Mostafa Hassanalian, an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Autonomous Flight and Aquatic Systems Laboratory at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT), serves as the faculty advisor for AIAA NMT Student Branch. Hassanalian was one of six faculty advisors selected to receive the 2025 AIAA Faculty Advisor Award, highlighting his dedication to education, student mentorship, and his impact on the broader community at the local, state, and national levels. He continues to create opportunities that support student success both inside and outside the classroom.
In his role as faculty advisor, Hassanalian has helped bring hands-on learning into the academic experience. He has supported the integration of AIAA competitions, research, and applied training into coursework, including contributions to the development of a Drone and UAS major. He leads the Autonomous Flight and Aquatic Systems Laboratory, where students work on research involving flapping wing drones, stratospheric airships, and bioinspired systems.
One of the most notable student projects under his guidance was the Taxidermy Bird Drone. The project was first presented at an AIAA forum and later gained international attention. It was featured in major media outlets including the New York Times, National Geographic, The Guardian, Washington Post, and New York Post, reaching a global audience of more than 6 billion people.
Hassanalian continues to mentor students at all levels. He currently supervises nine Ph.D. and ten M.S. students and has graduated three Ph.D. and 24 M.S. students. Since 2018, more than 80 undergraduate students have conducted research under his mentorship. Many of these students also have presented their work at AIAA events including AIAA SciTech, AIAA AVIATION, Region IV Student Conferences, and ASCEND.
Beyond the university, Hassanalian has organized STEM events and workshops for K–12 students, especially in rural and underrepresented communities across New Mexico. His academic work includes securing more than $7.5 million in research funding from organizations such as NSF, NASA, NIOSH CDC, DOE, Alpha Foundation, and industry partners. He has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed publications, including over 140 AIAA conference papers.
His recent recognitions include being named Mentor of the Year at the New Mexico AMP Student Research Conference in 2024 and receiving the Faculty Distinguished Service Award from New Mexico Tech in the same year. He was also recognized as Outstanding Faculty Member by the NMT Student Government Association in 2020 and has been named Dean’s Research Scholar since 2023. In 2021, he received the United Nations USA SDG Advocate Award.
“Dr. Mostafa Hassanalian has consistently exemplified excellence in student mentorship, aerospace research, and service to the academic and professional community,” said Humberto Silva III of Sandia National Laboratories.
Through his leadership in research, teaching, and outreach, Hassanalian continues to make a strong impact on his students and the aerospace community. His work reflects the purpose of the AIAA Faculty Advisor Award and helps prepare the next generation of engineers.
