The AIAA Foundation has announced the winners of its 2026 undergraduate scholarships and graduate awards. Through its Foundation and supported by nearly 33,000 members, AIAA awards over $160,000 in academic scholarships and STEM educational grants to support the next generation of aerospace professionals.
INAUGURAL Steve L. Karman Jr. Aerospace Engineering Scholarship ($10,000)
Vivian Zhang, Georgia Institute of Technology
Zhang is a fourth-year student at the Georgia Institute of Technology studying Aerospace Engineering and Mathematics. As part of the Aerospace Computational Engineering group at Georgia Tech, she researches and develops computational methods to support engineering design. Over the summer, she interned at the University of Potsdam in Germany, where she conducted research in data assimilation. Zhang is also passionate about teaching and mentorship. Through her roles as a Learning Assistant and Tutor, she has supported courses in engineering, material science, physics, and mathematics.
I am honored to receive this scholarship. This award will allow me to continue my research in the intersection of aerospace, computational engineering, and mathematics. Thank you to AIAA, John, Kristen, and the Karman family for supporting my academic journey!
Daedalus 88 Scholarship ($10,000)
Tomas Salvo, Georgia Institute of Technology
Salvo is a rising senior in aerospace engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is originally Brazilian but grew up in Chicago and Singapore. Tomas has been building remote-controlled airplanes since he was 10 and recently built a high-speed turbojet-powered aircraft that went viral on X. He has worked at Skydio, Relativity Space, and Mach Industries, and now he is developing his own drone capable of Mach 1 flight.
This scholarship lets me finish my degree at Georgia Tech while continuing to work on my projects. I’m incredibly grateful to Dr. Langford and the AIAA Foundation for backing student builders.
Mary W. Jackson Scholarship ($10,000)
Rodrigo Martinez Chavez, University of California, Berkeley
Chavez is an undergraduate Aerospace Engineering student at the University of California, Berkeley, originally from Lima, Peru. His interests include spacecraft propulsion, entry, descent, and landing (EDL), and space systems. At Berkeley, he contributes to experimental rocketry and propulsion development through Space Technologies and Rocketry (STAR) and serves as Vice-Chair of the Research Committee of the AIAA Berkeley Student Branch.
Beyond Berkeley, Chavez serves as Research & Engineering Lead at the Intinauta Research Center, where he has contributed to research presented at the International Astronautical Congress on topics including aerocapture, reentry blackout mitigation, and Mars analog research. He also co-leads the Pedro Paulet Rocketry Club, supporting the development of experimental rocketry projects in Peru. Chavez is also the founder of Space Connections, a bilingual initiative connecting students across Latin America with opportunities in space science and engineering.
Chavez is a recipient of the AIAA Rising Stars in Aerospace Program, the SGAC South American Space Leadership Award, and the Beca Cometa Scholarship. His long-term goal is to contribute to ambitious international space exploration missions while helping expand the aerospace ecosystem in Peru and Latin America. He hopes to combine advanced engineering and research with international collaboration, while creating pathways for more students from the region to participate in the global aerospace community.
Receiving the scholarship is an incredible honor and a meaningful reminder of how far a dream can travel. Growing up in Peru, pursuing a career in aerospace once felt like a distant goal, and this recognition from AIAA encourages me to keep pushing that dream forward. This scholarship will help me continue developing as an engineer through research, hands-on projects, and opportunities to engage with the broader aerospace community. I hope to use those experiences not only to contribute to future space exploration, but also to help strengthen Peru’s growing aerospace ecosystem and expand opportunities for the next generation of engineers across Latin America. I am deeply grateful to the AIAA Foundation for believing in and supporting that journey.
David and Catherine Thompson Space Technology Scholarship ($10,000)
Giol Vinyals-i-Roca, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Vinyals-i-Roca is an Aerospace Engineering student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University specializing in Astronautics and UAS Applications. A 4.0 GPA Honors student and recipient of the VFF and ERAU Excellence scholarships, Vinyals-i-Roca currently serves as the Design Lead for the GoAero competition team at the EFRC, having progressed through propulsion, avionics, and manufacturing roles that earned a U.S. Innovation Award. He is also the founder and Principal Investigator of the NAUT project, focusing on underactuated nano-aircraft technology, and has experience developing microwave circuits for an SDR-based radar for nanosatellites at the isardSAT company.
With over eight years of experience building and flying FPV drones, Vinyals-i-Roca balances his technical research with being a classically trained violist and a competitive judoka. An avid endurance athlete and scuba diver, he has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and completed both a solo Ironman and a 75km ultramarathon. Driven by his goal of becoming an astronaut, Giol aims to advance space technologies that expand exploration capabilities and deliver meaningful benefits on Earth.
Receiving the scholarship is both a great honor and a responsibility — to keep working hard to achieve my goals, and to have a positive impact on our incredible world.
Vicki and George Muellner Scholarship for Aerospace Engineering ($5,000)
Anthony Vo, University of Oklahoma
Vo is a senior at the University of Oklahoma pursuing his bachelor’s degree and soon his master’s degree in aerospace engineering. He serves as the President of OU’s AIAA student branch and as Chief Engineer for OU’s Design/Build/Fly team. In addition, Vo conducts nanocomposite research, where he focuses on carbon nanotube and boron nitride nanotube composites for aerospace applications. He is also a Structural Design Engineering Intern at Boeing, where he applies engineering principles to the design and development of aircraft structures. Through his leadership, research, and industry experience, Vo is dedicated to contributing to the future of flight.
