Student Conferences

How does AIAA determine what Universities/groups will be hosting Student Conferences?
This is determined within each region on a yearly basis. Hosts change each year, and every region has a different way of determining who will host the following year.

What if we are interested in hosting a conference at our school?
We are so excited that you would like to host a conference at your school! Please submit a detailed proposal, including proposed conference dates (late March/early April) taking into consideration the spring breaks of schools around you. Your proposal should include the following:

• Your (or primary contact) name
• Your AIAA Member Region and local section (https://www.aiaa.org/get-involved/regions-sections)
• Faculty Advisor Name
• School Name
• Closest city with an airport
• Any sponsorship support you have received or plan to receive, if applicable. Please note that AIAA Student Conferences are supported by Lockheed Martin and student conferences receive support based on the number of attendees they receive.
• A short statement as to why your school and student branch would be good hosts for an AIAA conference

When do Student Conferences take place?
Student Conferences generally take place in late March/early April each year, with the exception of Region VII – International, which takes place in November each year. Precise dates are subject to change and selected at the discretion of the conference organizers.

What is the criteria for determining the acceptability of my paper to the AIAA Student Conference Program?
Please refer to the Regional Student Paper Conference Rules to see the exact requirements. All Regional Student Paper Conference Papers must be in the AIAA Meeting Paper Format.

Where do I submit my abstract/final paper?
Abstracts and papers must be submitted via https://aiaa-awards.org/.

When do I find out if my abstract has been accepted?
Typically, you will find out within a week of abstract submissions closing.

If my abstract is rejected, will I be able to make changes and re-submit it?
Yes, you can! You will have 24 hours to re-submit your abstract.

Do I need to be registered for the conference in order to present?
Yes, all presenters need to be registered for the conference. Please find your regional conference at https://www.aiaa.org/get-involved/students-educators/student-conferences. Fees vary by conference.

Does AIAA provide travel support for attending Regional Student Conferences?
No, AIAA does not provide travel support for this program.

Are there prizes for best papers?
Yes! AIAA Student Conferences award three prizes in each category:

• 1st - $500 and an invitation to the International Student Paper Conference at the SciTech Forum
• 2nd - $300
• 3rd - $250

If there is more than one author, any prize monies received will be sent to the attention of your school for disbursement.

What happens if I win 1st place in my category?
If you win first-place you will receive an invitation to present at the 2021 SciTech Forum’s International Student Paper Conference, where you will compete in your category against the finalists from the other six AIAA Member regions. Additionally, your paper will be published as part of the SciTech Forum’s proceedings.

I have a question that wasn’t answered here. Whom do I ask?
For Region II, please direct your questions to Cassy Dellinger at region2@aiaastudentconference.org. For all other regions, please direct questions to Michael Lagana at michaell@aiaa.org.