Paving the Way for the Next Generation of Aerospace Educators, Engineering Leaders
For three decades, the AIAA Foundation has promoted aerospace education, recognized excellence, and inspired future aerospace professionals. “The AIAA Foundation has been a powerful force in helping countless students and educators discover the wonder of aerospace,” remarked AIAA President Dan Hastings.
As we celebrate the AIAA Foundation’s 30th anniversary, we recognize that strong support by AIAA members has enabled the Foundation to achieve significant impact over the last three decades: more than 1,900 K–12 classroom grants delivered STEM opportunities to over 300,000 young learners; over 1,500 aerospace scholarships have unlocked academic doors; more than 500 student conferences have given aspiring engineers a stage; and upward of 34,000 university students have immersed themselves in hands-on technical design competitions.
According to Alexandra D’Imperio, the Foundation’s director, the focus from the start has been on inspiring and supporting the next generation, noting that the support has ranged from endowing new programs to establishing classroom grants and supporting hands-on educational events. “The Foundation’s reputation for giving back has especially resonated with AIAA’s longstanding members, with many wanting to create a legacy through the Foundation,” D’Imperio added.
Design/Build/Fly Competition
The organization’s most well-known competition, Design/Build/Fly, allows university students to apply real-world aircraft design experience by creating a novel, remote-controlled aircraft manufactured for a specified mission. DBF allows students to build their skills in design as well as teaming and problem-solving needed in today’s job market.
“What sets DBF apart is the hands-on challenge – students aren’t just theorizing, they’re building, breaking, fixing, and collaborating. They face real-world problems with real stakes,” D’Imperio explained.
The competition’s growth – from just 11 teams when it first began in 1996 to over 170 applicants annually – mirrors the field’s expanding horizons. Employers, D’Imperio noted, “know these students have gotten their hands dirty. The ability to work in teams and solve tough problems gives them a tremendous head start in their careers.”
“Design/Build/Fly has set me up well with many skills required in the industry – including technical writing and documentation, leading a team, maintaining regulatory compliance, and transferring knowledge to people coming after me. All that, combined with the quality advice I can obtain from AIAA mentors, will enable me to have a successful career in this industry,” said Tushar Khosla, whose University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s AeroE team finished 25th out of 107 teams in the 2024 competition when he was flight test lead. Khosla graduated in May with honors from the AeroE program and now works as a systems safety engineer at Collins Aerospace.
Beyond headline programs, the Foundation’s classroom grants have enabled educators to create memorable, interactive STEM experiences, while student conferences provide safe spaces for hundreds of emerging scholars to develop their research presentation skills and professional confidence.
Broadening Focus to Include Technical Trades
Looking to the future, the Foundation must adapt its mission to reflect the workforce needs of a rapidly evolving industry, which faces widening skill gaps and an aging labor force. Laura McGill, chair of the AIAA Foundation and director of Sandia National Laboratories, emphasized, “As industry demand for engineers and scientists continues to outpace the available workforce, we know that investing in early education and student engagement is more critical than ever.”
Recent OEM forecasts find that the U.S. aerospace sector will need an additional 123,000 technicians over the next 20 years, prompting the industry to step up efforts to recruit workers from technical colleges and two-year schools.
Similarly, the AIAA Foundation is expanding opportunities for high school and community college students, and introducing non-traditional career pathways to reach a broader, more diverse pool of future aerospace professionals. Now more than ever, the Foundation is dedicated to showing all students – not just future engineers, but also skilled technicians – the variety of roles available across aerospace.
AIAA Foundation Day of Giving Was a Success!
The AIAA Foundation celebrated its fourth annual Day of Giving on 2 December 2025, and with the support of 87 generous donors, we raised more than $61,000! These funds will help fuel the aspirations of the next generation of aerospace innovators and explorers.
Thanks to the continued generosity of the AIAA community, the Foundation will be able to provide over $160,000 annually in scholarships and graduate awards to high school seniors and university students. Additionally, we will distribute $77,000 each year in K-12 educator awards and grants, supporting hands-on programs like Design/Build/Fly, student conferences, and so much more.
There’s still time to make a difference! To contribute to the AIAA Foundation and help shape the future of aerospace, visit aiaa.org/foundation.
AIAA Foundation Day of Giving Was a Success!
The AIAA Foundation celebrated its fourth annual Day of Giving on 2 December 2025, and with the support of 87 generous donors, we raised more than $61,000! These funds will help fuel the aspirations of the next generation of aerospace innovators and explorers.
Thanks to the continued generosity of the AIAA community, the Foundation will be able to provide over $160,000 annually in scholarships and graduate awards to high school seniors and university students. Additionally, we will distribute $77,000 each year in K-12 educator awards and grants, supporting hands-on programs like Design/Build/Fly, student conferences, and so much more.
There’s still time to make a difference! To contribute to the AIAA Foundation and help shape the future of aerospace, visit aiaa.org/foundation.
