AIAA is pleased to announce its newly selected 30/30 recipients – 30 young professionals advancing aerospace today and shaping the future in lasting ways.
Selected for the exceptional rigor and impact of their work, their contributions are informing research, influencing innovation, and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers. Recipients were selected by AIAA’s technical community from multiple disciplines, including: Aerospace Design and Structures; Aerospace Sciences; Aircraft Technology, Integration and Operations; Business and Communications; Information Systems; Propulsion and Energy; and Space and Missiles.
“Congratulations to each of the inaugural 30/30 recipients!” said AIAA CEO Clay Mowry. “This program has the weight and prestige of AIAA’s proven record of excellence behind it as we recognize these standouts in aerospace. 30/30 builds a visible leadership pipeline while celebrating the energy and ingenuity of aerospace’s younger generation. We are thrilled to recognize our profession’s future leaders and pioneers.”
The initiative comes as the aerospace industry grapples with a widening talent gap driven by an aging workforce, rising demand for technically skilled engineers, and growing competition from the broader tech sector. The 30/30 program complements a broader effort by AIAA and its Corporate Members to nurture the next generation of aerospace talent, who remain key to the industry’s future growth.
AIAA’s 30/30 program spotlights young professionals in aerospace – placing technical achievement, future potential, and overall excellence at its core.
As well as being featured in the Oct-Dec 2026 issue of Aerospace America, recipients also receive a free registration to an AIAA forum or event in 2027, a complimentary year of AIAA membership, and opportunities to participate in mentoring and peer networking sessions at AIAA events.
- Chip Andrews, Senior Principal Systems Engineer, Raytheon, an RTX Business
- Anthony Ashley, Advanced Technology Leadership Program / Aeronautical Engineer Staff, Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Camille Bergin, Chief Marketing Officer, Star Catcher Industries
- Jeremy Boling, Mechanical Engineer, U.S. Army DEVCOM Armaments Center
- Eleonora Botta, Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University at Buffalo – State University of New York
- Angela Buccio, Engineering Specialist, Rotor Dynamics and Aeromechanics, Bell Textron Inc.
- Alex Carrere, Associate Technical Fellow, The Boeing Company
- Daniel Castro Ortega, Senior Propulsion Engineer, Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Paula do Vale Pereira, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida
- Daniel Donahue, Aerodynamic Stability and Control Engineer, The Boeing Company
- Carolyn Eady, Senior Professional Staff II and Assistant Project Manager, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL)
- Roshan T. Eapen, Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering, Pennsylvania State University
- Taylor Fazzini, Modeling & Simulation Engineer, Northrop Grumman Corporation
- Jason Ginn, Mechanical Systems Engineer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Richard Hann, Director, UAV Icing Lab, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, & Head of Aerodynamics, Ubiq Aerospace
- Evan Harrison, Senior Research Engineer and Division Chief, Georgia Institute of Technology
- Kerianne Hobbs, Senior Engineering Specialist, The Aerospace Corporation
- Oliver Jia-Richards, Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan
- Sang-A Lee, Graduate Research Assistant, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Max Z. Li, Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan
- Ryan J. Meritt, Director, Ahmic Operations, CUBRC
- Mahhad Nayyer, Ph.D. Candidate and Mirzayan Fellow at National Academy of Sciences, Purdue University
- Olga Isabel Pérez Encarnación, Air Traffic Controller and Aerospace Media Producer, Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), El Nuevo Diario, & Nolim Studios
- Ashwin Rao, Branch Chief, Analysis, Space Systems Command
- Harry Smith, Director of Flight Sciences, FlexCompute
- Chad Stearns, Program Management Manager – Chief of Staff, The Boeing Company
- James “JP” Stewart, Senior Vice President of Product Development, Electra
- Aman Deep Tripathi, Product and Commercialization Lead, Wisk Aero
- John Warren, Systems Engineer Staff, Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Suo Yang, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota
Nominations for the 2027 Class will open next year.
You can receive a notification on the upcoming 30/30 cycle here.
