Dr. Mark Drela: A professor at MIT, Dr. Drela is renowned for his contributions to the design of efficient aerodynamic aircraft. He played a crucial role in the development of the MIT Daedalus aircraft, which set human-powered flight records.
Dr. Burt Rutan: An iconic aerospace engineer, Rutan founded Scaled Composites and is best known for his design of Voyager, the first aircraft to fly around the world without refueling, and SpaceShipOne, which won the Ansari X Prize for suborbital spaceflight.
Prof. Ann Karagozian: A distinguished professor at UCLA, her research includes fluid mechanics and combustion as it pertains to propulsion, energy, and the environment. She also serves on the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, contributing to advancements in military aeronautics.
Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy: As the Secretary of India’s Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), his contributions to indigenous design and development of diversified missile systems have been noteworthy.
Dr. John D. Anderson, Jr.: Former curator of Aerodynamics at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Dr. Anderson has penned influential textbooks on aerodynamics and aircraft performance, guiding generations of aerospace engineers.
Prof. Juan José Alonso: A professor at Stanford University, Prof. Alonso’s research is focused on computational fluid dynamics, high-performance computational methods, and real-time aeronautical simulations. His work has had a significant impact on the design of modern aircraft.
Dr. Robert D. Braun: Serving as the Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, Dr. Braun is renowned for his work in planetary exploration and advanced flight systems.
Dr. Sheila Widnall: The first female Secretary of the Air Force and MIT professor, Dr. Widnall is a pioneer in aeronautics, with research emphasizing fluid dynamics, vortex breakdown phenomena, and aircraft turbulence.
Prof. Peretz Friedmann: Holding the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Chair at the University of Michigan, Prof. Friedmann’s work in rotary-wing aeromechanics has been fundamental in advancing the state of helicopter and tiltrotor designs.
Dr. Serhiy Yarusevych: A professor at the University of Waterloo, his research into unsteady fluid mechanics and aerodynamics has been pivotal, especially concerning flow control mechanisms and coherent flow structures.
