Awards Presented at AIAA SciTech 2016 Written 8 January 2016

Awards Recognized Technical Achievements, Outstanding Educators, and Literary Excellence

Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) recognized technical achievements and literary excellence at the AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition 2016 (AIAA SciTech 2016), January 4–8, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego, California.

The following individuals received awards for technical achievements in aerospace sciences or information systems at a noon awards luncheon on January 5:

• Kyle T. Alfriend, TEES distinguished research chair and professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, received the AIAA Aerospace Guidance, Navigation and Control Award. The award honors Alfriend’s “significant lifetime contributions to spacecraft formation-flying technologies, fostering international scientific cooperation, and leadership to the aerospace guidance and control communities.”


• John M. Hanson, alternate lead systems engineer, Space Launch System, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, will receive the AIAA de Florez Award for Flight Simulation. The award honors Hanson’s “outstanding innovations and contributions in flight simulation applications for launch vehicle design, development, and requirements verification.”


• Frank L. Lewis, Moncrief-O’Donnell Chair and head, Advanced Controls and Sensors Group, at the University of Texas at Arlington Research Center, Ft. Worth, Texas, received the AIAA Intelligent Systems Award. The award honors Lewis’ “contributions to intelligent neural-adaptive control and highly influential textbooks that have advanced the capability of autonomous aircraft systems.”


• Joshua Rovey, associate professor, Missouri University of Science & Technology, Rolla, Missouri, received the AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award. The award honors Rovey’s “exceptional contributions to research in areas of plasmadynamics and space propulsion, and to the Missouri S&T AIAA Student Branch.”


• Technical paper authors received a Certificate of Merit recognizing outstanding technical and scientific excellence.

The following individuals received awards for technical achievements in aerospace design/structures, literary excellence, or for being an outstanding educator at a noon awards luncheon on January 7:

• The Boeing Hypersonics Design/MDAO Team, The Boeing Company, Huntington Beach, California, received the AIAA Aerospace Design Engineering Award. The award honors the team’s “design of novel hypersonic vehicle concepts and development of the multidisciplinary analysis and optimization tools critical for success.” Kevin Bowcutt, team lead, will accept the award on behalf of the team.


• Amrutur V. Anilkumar, professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt, University, Nashville, Tennessee, received the AIAA Faculty Advisor Award. The award honors Anilkumar’s “passionate promotion of novel aerospace design activities, community outreach and mentoring of students to success at national competitions and in pursuit of aerospace engineering careers.”


• Alexander C. MacDonald, program executive, Office of the Chief Technologist, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C., received the AIAA History Manuscript Award. The award honors MacDonald for his manuscript, "The Long Space Age: An Economic Perspective on the History of the American Space Exploration."


• David K. Schmidt, professor emeritus, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado, received the AIAA Pendray Aerospace Literature Award. The award honors Schmidt’s “sustaining and influential contributions to aerospace literature in the area of aerospace vehicle dynamics and control, including the comprehensive textbook, ‘Modern Flight Dynamics.’”


• Anthony M. Waas, Boeing-Egtvedt Endowed Chair, chairperson, William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, received the AIAA Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Award. The award honors Waas’ “pioneering contributions to the development of innovative, experimentally validated, computational methods for progressive damage analysis of polymer and hot ceramic composite materials and structures.”


• Ayodeji T. Bode-Oke, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, received the AIAA Foundation Abe M. Zarem Award for Distinguished Achievement—Aeronautics.


• Haibo Dong, associate professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, received the AIAA Foundation Abe M. Zarem Educator Award.


• Technical paper authors received a Certificate of Merit recognizing outstanding technical and scientific excellence.

For more information on the AIAA Honors and Awards program, please contact Carol Stewart at carols@aiaa.org or 703.264.7538. For more information on AIAA SciTech 2016, please contact Duane Hyland at duaneh@aiaa.org or 703.264.7558. Registration is complimentary for credentialed members of the press.

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