Receiving this scholarship validates my dedication to leadership and service. This support enables me to stay focused on my academics, empowering me to transition into high impact fields where I can contribute to our nation’s aerospace excellence.
Ellis F. Hitt Digital Avionics Scholarship ($3,000)
Rayni Rister, Ohio University
Rister is a fourth-year Honors student at Ohio University pursuing dual majors in Aviation Flight and Aviation Management, with minors in Business Administration and Communication Studies. She is an active member of Women in Aviation and Alpha Eta Rho aviation fraternity. She works as a student dispatcher at the Ohio University Airport. Rister is dedicated to the Ohio University Honors community and served in numerous leadership roles for the 1804 Scholars Program. She now serves the Ohio Honors Program as a student teaching assistant, student ambassador, and peer mentor.
Rister’s educational aviation goals are to complete her flight training to transition into a flight instructor role to gain valuable experience, refine her flying skills, and deepen her understanding of the aviation industry and flight operations. She is committed to giving back to the aviation community by inspiring greater diversity within the field, mentoring and contributing to advancements in aviation safety, sustainability, and operational efficiency.
This scholarship is an invaluable investment in me as I develop into a well-rounded pilot who embodies excellence, lifelong learning and passionate service.
Denise Ponchak Digital Avionics Scholarship ($3,000)
Shree Shenpagam, Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology (NMIT), Bangalore
Shenpagam is an undergraduate student pursuing Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology (NMIT), Bangalore, India. Her research interests lie at the intersection of aerospace systems, embedded electronics, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), avionics, and intelligent energy management for next-generation aerospace applications.
She has designed and developed embedded systems including an automatic smart wearable safety device and a multi-sensor disaster monitoring and alert system, integrating sensor fusion, GPS/GSM communication, and real-time embedded processing to achieve end-to-end emergency alert latencies of under two seconds. Her work also extends to UAV hybrid energy systems, where she investigated predictive energy management strategies using battery-supercapacitor hybrid architectures to improve transient power delivery and enhance system reliability.
Beyond technical projects, Shenpagam actively engages in research and professional organizations, continually expanding her expertise through interdisciplinary design, innovation, and aerospace-focused initiatives. She aspires to pursue higher studies in Aerospace Engineering and contribute to the development of advanced aerospace systems that enable safer, more efficient, and sustainable space exploration. Outside of engineering, she enjoys playing the drums.
This scholarship provides the launching pad for my goal of advancing space exploration while developing technologies that improve life on Earth.
Dr. Amy R. Pritchett Digital Avionics Scholarship ($3,000)
Michael-Anthony Kline, University of Hartford
Kline is a sophomore studying Aerospace Engineering at the University of Hartford where he has joined many clubs and has been a part of the Metrology Club Research Team. During his down time he enjoys working on additional manufacturing certifications and new belt ranks in Kung Fu. Kline hopes to work locally after graduation in an Aerospace Engineering and Manufacturing leadership position.
Lead by example and follow your dreams.
Cary Spitzer Digital Avionics Scholarship ($3,000)
Tabitha Nabulsi, Liberty University
Nabulsi is a Florida-based aviation student at Liberty University who has committed herself to advancing within a rapidly evolving aerospace field. She began her flight journey training on advanced avionics while pursuing her Private Pilot License, developing a strong foundation in modern cockpit technology from day one. Her career path reflects a dual passion in serving her community as a future female law enforcement pilot and building a long-term career as a corporate aviator. With aerospace technology accelerating faster than ever, she is dedicated to mastering the digital systems that define the next generation of safe, efficient flight.
Aerospace is changing at a pace we’ve never seen before and advanced avionics are at the heart of that transformation. Receiving this scholarship strengthens my ability to grow with this industry and pursue my goals as both a law enforcement pilot and a future corporate pilot.
Space Transportation Scholarship ($1,500)
Priyanka Supraja Balaji, California Institute of Technology
Balaji is a sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. Passionate about autonomous systems and aerospace robotics, she conducts research at Caltech’s Autonomous Robotics and Control Lab, developing real-time fault detection and recovery frameworks that allow spacecraft to autonomously diagnose and self-correct system failures in deep space. As President of Caltech Air and Outer Space, she leads multidisciplinary student teams designing and building atmospheric CubeSatellite payloads and an autonomous lunar regolith excavator for NASA competitions.
I am deeply thankful to AIAA for this support, which allows me to focus on my research goals to contribute to the next generation of innovative, safe space exploration.
Rocky Mountain Section Scholarship ($500)
Carolyn James, Colorado School of Mines
James is a student at Colorado School of Mines. Her major is Computer Science with a Space specialty. Her goal is to earn a Master’s degree and become a Cybersecurity Architect. She has always been enamored with the idea of working in the space industry. She would love to work for an intelligence, military, or space exploration organization, securing their communications against cyber attacks.
Winning an AIAA Foundation scholarship will be a big help to me. It will help me attend college while reducing the amount of student debt I must take on, allowing me to focus on school rather than finances.
2027 Scholarships and Graduate Awards
Applications for the 2027 scholarships and graduate awards are being
accepted from 15 October to 31 January. Please visit the AIAA Foundation’s
Scholarship and Graduate Awards website for more information.
