Southwest Aerospace Symposium
Saturday, 28 March 2026
UT Arlington
Registration due 19 March 12pm CDT!
Keynote
NASA Astronaut Bob “Farmer” Hines (Colonel, U.S. Air Force)
|“The Artemis Test Campaign”
Full SWAS program detailed below
NASA Artemis
Southwest Aerospace Symposium - SETP Online Registration
UTARI & TMAC Industry Showcase
Friday, 27 March 2026
10am-2pm
UTA Research Institute
7300 Jack Newell Boulevard South
Fort Worth, TX 76118
Join us for an exclusive behind‑the‑scenes look at the innovation happening at UTARI and TMAC—all in one building. You’ll get a firsthand look at the work of:
Meet the researchers, scientists, and engineers driving advancements in medical devices, automation, robotics, and composites. Explore our labs at your own pace and catch recurring demos throughout the morning.
UTA looks forward to welcoming you and showcasing the impact these programs are making in the Metroplex.
Please register to let them know you’re coming: https://www.eventsquid.com/event.cfm?preview&event_id=31247
February 2026 Engineers’ Week Highlights
UTA Resume Workshop
Thanks to our AIAA North Texas volunteers who supported the UTA Resume Workshop at Nedderman Hall on 20 February 2026!
Mike Fox, AIAA North Texas Vice Chair, Associate Fellow
Dr. Dennis Finley, AIAA North Texas Advisory Board, Associate Fellow
Marc Munzing
Paul Park, AIAA Fellow
UT Dallas Interview Workshop
The UTD AIAA student branch hosted an interview workshop on 24 Feb. to pass along tips from their officers who have successfully landed internships and to provide mock interviews and feedback. This was a continuation of their resume workshops.
UTA AIAA Professional Events Coordinator Christian Ibarra receives UTA Excellence Award
The UTA Engineering Department and Engineering Student Council presented Christian Ibarra, UTA AIAA Professional Events Coordinator and aerospace engineering major, with the award for Excellence in Collaboration on 25 February 2026.
Dr. Otten presents on LM Missiles & Fire Control
The UTA AIAA student branch hosted Dr. Dustin Otten on 25 February to discuss his career and work at Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control. He holds bachelors and masters degrees in aerospace engineering from Oklahoma University and a PhD in aerospace engineering from UTA and was inducted as an AIAA Associate Fellow in 2025. He credits getting his job at LM with a networking opportunity from AIAA several years ago. Free pizza and drinks were provided.
More AIAA North Texas pictures, newsletters, and events can be found on AIAA North Texas Engage.
Collin College Technical Campus Engineering Speaker Panel
On 27 February 2026, AIAA North Texas professional and young professionals (YPs) supported the Collin College Allen Technical Campus Engineering Industry Speaker Panel providing almost half of the panel participants. Engineers with different backgrounds participated in two different panels and shared their experiences and insights into various fields from helicopter rotor dynamics to software to nuclear engineering. Collin College is also interested in starting an AIAA student branch. Pictured above is AIAA North Texas YP member Francis Roman (far right) who works in software engineering at Lockheed Martin. Also participating from the North Texas section were Angela Buccio, Bell & AIAA North Texas Advisory Board member, and James Sergeant, AIAA North Texas Chair.
More AIAA North Texas pictures, newsletters, and events can be found on AIAA North Texas Engage.
Collin College Info
UTA AIAA Mentorship Workshop
Join the UTA AIAA Student Chapter every Tuesday from 6:30 – 7:30 pm for their weekly Mentorship Workshop focused on professional growth and career development. Members will learn how to connect with recruiters, improve their LinkedIn profile, network with industry professionals, and strengthen their career readiness through resume reviews and interview preparation. Whether you’re just getting started or refining your path, this workshop is a great place to ask questions, receive feedback, and build confidence.
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Events - MavEngage
Meet Virgin Galactic Astronauts Kelly Latimer & Mike “Sooch” Masucci at SWAS 28 March at UTA!
Kelly & “Sooch” have commanded numerous test and operational flights to the edge of space in the Virgin Galactic Unity SpaceShipTwo. As Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) President, Kelly will be chairing the morning session as Sooch presents lessons learned from the Unity spaceflight program, including flying Sir Richard Branson to space in 2021 (see schedule below). Register today to hear & meet these exceptional test pilots, then stay for lunch for NASA Astronaut Bob “Farmer” Hines’ keynote address, The Artemis Test Campaign, that plans to take humans back to the moon.
