Prestigious Names Added To Distinguished List

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is proud to announce the 2008 recipients of the Aerospace Spotlight Awards and the election of the 2008 Honorary Fellows and 2008 Fellows.

Presentation of the awards and the newly elected Honorary Fellows and Fellows will take place during the AIAA Aerospace Spotlight Awards Gala on May 14 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington DC. The black-tie event recognizes the most influential and inspiring individuals in the aerospace industry who through outstanding performance and contributions merit the highest accolades.

Without further ado, here are the awards, and Fellows:

Aerospace Spotlight Awards

• AIAA Distinguished Service Award - John C. Blanton, Chief Consulting Engineer-Heat Transfer at GE Energy in Greenville, South Carolina
• AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award - Charles Elachi, Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.
• AIAA International Cooperation Award – Peter M. Bainum, Distinguished Professor of Aerospace Engineering Emeritus at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
• AIAA Public Service Award – Amanda Wright Lane, great-grandniece of Orville and Wilbur Wright, Cincinnati, Ohio.
• AIAA Reed Aeronautics Award –Alain Garcia, Technical Advisor to the CEO at Airbus S.A.S. in Toulouse, France
• AIAA Foundation Award for Excellence – Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
• Daniel Guggenheim Medal - Alexander H. Flax, Consultant, Potomac, Maryland

2008 AIAA Honorary Fellows And Fellow

"Honorary Fellow" is the highest accolade that can be bestowed by AIAA and its Board of Directors, and is presented only to exceptional individuals who embody the highest standards possible in the aeronautics and astronautics field. Those chosen are recognized as being individuals of eminence with long and contributory careers in aerospace. The 2008 Honorary Fellows are:

• Yvonne C. Brill, Aerospace Consultant
• Henry McDonald, University of Tennessee SimCenter
• Abe M. Zarem, Strategic Advisor, Knowledge and Information Technology Industries

The distinction of "Fellow" is bestowed by AIAA and its Board of Directors upon those AIAA members who have made notable and valuable contributions to the arts, sciences, or technology of aeronautics or astronautics. The 2008 Fellows are:

• Damodar R. Ambur NASA Langley Research Center
• Penina Axelrad, University of Colorado
• Josette Bellan, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Graham Candler, University of Minnesota
• Michael Coats, NASA Johnson Space Center
• William Copenhaver, Air Force Research Laboratory
• Robert Dickman, AIAA
• Gary A. Flandro, University of Tennessee Space Institute
• Datta Gaitonde, Air Force Research Laboratory
• Ephraim Gutmark, University of Cincinnati
• Richard P. Hallion, National Air and Space Museum
• Peter Hughes, Dynacon, Inc.
• M. Yousuff Hussaini, Florida State University
• Essam E. Khalil, Cairo University
• Shinya Kobayakawa, Civil Transport Development Corp.
• John McMasters, The Boeing Company
• Achille Messac, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Paul M. Munafo, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
• Yaakov Oshman, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
• Sergio Pellegrino, California Institute of Technology
• Helen Reed, Texas A&M University
• Aviv Rosen, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
• J. Stephen Rottler, Sandia National Laboratories
• Burt Rutan, Scaled Composites, LLC
• Kenneth Sanger, The Boeing Company
• Ron P. Smith, Northrop Grumman Space Technology
• Christopher Scolese, NASA
• Marilee J. Wheaton, The Aerospace Corporation
• Robert Winn, Engineering Systems Inc.
• Susan Ying, The Boeing Company

In 1933, Orville Wright became AIAA’s first Honorary Fellow. Today, AIAA’s Honorary Fellows and Fellows are among the most respected names in the aerospace industry.

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) advances the state of aerospace science, engineering, and technological leadership. Headquartered in suburban Washington, DC, the Institute serves over 35,000 members in 65 regional sections and 79 countries. AIAA membership is drawn from all levels of industry, academia, private research organizations, and government.

FMI: www.aiaa.org