The AIAA Foundation has announced the winners of its 2025 undergraduate scholarships and graduate awards. Through its Foundation and supported by nearly 30,000 members, AIAA awards over $225,000 in academic scholarships and STEM educational grants to support the next generation of aerospace professionals.
David and Catherine Thompson Space Technology Scholarship ($10,000)
Paige Rust, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Rust is a senior at Worcester Polytechnic Institute studying Aerospace Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering. She has passions in human systems engineering and human-AI interaction, which she exercises through her membership in the AIAA Human-Machine Teaming Technical Committee, her independent research in explainable AI, and her internships with the Starship Crew Operations team at SpaceX.
I’m forever grateful to AIAA; it’s through their support that I found the aerospace topics that spark my curiosity and shaped my college journey!
Daedalus 88 Scholarship ($10,000)
Abigail Frank, Purdue University
Frank is a senior studying Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Purdue University. At Purdue, Abigail is an Honors College Mentor, an Ambassador for the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Co-President of COBALT, a new living learning community focused on leadership development. She is the former Project Manager of Purdue Space Program’s High Altitude Team, where she led the team to the first launch of a two-stage rocket built by undergraduates in team history. Their rocket, Event Horizon, successfully launched eight times over the course of two months and earned the team third place at the Argonia Cup in March 2025. Abigail has interned for NAVAIR, where she was a Propulsion Flight Test Engineer on the P-8 Poseidon. She is also a Brooke Owens Fellow, through which she interned at Amazon Project Kuiper as a Mission Management Intern. Following her graduation from Purdue, she hopes to attend graduate school to study Bioastronautics.
I’m incredibly honored to be recognized with this scholarship, particularly one that focuses on project work. I have loved and am very proud of my role as Project Manager of High Altitude, and receiving this award is amazing! Additionally, this award makes a significant difference for me financially as I work to fund both an undergraduate and a graduate degree. This helps me continue my education and I’m immensely grateful!
Mary W. Jackson Scholarship ($10,000)
Joshua Kassel, University of Colorado Boulder
Kassel is a non-traditional student pursuing a degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. After completing a bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition at Colorado State University and working for over three years at Children’s Hospital Colorado, he realized his true passion lay in aerospace. At 25, Joshua chose to fully realign his career toward engineering with the goal of designing the next generation of aircraft and spacecraft.
He spent two years at Front Range Community College, where he maintained a 4.0 GPA before transferring to CU Boulder. Alongside his studies, he has become deeply involved in High Power Rocketry, earning his Level 2 certification through the Tripoli Rocketry Association. Obsessed with performance optimization, Joshua is currently building a fiberglass and carbon-fiber rocket capable of exceeding 30,000 feet in altitude and reaching Mach 3 speeds.
Beyond his own ambitions, Joshua discovered a love for inspiring others. In the summer of 2025, he interned at Estes Industries as a Product Developer, where he contributed to educational rocketry projects that aim to spark curiosity in the next generation of engineers.
This scholarship is more than financial support — it is a profound validation of the path I’ve chosen. It allows me to continue pursuing ambitious research in rocketry and aerospace while inspiring others along the way. With this support, I am one step closer to achieving my goal of contributing to cutting-edge propulsion research and the future of space exploration. I am deeply grateful to AIAA for investing in students like myself, whose dedication and passion will help shape the aeronautical and astronautical industries in the decades to come.
Vicki and George Muellner Scholarship for Aerospace Engineering ($5,000)
Ishaan Kalanadha Bhatta, Purdue University
Bhatta is a sophomore in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Purdue University. He is an undergraduate research assistant on the FLEET Project under Professor William Crossley, analyzing aircraft routes in the NEMA regions of the United States. He previously conducted research at IIT Bombay’s Lighter-Than-Air Lab, where he fabricated Flameless Indoor Hot Air Balloons (FIHABs) and presented a paper at the 2025 AIAA SciTech Forum. He also serves as a Teaching Assistant for AAE 20300: Aeromechanics I at Purdue. Eager to keep learning and contributing, he aims to advance aerodynamics and propulsion technologies that make air travel more efficient and sustainable.
This scholarship has strengthened my resolve to keep learning and growing as I pursue every opportunity to expand my knowledge. It inspires me to work with the aspiration of leaving a lasting, positive mark on the future of aerospace.
Cary Spitzer Digital Avionics Scholarship ($3,000)
Geenadie Rathnayake, University of Washington
Rathnayake is a senior at the University of Washington, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. Apart from her academics, she is involved in the mechanical team at UW Solar Car. She also supports research activities on the hypervelocity launch system at the Ram Accelerator lab. Geenadie serves as the vice president of the AIAA chapter at UW, where she coordinates social events to increase student engagement and promote AIAA’s mission. This summer, she is interning at The Boeing Company, supporting the Structures Product Development team. She plans to pursue a career in aerospace engineering, with a focus on developing technologies for sustainable aviation.
