AIAA North Texas Section “Texy” Awards
Call for Nominations - Due 30 April 2026
21 May at UT Arlington
6pm
Dinner & Awards Program - $25 per person
Make Award Nomination
Purchase Event Tickets
AIAA North Texas Section Awards will be presented for the categories below, primarily for the period of the last AIAA Fiscal Year June 2025 through May 2026. Several of the awards are named in honor of the former UTA Aerospace Engineering professors who established and led the initial program at UTA. All serious nominations will be considered with final award announcements at the event itself (except for scholarship winners who will be notified ahead of time). All nominations should not exceed 1 page, not including endorsements/letters of recommendation (maximum 2). Judging will be by the North Texas Section Officers and Advisory Board.
Keynote: Lt. Gen. Charles “CR” Davis (ret.)
CR is an active experimental test pilot with L3Harris with 250+ test hours in–AT-802 and OA-1K Skyraider. Conducting envelope expansion, engine airstarts, handling qualities and mission systems testing as L3Harris converts AT-802 into USAF’s OA-1K. Retired in 2014 as Military Deputy to Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition;) responsible for R&D, test, production, and modernization programs. Commanded Electronic Systems Center—was Program Executive for Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks at Hanscom AFB, responsible for JSTARS, AWACS, and other classified aviation programs. Commanded Air Armament Center and Air Force Development Test Center Eglin AFB. Active F-16 Test Pilot—Program Executive Officer for Weapons. Directed development/test of weapons including variants of the AMRAAM missile, Small Diameter Bomb II, Joint Air to Surface Stand-off Missile and first variant of Massive Ordinance Penetrator. Held key program management positions: Director F-15 Development and Acquisition; T-6A Texan II System Program Director; F-15 System Program Director; and F-35 JSF Program Executive Officer. Oversaw development and first flights of F-35A/B. Commanded 412th Test Wing Edwards AFB. Commanded the 410th Flight Test Squadron, F/YF-117A Combined Test Force. Distinguished Grad USAF TPS Class 87B; Distinguished Grad, BS Chemistry USAFA; MS Mechanical Eng, California State Univ Fresno.
2026 Award Categories
& Last Year’s Winners
$500 High School Senior Scholarship
GPA, public service, activities, aerospace career goal (need not be for university, can be technical/mechanical/pilot/ATC goal), and AIAA activities will be considered for student attending North Texas high school.
Last Year’s Winner: Mr. Saarang Sivakumar - Lebanon Trail High School, Frisco
$500 College Undergraduate Student Scholarship
GPA, public service, activities, aerospace career goal, and AIAA activities will be considered for student attending North Texas college.
Last Year’s Winner: Ms. Deeva Khanuja - UT Arlington
Dr. Don Seath Award for Outstanding University Faculty
This award honors former UTA Aerospace Dept. Chair Dr. Don Seath (above) for his years of service to the aerospace education profession and for helping to establish the initial Aerospace Engineering program at UTA. Service/support for students, other faculty, programs, university, technical field, or AIAA will be considered for a North Texas instructor.
Last Year’s Winner: Dr. Zhen Xue Han (above), UT Arlington
Outstanding High School Educator
Service/support for students, other faculty, programs, university, technical field, or AIAA will be considered for a North Texas instructor.
Last Year’s Winner: Mr. Richard Griffith, Eagle Mountain ISD
High School Student of the Year
GPA, public service, activities, aerospace career goal, and AIAA activities will be considered for North Texas student. Last Year’s Winner: Mr. Awab Badawi, Trinity High School, Euless
College Student of the Year
GPA, public service, activities, aerospace career goal, and AIAA activities will be considered for North Texas student.
Last Year’s Winner: Mr. Kevin Debord, UT Dallas
Dr. Jack Fairchild Award for Best AIAA North Texas College Event
This award honors former UTA Professor Dr. Jack Fairchild (above) for his years of service to the aerospace education profession with his VariEze aircraft building program for students and his support and promotion of AIAA. Any AIAA supported/organized/recognized collegiate event is eligible.
Last Year’s Winner: UT Dallas, 2025 AIAA Region IV
Student Paper Competition (above)
Dr. Don Wilson Award for AIAA North Texas Young Professional of the Year
This award honors former UTA Professor Dr. Don Wilson (above) for his years of service to UTA. Dr. Wilson (above) was responsible for the development of the Aerodynamics Research Center (https://arc.uta.edu/) and was the graduate advisor of NASA Astronaut Kalpana Chalwa. Professional achievements, service/support for AIAA will be considered.
Last Year’s Winner: Mr. Adam Concha (above), Lockheed Martin
AIAA North Texas Outstanding Professional Achievement
Professional achievement, service/support for AIAA will be considered.
Last Year’s Winner: Dr. Vijay Gopal, UT Arlington
Outstanding Aerospace Achievement by a North Texas Individual
Technical, research, education, or operations will be considered.
Last Year’s Winner: Mr. Jon Dean, UT Arlington
Outstanding Aerospace Achievement by a North Texas Team
Technical, research, education, or operations will be considered.
Last Year’s Winner: UT Dallas Design-Build-Fly Team
Outstanding AIAA Support Awards
Service/support for AIAA will be considered for each award below.
AIAA North Texas Student Member
Last Year’s Winner: Mr. Kevin Debord, UT Dallas
North Texas Young Professional Member
Last Year’s Winner: Ms. Natalie Antis
North Texas Professional Member
Last Year’s Winner: Mr. Dana Johnson, Lockheed Martin
North Texas Company or Organization
Last Year’s Winner: UT Arlington AIAA Student Chapter