John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

Home / Get Involved / Honors & Awards / Awards
Through its annual graduate scholarship program, the AIAA Foundation presents awards to graduate students doing excellent research in the air and space sciences. The John Leland Atwood Graduate Award is sponsored by endowments from Rockwell and Boeing North American, Inc. The Atwood Graduate Award memorializes John Leland "Lee" Atwood (1904-1999), former chief executive officer of Rockwell North American. Atwood, thought of by many as the "dean of aerospace,” was instrumental in the development of such landmark projects as the P-51, the F-100, the X-15, the B-1 bomber, and the Space Shuttle. Official recognition and presentation of the check to the recipient will be made in conjunction with the Awards Presentations Ceremony at the AIAA SciTech Forum. In addition, the AIAA Foundation will present the recipient with a special recognition plaque in honor of this award. Basic Criteria and other information can be found at http://www.aiaa.org/scholarshipsandawards/;

Award Recipients

2023

  • Catherine J Nachtigal
    Rutgers University
    Awarded
    Award: John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2017

  • Mr Thibaud Teil
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2016

  • Mr Markus J Geiss
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2014

  • Dr Sydney Do
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award
    AIAA Citation: Sydney Do is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He received his B.E. degree in Aerospace Engineering in 2008 from the University of Sydney, Australia, and a S.M. in Aeronautics and Astronautics in 2011 from MIT. His past research has been in the areas of fuel-efficient satellite formation flight, land-landings of returning capsule-shaped crewed spacecraft, and the crowdsourcing of engineering ideation and innovation. He is currently the lead researcher in space habitation and life support within the Strategic Engineering Research Group at MIT.

2013

  • Dr Wendy Okolo
    NASA Ames Research Center
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award
    AIAA Citation: Wendy Okolo graduated in 2010 with a B.S. in aerospace engineering from the University of texas at Arlington. She is currently pursuing a degree in the Ph.d. program at the same univesity with a reserach focus in alternate methods of trimming aircraft in formation flight as a fuel-saving initiative. in her spare time, Wendy likes to read, exercise, and spend time with her family.

2012

  • Dr Noel Bakhtian
    Stanford University
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award
    AIAA Citation: Graduate Award

2011

  • David N Wiese
    University of Colorado Boulder
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2010

  • Dr Xiaoli Bai
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award
  • David N Wiese
    University of Colorado Boulder
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2008

  • Jason M Roadman
    University of Colorado Boulder
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2007

  • Dr Marshall C Galbraith
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2006

  • Dr James F Russell
    Lockheed Martin Space Systems
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2005

  • Derek T Schmitz
    The Boeing Co
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2004

  • Dr Jeffrey K Jepson
    Raytheon Missile Systems
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2003

  • Mr. Marc Gervais
    University of Maryland
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2002

  • Dr Syri J Brooks
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2001

  • Kevin F Hulme
    University at Buffalo
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award

2000

  • Dr Erina Murakami
    The Aerospace Corporation
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award