I am deeply honored and grateful to be chosen as a recipient for this AIAA scholarship. This not only relieves the financial burden but also motivates me to continue my journey towards becoming an aerospace engineer.
Ellis F. Hitt Digital Avionics Scholarship ($3,000)
Karsten Caillet, Georgia Institute of Technology
Caillet is a fourth-year Aerospace Engineering major at the Georgia Institute of Technology, originally from Luxembourg. He is passionate about Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineering as applied to aerospace systems. Karsten has gained substantial hands-on experience through diverse projects, including developing and implementing a Linear Quadratic Regulator controller architecture for a jet vanes thrust vectored rocket, and validating its design through Monte Carlo simulations. He is also researching real-time perception-based local wind estimation techniques to enhance Autonomous Urban Air Mobility performance using Model Predictive Control. During summer 2025, Karsten interned as a GNC Engineer at Rocket Factory Augsburg, a launch vehicle startup based in Germany. There, he developed a tool to rapidly and safely deploy software across all hardware remotes on the rocket, a solution that has since become the company standard. He also rewrote the orchestration software for the hardware-in-the-loop test rig, enabling reproducible and repeatable simulations with minimal background knowledge and configuration requirements.
Advancing GNC means advancing humanity’s ability to navigate the unknown, whether paving the way in space or improving how we move on Earth.
Dr. Amy R. Pritchett Digital Avionics Scholarship ($3,000)
Karson Schaefers, University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Schaefers is an aerospace engineering student at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) with a passion for propulsion technology. Inspired by a lifelong fascination with space, he is dedicated to advancing the future of aerospace through innovation and research. He is excited for what the future holds for him and the aerospace industry.
Thanks to AIAA, I have had the amazing opportunity to meet industry leaders, develop lifelong skills, and explore new technologies. Now, AIAA is equipping me to continue my education through my scholarship. As I approach graduation, I cannot thank AIAA enough. I am truly honored and blessed to have been selected. With this scholarship, I plan to help humanity reach for the stars as I pursue a career in propulsion technology.
Dr. James Rankin Digital Avionics Scholarship ($3,000)
Julianna Schneider, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Schneider is a senior at MIT, double-majoring in AI & Decision-Making and Mathematics. Her research focuses on control policies and neural network architectures for MIT’s Mini Cheetah and Humanoid. She has interned at NVIDIA and Lockheed Martin, designing benchmarks for vision language models and autonomous navigation for helicopters. As chair of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and EECS Undergraduate Advisory Boards, she collaborates with department deans to improve student experience and built NerdXing, MIT’s first website for exploring students’ course histories. Julianna is an Astronaut Scholar, three-time AIAA Scholar, U.S. Presidential Scholar, National Merit Scholar, and Neo Scholar Finalist. She aims to pursue a graduate degree and a career developing aerial and robotic systems that help humans live more safe and fulfilled lives.
I am humbled to receive the Dr. James Rankin Digital Avionics Scholarship which not only highlights my academic success, but the vital role of interdisciplinary research in AI, robotics, and aerospace. This award allows me to pursue innovative solutions at the intersection of these fields, bringing my goals within closer reach.
Space Transportation Scholarship ($1,500)
Avah Cherry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Cherry is a senior studying Aerospace Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). She just completed a summer internship at the UT Space Institute in which she was working in a hypersonic research lab. Back at UTK, she is conducting experimental undergraduate research on ceramic additive manufacturing while completing her coursework. Avah plans to apply these research experiences when pursuing a PhD upon graduation from UTK. In her free time Avah enjoys racing mountain bikes for the UT Cycling Team in which she is the current president.
This scholarship will enable me to pursue my goals of contributing to impactful space exploration research, shaping my experience as an Aerospace Engineering student.
Rocky Mountain Section Scholarship ($500)
Titus Smith, Colorado School of Mines
Smith is a Colorado native, raised on a small family farm. He is now pursuing a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines. His future goals include completing a Masters degree in Engineering and then pursuing a carrier in the aerospace industry with a space startup company. Some of his hobbies include 3D printing, amateur high powered rocketry, Ham radio, and flying RC aircraft. He is also very committed to passing on his love of aerospace on to the next generation and plans after graduation to mentor and inspire other young engineering students to pursue aerospace.
As the first of five siblings to begin college, I have worked hard to maintain a high GPA in the hopes of receiving scholarships to aid in college expenses. The funds I have received through this AIAA scholarship will help me to pay for my education and realize my goals of working in aerospace without being a financial burden on my family. Additionally, these funds will allow me to dedicate more time toward pursuing my passion for aerospace through related projects and more fully leveraging my AIAA local section to gain invaluable insights and industry connections.
Applications for the 2026 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.
