Alumni are essential to our department’s success, and we invite you to stay connected no matter what year you graduated. Get involved by mentoring a student or stay updated on current news by subscribing to our newsletter! We have many ways to connect with A&A and help shape the next generation of aerospace engineers.
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Featured distinguished alumni awardees
We recognize Distinguished Alumni annually to honor their substantial, life-long contributions to the field of aerospace engineering in a spirit of intellectual curiosity, exploration, integrity, and service.
Gary Lai, 2025
Gary Lai (B.S. '99), who has redefined commercial spaceflight and now aims to harness lunar resources for humanity's future, is our 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.
John Shaw, 2024
Shaw retired as a Lieutenant General, serving as the Commander of 14th Air Force and the Combined Force Space Component Command at Vandenberg Space Force Base. In this pivotal role, he was responsible for providing space capabilities to combatant commands worldwide.
Howard Hu, 2023
Hu served in a number of Orion leadership positions, including manager of avionics, power, and software, as well as deputy manager of the Vehicle Integration Office.
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