This month, AIAA President Basil Hassan takes over “Dan’s Desk” with a message about coming out stronger on the other side.
Dear AIAA Member,
As spring arrives, we are reminded of where we were one year ago, abruptly pivoting into the unknown. Many AIAA events were canceled without enough time to present the content in alternate formats. The AIAA staff worked quickly and creatively with our member leaders to bring us back together through virtual events. We’re still living in this evolving virtual gathering space as we look ahead to when we may be able to experience future AIAA events in a hybrid format – part in person, part online. It’s exciting to anticipate these changes while we continue to benefit from the excellent programming being produced and to ensure that everyone in our industry will have an opportunity to participate.
Investing in the Future—Post-Pandemic Style
In the recent weeks, we hosted some phenomenal virtual events:
The replay of these two webinars is available if you missed them. I recommend both of them as great evidence of how AIAA brings together diverse experts and visionaries who help us continue moving our industry forward.
Stay tuned and sign up for other activities in April:
Policy webinar: Sustainability in Flight—The Government’s Role in Achieving Decarbonization (to be scheduled)
A special thanks goes out to our various sponsors for making these impactful events a reality.
We recently made the decision to move the 2021 AIAA AVIATION Forum to 2–6 August, which positions the event conveniently alongside the 2021 AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum, 9–11 August, and the 2021 AIAA/IEEE Electric Aircraft Technologies Symposium (EATS), 11–13 August. These events will be fully online. These forums will offer an enhanced online experience for attendees based on the valuable lessons learned by the AIAA staff throughout the 2020 and 2021 virtual events that AIAA hosted.
I believe it’s important to note that we are not combining the two forums, but rather offering two distinctive events during consecutive weeks to meet the unique technical content needs of each forum community.
Welcome High School Students!
Designed exclusively for students in 6th through 12th grades, the free AIAA High School Membership provides activities, competitions, and scholarships that will promote STEM and STEAM educational programs. In the short month this option has been offered, we have welcomed 430 budding aerospace scientists and engineers to AIAA.
This membership opportunity is an important part of AIAA outreach to help build a future aerospace workforce that represents the diversity of perspective and thought needed in the industry. Now more than ever, the aerospace industry must embrace diversity of all forms to meet the challenges of the future.
This fabulous opportunity, combined with our AIAA Mentor Match Program, offers us the ability to impact the lives of future aerospace students, professionals, and enthusiasts. Please share these programs with your professional and personal network to reach those who might be interested in them.
Congressional Visits Day Spans a Full Week
This year’s Congressional Visits Day program was a huge success! AIAA members from across the country met virtually with their congressional delegations to raise awareness for the aerospace community. As in previous years, many of the participants were students and young professionals. We were pleased that several members of Congress were able to join the meetings, in addition to the members of their legislative staff.
The state-based member teams called on Congress to support the people and the companies of the sector by providing adequate funding for programs and missions, increasing investments in research and development, and enabling a diverse and robust workforce pipeline. They also explained how the sector is critical for addressing climate change and providing significant opportunities for young people of all races and economic conditions to tackle complex challenges. Many thanks to everyone who participated.
Premier Awards Honorees Announced and 2021 Gala Will Be Virtual
We recently announced the recipients of our highest accolades in the aerospace profession. We are inspired by the hard work, skill, and achievements of these individuals. AIAA is committed to ensuring that aerospace professionals are recognized and celebrated for their achievements, innovations, and discoveries that make the world safer, more connected, more accessible, and more prosperous. Read about the award winners.
I am excited to recognize these trailblazers at the virtual AIAA Aerospace Spotlight Awards Gala, Thursday, 12 August. We also will recognize our recently elected Class of 2021 AIAA Honorary Fellows and Fellows, Tuesday, 17 August, in a separate virtual ceremony. We invite you all to join us in celebrating the outstanding accomplishments of our colleagues!
AIAA Strengthened by Members Who Are Willing to Serve as Leaders
This time of year is exciting at AIAA as we complete the important election process for the Board of Trustees and Council of Directors. Many AIAA members volunteer to help lead this great organization. I believe the aerospace industry is an extraordinary place to work because of AIAA members’ commitment and dedication. Thank you to all who voted this year.
I am excited to congratulate my longtime friend and colleague, Laura J. McGill, who recently joined Sandia National Laboratories after a long career with Raytheon Technologies, on her election as AIAA President-Elect. She will shadow me for the next year beginning in May and will take office as President in May 2022. Laura will be an excellent AIAA President because of her long commitment to the Institute and her vast experience with our profession. Laura and I first met in the early 1990s as young professionals on AIAA technical committees. Since then, Laura has held leadership positions in almost every major part of the Institute. As the Board of Trustees paves the way for AIAA to come out of the pandemic as a more relevant part of all aerospace professionals’ lives, Laura will be an outstanding leader to continue the charge.
Congratulations also go to the newest members of the Council of Directors:
Director-Elect–Young Professionals Group
Kaela Martin, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Director–Region III
Peggy A. Cornell, NASA Glenn Research Center
Director–Region VI
Oleg A. Yakimenko, Naval Postgraduate School
Director–Aerospace Design and Structures Group
Jeanette L. Domber, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
Director–Aerospace Sciences Group
Lesley A. Weitz, The MITRE Corporation
Additionally, please welcome the newly elected Board of Trustees Members-at-Large:
Frank L. Culbertson Jr., Capt. USN (Ret.)
Steven Justice, Generation Orbit
Todd Mosher, Amazon
Finally, congratulations to Annalisa L. Weigel, Fairmont Consulting Group, on her reelection as AIAA Treasurer.
University Students Benefit from the AIAA Foundation
It is through the generous donations of our individual and corporate members that the AIAA Foundation can support students and educators inspiring the next generation to pursue a career in aerospace.
For the past 25 years, AIAA has inspired and attracted youth to the aerospace profession through scholarships, design competitions, conferences, and other outreach activities. Supporting the Foundation is personal for me. Recently, I have committed to doubling the impact of the endowment bearing my father’s name. I am honored that since its inception, the endowment has awarded four scholarships to students pursuing a graduate degree in Aerospace Engineering at my alma mater, North Carolina State University (NCSU).
My father established this endowment – the Dr. Hassan A. Hassan Graduate Award in Aerospace Engineering – shortly before his untimely passing in 2019, after his 57 years as a professor and one of the architects of NCSU’s aerospace program.
I invite you to join me in supporting the AIAA Foundation and impacting the next 25 years.
The first year of my term as AIAA President certainly was not what I was expecting. This last year has been a challenge for all of us, but in my 37 years as an AIAA member, I know that together we can take on any challenge. As I begin the last year of my term, I am both excited and optimistic about where and what we can be in the future. I look forward to working with the Board of Trustees, the Council of Directors, the AIAA staff, and all of you to realize how strong we can become, even in the face of such adversity.
