an overall feedback. The annual award is presented in two categories: a Junior Category and a Senior Category, based on experience and expertise in aeronautics and aerospace. Sponsored by the Springs of Dreams Corporation, a nonprofit organization, each of these awards includes a monetary prize and a certificate. The 2017 Gohardani Presentation Award in Aeronautics and Aerospace (Junior Category) was presented to Nima Mohseni (University of California, Irvine) and Areg Hunanyan (University of California, Irvine), while the award in the Senior Category was presented to Dr. Thomas P. Barrera (LIB-X Consulting).
The 2017 ASAT conference marked another successful coordination and planning event by John Rose, and Dino Roman, co-chairs of this successful event.
The K–12 STEM Outreach Committee would like to recognize outstanding STEM events in each section. Each month we will highlight an outstanding K–12 STEM activity; if your section would like to be featured, please contact Elishka Jepson (elishka.jepson@raytheon.com).
On 21 June 2016, the AIAA Delaware Section hosted seventeen students from various Cecil County high schools for a site visit at Orbital ATK in Elkton, MD. The students were visiting as part of Cecil County’s STEM Academy, a two-day program where incoming high school sophomores visit local companies to see the variety of careers available with a STEM degree. AIAA Delaware Section members Chrissy Grasso, Eric Rohrbaugh, and Anthony LoRusso taught the students about Orbital ATK, the paths to becoming an engineer, the engineering process, and about rocket design and production.
Placed in teams, the students were challenged to build a straw rocket using the engineering process. Their task was to hit a target area with their straw rocket successfully and repeatedly. They consulted with local subject-matter experts in propulsion, structures, and materials. Many creative designs were built and tested, with one team nailing the target in the middle of the box, earning themselves bonus points and securing the win.
The students enjoyed the challenge and thanked the AIAA Delaware Section for welcoming them to Orbital ATK to show them the assortment of careers that are available with a STEM degree, especially within one facility. As the students continue their journey through the STEM Academy, they’ll start working on an independent research or design project during their junior year. For those who have an interest in aerospace, some of the same engineers who helped them design their rocket today will return as individual mentors.
For over 80 years, AIAA has been committed to ensuring that aerospace professionals are recognized and celebrated for their achievements and innovations that make the world safer, more connected, accessible, and prosperous. AIAA celebrates the following individuals who were recognized between July and September 2017.
Presented at the AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum, 10–12 July 2017, Atlanta, Georgia
AIAA Aerospace Power Systems Award
Thomas W. Kerslake
Power System Engineer
NASA Glenn Research Center
For exceptional service to the aerospace space power community; invaluable technical contributions to the design, analysis, test, and on-orbit operation of photovoltaic solar arrays; and dedicated technical leadership of electrical power subsystem development resulting in multiple successful spacecraft mission deployments.
Nominated by: Michael Piszczor, NASA Glenn Research Center
AIAA Air Breathing Propulsion Award
Campbell D. Carter
Air Force Research Laboratory
Wright-Patterson AFB
For a distinguished record of technical contributions to laser and optical diagnostics for combustion, turbulent-, supersonic- and plasma-assisted combustion and sustained service to the community.
Nominated by: Faure Joel Malo-Molina, Air Force Research Laboratory
AIAA Energy Systems Award
Suresh K. Aggarwal
Professor, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
University of Illinois at Chicago
For outstanding contributions to energy and combustion systems through pioneering work on advanced spray and flame model development for improved engine performance and pollution reduction.
Nominated by: Tom I-P. Shih, Purdue University
AIAA 2017 Engineer of the Year Award
Michael Keidar
Professor, School of Engineering and Applied Science
George Washington University
For significant contributions to fundamentals and applications of electric propulsion, particularly micro-propulsion for small satellites.
Nominated by Norman Wereley, University of Maryland
AIAA Propellants and Combustion Award
Ken N. C. Bray
Professor Emeritus, Department of Engineering
University of Cambridge
For his pioneering contributions to fundamental understanding of mixing, combustion and gas dynamics for high speed propulsion and his teaching, research and enriched international collaborations.
Nominated by: Ashwani Gupta, University of Maryland
AIAA Wyld Propulsion Award
John R. Brophy
Engineering Fellow
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
For leadership and technical contributions resulting in the implementation of electric propulsion on deep-space NASA missions and enabling the Asteroid Retrieval Mission.
Nominated by Dan Goebel, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
AIAA Sustained Service Award
Marc D. Polanka
Professor, Air Force Institute of Technology
Wright-Patterson AFB
For service to the Dayton-Cincinnati Section as past chair of the section, past chair of the DCASS Conference, and continued service as honors and awards chair and AFIT student section faculty advisor.
Part of the canceled AIAA SPACE Forum; Awards Will Be Presented at a 2018 Event
von Kármán Lecture in Astronautics
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station: Unlocking the Secrets of the Cosmos
Samuel C. C. Ting
Thomas Dudley Cabot Professor of Physics
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Nominated by: William Gerstenmaier, NASA Headquarters
Space Automation & Robotics Award
Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) Team
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
In recognition of the Robotic Refueling Mission Team for their work in advancing the state of robotic servicing technology enabling the routine serving of satellites.
Nominated by: David Spangler, OceaneeringSpace Systems
Space Operations and Support Award
ISS Loop A Response Team
Anthony Vereha, Todd Quasny, ISS Flight Controllers
NASA Johnson Space Center
For leadership and innovation in working the External Thermal Control System Loop A Flow Control Valve failure on the International Space Station.
Nominated by: Michele Brekke, Michele Brekke and Associates
Space Systems Award
Juno Mission Team
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
For exceptional achievement in the development and implementation of the Juno mission, resulting in groundbreaking data that is revolutionizing our understanding of Jupiter.
Nominated by: Charles Elachi, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
von Braun Award for Excellence in Space Program Management
Maj. Gen. Roger W. Teague
Director, Space Programs
Assistant Secretary (Acquisition),
U.S. Air Force
For exceptional achievement in space missions, through innovative strategic thinking, revolutionary program management, and inspirational leadership on program execution.
Nominated by: Tom Taverney, Leidos-Space System Development
Presented at the 36th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC), 17–21 September 2017, St. Petersburg, Florida
AIAA Dr. John C. Ruth Digital Avionics Award
John R. Moore
Principal Systems Engineer
Rockwell Collins, Inc.
For pioneering work to develop enabling technologies for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, and the standards to adopt them into the National Air Space.
Nominated by: Alan Tribble, Rockwell Collins
Eric Phillip Muntz died on 1 August. He was 83 years old.
Professor Muntz received his B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering (1956) and his M.S. (1957) and Ph.D. (1961) from the University of Toronto, Canada. He joined the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Southern California in 1969 and was promoted to Professor in 1971. Professor Muntz served as Department Chair for the Aerospace Engineering Department from 1992 to 1998 and oversaw the merging of the Aerospace Department with the Mechanical Engineering Department as the combined Department Chair from 2000 to 2003. He held the appointment as the A.B. Freeman Professor of Engineering from 2004 until he retired in May 2014.
Professor Muntz’s research made seminal contributions to experimental aerodynamics with his development of electron beam fluorescence techniques. He also made important contributions to x-ray diagnostics applied to radiology. He was the holder or co-holder of over 25 patents.
Professor Muntz was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1993 and, in addition to being an AIAA Fellow, was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society (1994). He was recognized with the 1987 AIAA Aerospace Contribution to Society Award: “For twenty-five years of achieving the effective incorporation of the technology dimension into government policy decisions to maintain our technological strength and lead to a better and safer world.”
