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Southwest Texas Section Newsletter
March 2026
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In This Issue
- Recognizing SWTX's Newest AIAA Associate Fellows
- Celebrating UT San Antonio's Historic Rocket Achievement
- Special Lecture: Col. (Ret.) Randy "Laz" Gordon - March 11
- Scholarship Applications Open - Deadline April 3
- Nominations Now Open for Member Advancement
- Upcoming Social Events - RSVP for our March 31 Social at Longtab Brewing
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Three SWTX Section Members Inducted as AIAA Associate Fellows
Three AIAA Southwest Texas (SWTX) Section representatives were recently elected as Associate Fellows of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) - a distinction that recognizes sustained technical excellence and meaningful contributions to the aerospace community. While each individual was honored for different accomplishments, together they reflect the breadth and depth of impact of our region across research, education, and applied engineering.
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Dr. James "Chris" Thomas - Southwest Research Institute
Recognized for his technical leadership and long-standing contributions to advanced chemical propulsion and combustion research. His work has helped bridge fundamental science and practical engineering applications, supporting both government and industry stakeholders. |
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Dr. Pablo Bueno - Southwest Research Institute
Honored for his contributions in high-fidelity experimentation and diagnostics, advancing the understanding of complex aerospace systems. His efforts have strengthened experimental capabilities and enabled more rigorous validation of advanced models and designs. |
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Dr. Lori Magruder - University of Texas at Austin
Recognized for her impact in aerospace education and research, as well as her leadership in preparing the next generation of engineers. Her work continues to shape both academic programs and the broader aerospace workforce. |
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Election to AIAA Associate Fellow is a significant professional milestone, reflecting peer recognition at the national level. Congratulations to Dr. Thomas, Dr. Bueno, and Dr. Magruder on this well-deserved honor and for their continued contributions to the aerospace field.
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UT San Antonio League of Liquids Achieves a Texas First
This past fall, a group of UT San Antonio students - M. Grace Zimmer, Emilio Mayorga, Haven Russell, Tanner Ford, and Joseph Hernandez-McCloskey - successfully designed, manufactured, tested, launched, and recovered a liquid bi-propellant rocket, becoming the first university group in Texas to reach this aerospace engineering milestone.
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The rocket, Jinx, served as the capstone project for Zimmer, Mayorga, Russell, and Ford - an undergraduate senior design team from the Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering Department at UT San Antonio. The group was mentored by Hernandez-McCloskey, a Mechanical Engineering doctoral student and NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunity Fellow, and was sponsored and advised by Dr. Daniel I. Pineda, Associate Professor of MAIE and AIAA SWTX Secretary.
Liquid propellant rocket engines are the primary method of propulsion for reusable launch vehicles, which serve a growing aerospace industry in Texas increasingly seeking graduates with relevant project-based engineering experience.
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All rocket components were designed and manufactured entirely by undergraduate students using resources in UT San Antonio's machine shop. In the months preceding the launch, the students conducted multiple cold flow and hot fire tests to collect critical pressure, thrust, and mass flow data to refine the propulsion system.
The launch and recovery occurred on November 9, 2025, at the Friends of Amateur Rocketry (FAR) site in the Mojave Desert, California. Jinx achieved an apogee of 10,061 ft and landed under parachute in a reusable state - meeting all project goals and establishing a sustainable framework for future student groups. Notably, the rocket was successfully launched on the first attempt, and the entire project was completed in less than one academic year.
For their efforts, the League of Liquids was awarded 1st place at UT San Antonio's Fall 2025 Tech Symposium. The group is now preparing to present their work at the AIAA Region IV Student Conference at Rice University in late March 2026.
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Events & Opportunities
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Special Lecture: Col. (Ret.) Randy "Laz" Gordon, PhD
| Wednesday, March 11 |
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7:00 PM CT |
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Zoom |
Col. (Ret) Randy "Laz" Gordon, PhD will be giving an exciting lecture to the AIAA SWTX Section on combat flight test in Afghanistan on March 11th at 7pm CT. Col. Gordon retired from the Air Force after 26 years of service and last served as the Commander of the Arnold Engineering Development Complex, a multi-billion dollar nationwide organization featuring more than 65 aerospace developmental test and evaluation facilities. Prior to this role, he served as the Vice Commander of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards, AFB and was the Director for the Secretary of the Air Force's AI Technology Accelerator with MIT. Col. Gordon is an Air Force and DARPA Fellow, and a graduate of the US Air Force's School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS), Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), and the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). He is an accomplished public speaker with appearances on CBS, Smithsonian Channel, Jay Leno's Garage, and the TEDx stage. He has over 3000 flight hours as an experimental test pilot and operational combat fighter pilot with experience in the F-22A, F-15C/E, A-10A/C, F-16A/C, T-38C, Bombardier BD-700 Global Express business jet, and 70 other military and civilian aircraft.
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AIAA SWTX Scholarship - Applications Open!
The AIAA Southwest Texas Section is now accepting scholarship applications. Up to $1,500 in awards will be given to individuals targeting a future career in the aerospace sector. The review committee will determine how to divide the total award amount among the selected awardee(s).
Eligibility Requirements
- Junior standing or below in an engineering discipline at a school within the AIAA SWTX Section
- Expected degree completion after August 2026
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Application Package Requirements
- Name and contact information (email, phone, mailing address)
- Personal Statement - 800 words maximum (figures/images allowed); upload in form or email
- Transcripts with listed GPA - upload in form or email
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Submit the Google Form and (if needed) email your personal statement and transcripts to erin.decarlo@swri.org by April 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM CT. Scholarship awardee(s) will be announced by April 20, 2026.
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Nominations Now Open for Member Advancement
AIAA is now accepting nominations for member grade upgrades. Consider nominating a deserving colleague - or yourself - for recognition of sustained contributions to the aerospace community.
| Grade |
Nomination Deadline |
References Deadline |
| Associate Fellow |
April 15 |
May 15 |
| Fellow |
June 1 |
July 1 |
| Honorary Fellow |
June 1 |
July 1 |
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Upcoming Social Events
Tuesday, March 31 - Social
Longtab Brewing Company
4700 Timco W Ste 105, San Antonio, TX 78238
5:30 – 7:30 PM
Join fellow AIAA SWTX members for a relaxed come-and-go social - no agenda, no presentations, just good company. Drop in whenever works for you and stay as long as you like. All members and guests are welcome. Please RSVP so we have a rough headcount!
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April - SwRI Tour & Social
Stay tuned - we are planning a tour of Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in April. The tour will be held on their San Antonio campus and followed by a social. Details to come! |
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Questions or feedback? Email us.
© 2026 AIAA Southwest Texas Section
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