MIT Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics | April 2026 | | |
Share your MIT memories
Graduation is almost here!
Calling all 2026 graduates and friends: send us your favorite photos from your time at MIT! We're putting together a playlist of unforgettable moments, lab bonding, PhD defense triumphs, or just the highlights that made your experience special.
Upload your photos here, or email them to aa-communications@mit.edu.
Upcoming events:
AeroAstro Spring Barbecue
Tuesday, May 12, 12:00 – 2:00 PM
Lawn 33
RSVP by Monday, May 4
AeroAstro Master’s Thesis Showcase
Thursday, May 14, 3:15 – 4:45 PM
AeroAstro Ice Cream Social
Friday, May 29, 12:00 – 2:00 PM
Lawn 33
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The Roundup is a monthly newsletter to keep the AeroAstro community up-to-date on research, community news, and important happenings across the department and MIT. Explore past issues of the Roundup on our website.
| | AeroAstro’s Office of Outreach and Community Engagement and the MIT Egyptian Student Association celebrated their annual Iftar dinner together with friends and colleagues. | | Where were you when Artemis II took to the skies? The Sloan Space Industry club celebrated a successful launch at the Muddy, while Prof. Lonnie Petersen got a spot launchside at NASA Kennedy! | | AeroAstro alum, former NASA Administrator, astronaut, and Ret. Maj. Gen. Charles ‘Charlie’ Bolden visited Profs. Dava Newman and Dan Hastings’ Space Policy class. | | |
Spot Awards: Thanks a million to Esther Allen and MaryAnn Carey for their outstanding work in April! Have someone you would like to recognize? Submit a nomination any time – Spot Awards are open to everyone!
In honor of Administrative Professionals Day, a heartfelt thank you to our administrative staff for being the mission control behind AeroAstro’s departmental success. The countless ways you keep everything running smoothly makes a difference every day.
Thank you for your Community Award nominations. The awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 13, at 11:00 AM in 33-116.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Check out these upcoming webinars to learn new wellness strategies.
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Afreen Siddiqi, Research Scientist in ESL, has been named to the 101st class of Guggenheim Fellows for her work in geography and environmental studies.
Events Planner MaryAnn “EJ” Carey has been recognized with two awards for her musical prowess this month, winning both first place in the Rock/Alt category for her song “Crime of Passion” and Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting in the Pop category for her song “Eviscerate” in the 2025 Great American Songwriting Contest!
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Menna Hussein (ESL) participated in the 2026 Caltech Space Challenge, where her team, Team Voyager, won top honors for SEAHORSE, a mission concept to study Venusian atmospheric escape and comet hydrogen outgassing during a retrograde flyby.
John Thomas, Director of the ESL Safety and Cybersecurity Group, received a 2026 Teaching with Digital Technology Award. Thomas was nominated by his students for his innovative use of Zoom Whiteboard for active learning and discussion.
| Three AeroAstro community members won awards from AIAA New England. Menna Hussein and Palak Patel were each given Torch Bearers awards for their contributions toward research and community building, and Postdoctoral Researcher Rong Ma won the Young Professional award for her distinguished research work in turbulence modeling with AI. | | The 2026 MIT AeroAstro SpaceTech Conference explored how research turns into real-world impact within the “Space Innovation Ecosystem,” from early-stage ideas and startups to funding, partnerships, and industry connections. Check out our recap to watch recordings of each session and browse photos from the event. | |
AeroAstro and EAPS co-hosted the inaugural Earth Observation Symposium, a day-long exploration of satellite-based research and innovation in celebration of Earth Day.
Managing traffic in space | Associate Professor Richard Linares is helping satellites safely navigate in increasingly congested orbits.
Tackling the housing shortage with robotic microfactories | Reframe Systems, co-founded by Vikas Enti SM '20, creates microfactories for modular home construction, reducing carbon emissions and costs.
| The Graduate Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics hosted a rocketry demo for JFK Space Fest 2026 as part of Massachusetts Space Week, launching rockets at balloon targets using a bicycle-pump powered launch tube. | | |
Built to fly | MIT senior, master's candidate, and airman Brian Robinson lives and works at the intersection of aviation, politics, and technology.
Flying at the edge of the stratosphere | MIT students see the Earth's curvature in reborn AeroAstro intro course.
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Grad student Anna Wadhwa served as a medical volunteer during this year’s Boston Marathon, helping runners and medics behind the scenes.
In two SHASS senior profiles, undergraduate seniors highlighted their interdisciplinary work: Loreta Arzumanyan reflected on her German minor, while Will Roberts shared how his political science minor deepens his understanding of the complexities of aerospace engineering.
| | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | | |
DEI Best Practice:
Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law, by Haben Grima
To request a free copy of the book, email dap1@mit.edu.
Upcoming event:
Finding Balance in Academia: Prioritizing Mental and Physical Wellness, an inaugural mini-conference exploring wellness as an integral part of the academic journey. The event is a collaboration between Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Koch Institute, the School of Engineering, and the School of Science.
When: Thursday, June 6 at 9:30 AM
Where: Koch Institute, 76-156
Feedback:
aa-diversity@mit.edu
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