Southwest Aerospace Symposium
Saturday, 28 March 2026
UT Arlington
SEIR Engineering Bldg., Room 294
0800-1700 hrs.
Registration due 19 March 12pm CDT!
|$15 Full-time Student members (AIAA, VFS, SFTE)
$20 Full-time Student nonmembers
$50 AIAA, SETP, VFS, SFTE Members
$60 Non-Members
Includes sessions, breaks, & luncheon
Southwest Aerospace Symposium - SETP Online Registration
Keynote
NASA Astronaut Bob “Farmer” Hines (Colonel, U.S. Air Force)
“The Artemis Test Campaign”
Bob Hines was selected by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class. He reported to the Astronaut Office in August 2017. He has served more than 23 years in the United State Air Force (USAF) as an instructor pilot, fighter pilot, and a test pilot. Before his selection in 2017, he was serving as a Research Pilot at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. He has accumulated more than 4,000 hours of flight time in 50 different types of aircraft and has flown 76 combat missions in 3 different aircraft types while supporting contingency operations around the world. Hines served as the pilot on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission to the International Space Station, which concluded on Oct. 14, 2022. The mission was the first spaceflight for Hines. He has logged 170 days in space, overseeing the arrival of crew and cargo, maintaining the space station, and conducting science experiments of various disciplines.
NASA Artemis
Schedule
0800 - Check in, Coffee & Refreshments
Morning Session
Chair - Kelly Latimer (F), USAF/NASA/VG Retired, SETP President 
0830 - X-76 Predecessor: Full Scale Stop-fold System Transition Demo on a High-Speed Test Track, Dr. Troy Schank, Bell 
0900 - Air Tractor 1002, Jim Acree (AF)
0930 - UT Dallas AIAA Project Teams, Mi Vo & Mikail Naqib, UTD AIAA Student Chapter President & VP
0945 - Coffee Break
1015 - FAA-Sponsored Flight Test Findings on HQTE for VTOL Aircraft, Marty Shubert (F), Tiltrotor Flight Test Consulting
1045 - High-Altitude Airport Operations (HAAO) certification campaign for the Global 6500 aircraft, Brian Nyaberim
1115 - VSS Unity Test Program Lessons Learned, Mike Masucci (AF), Virgin Galactic
1145 - CIRP: Mental Health Support for Flight Testers, James Sergeant F
1200 - Luncheon & Keynote
NASA Astronaut Bob “Farmer” Hines (Colonel, U.S. Air Force)
The Artemis Test Campaign
Afternoon Session
Chair - Ryan “Cujo” Blake (AF), Lockheed Martin 
1330 - We Work for the Robots - Lessons from Autonomy Flight Testing, Kasey Dixon, Lockheed Martin
1400 - Initial MV-75 Handling Qualities Evaluation in Vertical Motion Simulator, Ernie McGuinness (M) and Tom Berger, Bell
1430 - UT Arlington AIAA & Aero Mavs
Mauricio Nava, UTA Aero Mavs Outreach Officer
Karthik Nuti, UTA Aero Mavs Hybrid Research Operations Lead|
1445 - Coffee Break
1515 - Aerodynamics Research in North Texas at the Dawn of CFD, Dr. Dennis Finley, Lockheed Martin (retired)
1545 - Strategies for Integrating Complex Aircraft Software Systems: Insights from Software Engineers at Lockheed Martin, Jennifer Klenka & Stephanie Figueroa, Lockheed Martin
1615 - Risky Business: These are the Risks you are Looking For, David Hoey SM & Gerardo Sanchez M, 586th Flight Test Squadron, NM
1645 - 2026 SFTE International Symposium Introduction, Bob Brock SM , SFTE North Texas
1655 - Best Technical Paper Award & Concluding Remarks
1800 - No-Host Social at TIPSY OAK, 301 East Front St, Arlington TX 76011
Follow SWAS on our own Luft Org App!
Get bios, abstracts, parking, attendee list, schedule updates, Q&A submittal, & more!
Luft Org
AIAA North Texas App
Available In Apple App store