Dear Lawrence,

Every month in this message I look forward to sharing a glimpse into the incredible work going on across the Institute. This month, I’ve focused my updates on a few key areas; otherwise, this email would be far too long for anyone to read with interest. Please know that there is also a tremendous amount of forum planning, virtual event hosting, membership activities, and student projects happening among everyone involved in AIAA—board members, committee members, student branches, staff, and others.

Spring is Graduation/Scholarship/Prize Season

Everyone is in for a treat when you read the graduation message from our president, Basil Hassan, in the May issue of Aerospace America. Basil shares his heartfelt perspectives and encouragement to all our student members who are graduating this season. Look for the issue coming out next week.

Supporting our student members at both the high school and university levels is important during this time of transition for them. Whether they are graduating or moving to the next level, AIAA is here for all our students. The anticipation is building as we await announcements of scholarships being given and competition prizes being awarded through the AIAA Foundation in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to AIAA.org and our social media channels as we announce the four recipients of the new Roger W. Kahn Scholarship, the Conrad Challenge AIAA Scholarship recipient, the many winners of six of the 2021 Regional Student Conferences, and the Design/Build/Fly team competition winner for its 25th anniversary year. The passion and commitment to aerospace demonstrated by these recipients is inspiring.

Diversity Working Group Releases 2021–2023 Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan

Diversity, inclusion, and acceptance are prime objectives for the Institute. We are fortunate to have a 25-member Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Working Group leading us in this important work. The D&I Working Group is chaired by Jandria Alexander, Booz Allen & Hamilton, and supported by staff liaison Karen Thomas, AIAA vice president of product operations. We look forward to welcoming Claudine Phaire, Lockheed Martin, as the group’s next chair in May.

Recently, Jandria represented AIAA in a panel discussion on the importance of diversity in the field of aerospace engineering, hosted by The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, and sponsored by MAero—Minorities in Aerospace Engineering—a group of students, staff, and faculty in the Department of Aerospace Engineering.

This engaged D&I Working Group team has updated its strategic plan, establishing benchmarks (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART) goals), and incorporating existing projects. The 2021–2023 AIAA Diversity and Inclusion Plan builds on the past accomplishments and creates new opportunities to solve our future challenges.

Jandria Alexander

Claudine Phaire

Karen Thomas

Please read this thoughtful plan and look for ways you can support these efforts. Their hard work is helping our industry encourage participation in and collaboration across the aerospace industry to enhance our diversity of thought.

Let’s keep the conversation around diversity, inclusion, and acceptance going on Engage. And check out the upgraded D&I website.

Register for the 2021 AIAA Virtual Leadership Symposium—Happening Next Week

This first-of-its-kind event is your opportunity to learn how to become the type of leader that will ensure the Institute’s continued success for years to come. It’s intended for our current AIAA volunteer leaders, and those who want to learn more as they aspire to become a volunteer leader. This is such an important gathering because we know leadership is the backbone of our organization.

Looking Forward to the “Next Normal”

We are seeing some light in the future as we plan hybrid forums for later this year. These events will include an element of in-person interactions for those who want to register for that type of experience, in addition to the high-quality virtual experience we have relied on since this time last year. The details for hybrid forums are being worked by cross Institute teams. Stay tuned as we progress on this journey.

One important step everyone can take now to be ready for more in-person interactions is to get vaccinated against Covid-19. We are grateful for the science and the scientists supporting us through the global pandemic. We are hopeful the next step of vaccinations has the desired impact to open up our world to the “next normal.”

Finally, I would like to remember Michael Collins. He was a tremendous person and leader. I had the privilege of meeting Michael twice. During the National Space Club’s von Braun Memorial Dinner in Huntsville, AL, we had a laugh over his name being on a street in downtown Milwaukee, WI. We also shared a wonderful breakfast discussion at Ohio State University when the university established the Neil A. Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The stories were wonderful and his humble passion serves as a beacon for us all.

Sincerely,

Dan Dumbacher
Executive Director, AIAA

P.S. Today is the final day to celebrate #WorldBookDay with AIAA! Over the past nine decades, AIAA has published 300 books and 200,000 technical articles. Shop Aerospace Research Central’s World Book Day sale now to save 30% on some of our best-selling titles.