MIT Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics | March 2024 | |
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Julie Shah has been named the new AeroAstro Department Head, succeeding Prof. Steven Barrett effective May 1.
Prof. Shah has been a member of the AeroAstro community for over two decades. She received her SB in 2004, SM in 2006, and PhD in 2011, all from Course 16. After receiving her doctoral degree, she had a postdoctoral fellowship at Boeing Research and Technology before coming back to MIT as a member of the faculty in July 2011. She has made numerous contributions to research, the department, and the MIT community throughout her career.
Upcoming events
Have you explored the new Events section yet? All events now have their own event page, as well as an “add to calendar” feature; you can also select Public or Department-only!
Spring BBQ
Tuesday, May 14 at 12pm: Join us on the 33 Lawn to celebrate the end of the semester! RSVP link coming soon—keep an eye on your email.
AeroAstro Community Awards Ceremony
Wednesday, May 15 at 12:00pm: Celebrate the outstanding achievements of department members nominated for recognition through the AeroAstro Awards and Recognition Program. Winners will be announced at the ceremony!
Ice Cream Social
Friday, May 31 at 12:00pm: Come together as a community and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our graduates with delicious frozen treats! RSVP by May 15.
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.
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Submit upcoming events to the Calendar (log-in required).
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Send us news about your research using this form.
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QS World University Rankings has placed MIT in the No. 1 spot in 11 subject areas for 2024, including Aeronautical, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Engineering.
Prof. Hamsa Balakrishnan was honored as one of twenty-three MIT faculty honored as “Committed to Caring,” for her commitment to the well-being, growth, and success of her students.
Prof. Ian Waitz has been named as MIT’s new Vice President for Research, the latest role in his 30-year career of service to the Institute. Prof. Dan Hastings has agreed to step in as interim Vice Chancellor, a position Prof. Waitz has held since 2017.
Prof. Ed Crawley is one of 7 MIT faculty elected this year to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s most prestigious honorary societies.
Team MARTEMIS was selected as a finalist in the 2024 NASA RASC-AL competition under the Long-Duration Mars Simulation at the Moon theme! This year, the team is partnering with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology – Lausanne (ISAE) and National Higher French Institute of Aeronautics and Space (EPFL). The team will travel to the competition to compete in front of judges from across the aerospace sector in early June.
Jonah Goldstein ‘27 was selected by the Undergraduate Advising Center Awards Committee to receive the First Year Student Award in Academics and Research.
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Administrative Professionals Day, April 24: We want to extend our ongoing appreciation to all our Administrative staff for their hard work and dedication.
Spot Awards: Congratulations to Alexa Torres, Corrine Giordani, Erinn Taylor de Barroso, Jean Sofronas, and Jei Lee Freeman on your continued excellent work!
In Memoriam: Our heartfelt condolences go out to Prof. Paulo Lozano on the passing of his wife. During this difficult time, we extend our deepest sympathies and support to Paulo and his family.
Professional and career development resources:
MIT HR Podcast Series: Gain valuable insights into career development planning by tuning in to conversations where others share their experiences and advice.
Human Resources Talent Acquisition sends a bi-monthly update to current MIT staff regarding new job openings. If you are not currently receiving the update and would like to, subscribe to the updates.
MIT HR offers a wide variety of courses and training on subjects for all employees. This month, check out courses like Administrative Assistant Career Paths, or Your Direct Report Relationships (for people managers). Find the full schedule of upcoming opportunities in the Atlas learning center.
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The 2024 MIT AeroAstro SpaceTech Conference explored the future of space technology and the ways AI and machine learning are impacting research, industry, and policy in space. If you missed it or want to catch your favorite parts again, see the photos and watch the video playlist. | |
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Maranda Cherry (GTL) was spotlit by Indspire, a national Indigenous registered charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. “I want to motivate other Indigenous youth to pursue their passions in aerospace and STEM,” she says.
Prof. Russ Tedrake spoke at an MIT Robotics Seminar – watch his talk, “Planning with Graphs of Convex Sets (in the age of foundation models),” on YouTube.
The MIT-Mexico program celebrated 20 years of making student internships and faculty research collaborations possible, led by Faculty Director Prof. Paulo Lozano.
ARCLab is participating in a £1.5M initiative to explore how AI can be harnessed to improve space operations, safety and sustainability.
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Andrea Henshall (PhD student, LIDS) and NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg ‘08 were both featured in Parachutist Magazine lauding their world travels – from the Ozark Mountains to Low Earth Orbit! | |
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
DEI Best Practice:
Daring to Lead: Bringing Full Diversity to Academic Science and Engineering
Barry Boseman, Monica Gaughan
The AeroAstro Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee would like to announce and welcome our new Diversity Scholar Mennatallah Hussein and returning scholar Kristen Ammons.
Menna is a PhD student in ESL. A native of Cairo, Egypt, Menna has been an active member of DEI efforts since her undergraduate years at Arizona State University. She helped found a chapter for Women of Aeronautics and Astronautics (WoAA), an AIAA-affiliated support group for women in Aerospace. She is committed to creating a welcoming environment for all. Menna is passionate about contributing to propulsion advancement research and making space accessible to everyone.
Kristen (she/they) is a PhD student in STAR Lab and the current GWAE co-president. Kristen is an active organizer at MIT where she prioritizes understanding the issues that impact the graduate student body, and working with her peers toward solutions. When she’s not working or hosting events, Kristen can be found knitting, hiking, or talking about her home region of Appalachia.
As Diversity Scholars, Menna and Kristen eagerly anticipate organizing events to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion within the department. Should there be any specific topics for discussion or cultural events you wish to commemorate, submit your ideas through this form.
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The AeroAstro Comm Lab provides 1-1 peer coaching sessions for all forms of technical communication. Make an appointment today to improve the effectiveness of your next paper, poster, presentation and more!
New Workshops and Resources:
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