The 2025 20 Twenties—Tomorrow’s Aerospace Trailblazers

The Aviation Week Network’s annual 20 Twenties program recognizes young, rising stars within the industry. We collaborate with universities around the world to identify 20 exceptional undergraduate students or those in graduate degree programs who are working to solve challenges within aerospace and defense. A panel composed of hiring managers, engineers and academics evaluates and scores nominees based on academic performance, civic contribution, obstacles to success and the value of each student’s research or design project.

Now in its 11th year, the 20 Twenties program includes winners from 11 schools across the U.S. who hail from six countries as well as nominees from 16.

Beyond dreaming of the future, these innovators are focused on improving aerospace safety and learning from the industry’s mistakes.

“As the industry continues to commercialize extreme environments like space and the deep sea, a shift in mindset is necessary to prevent future catastrophes,” winner Liz M. Bosch Aponte says. “It’s not just operator error that must be considered—modern vehicles are increasingly automated, and their robustness relies on thorough systems engineering processes.”

Many of this year’s winners are using their personal challenges as inspiration to drive opportunities for others who may follow in their footsteps. From helping international students and underrepresented demographics pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) opportunities to balancing the rigors of military service, this year’s winners have dedicated significant time and effort to improving their communities.

“It is never too early or too late to adopt an engineering mindset, and a passion for fixing the world can simultaneously unlock countless economic opportunities, particularly within underprivileged communities whose voice is often ignored,” winner Jeremy J. Kuznetsov says.

“I am a firm believer in the value of space exploration when it comes to improving life here on Earth, helping us to tackle global challenges in communication, climate, health and countless other areas,” winner Kathryn Lampo adds.

This year’s winners will be recognized during the 20 Twenties Awards Luncheon and Aviation Week Network’s 67th Annual Laureates Awards on March 6 in Washington.

The 20 Twenties program is held in partnership with Accenture.

Through his graduate research, Abdulhak’s is investigating how to use generative models for simulating disruptive aircraft events to prepare air traffic managers better. His team won the FAA TFM-AID Design Challenge to create a new user interface to unify mission-critical air traffic management applications and simplify training requirements for air traffic managers. Leidos chose him to spearhead the design of a $500 million bid submitted to the FAA for an improved interface.

Abdulhak has worked at Leidos, Delta Air Lines and Textron Aviation. After a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Syria and Turkey in 2023, he used his flight planning experience and airline resources to organize a last-minute medical mission that flew U.S. physicians to Turkey to perform life-saving surgeries. He was selected that same year by GE Aerospace and the Chancellery of Poland for a presidential immersion trip to exchange cross-cultural aerospace ideas.

Ahner is working to address the complications of cislunar space and near-Earth orbits growing further congested with increasing satellites and human presence. Her research is focused on developing robust, autonomous guidance algorithms that will help spacecraft maneuver to avoid collisions, lowering the risk of mission failure. Ahner has completed co-ops and internships at Boeing, the Air Force Institute of Technology and Radiance Technologies.

As president of Princeton’s Engineers Without Borders chapter, Ahner oversaw sustainable water projects in Ecuador, Kenya and Peru. She has volunteered with the Society of Women Engineers to develop STEM programming for high school girls. And as a member of CU Boulder’s Aerospace Graduate Student Organization, Ahner is working to build up the local community and ensure all graduate students feel supported.

Al Atik is pursuing graduate studies simultaneously at Georgia Tech and Institut Superieur de l’Aeronautique et de l’Espace (ISAE-Supaero) in Toulouse. At Georgia Tech, she leads a design space exploration project in partnership with Airbus using model-based systems engineering to assess industrial system robustness for potential future A320-family aircraft. She has won two Grand Challenges: one sponsored by Airbus, centered on improving disabled passengers’ experience, and the other by Boeing and Rolls-Royce, on analyzing and mitigating supply chain disruptions.

As president of ISAE-Supaero’s GALA Supernova, Al Atik organized events and seminars to connect students in STEM with industry professionals. She was also secretary general for the Supaero Junior Conseil, guiding teams to deliver projects to companies such as Airbus and Safran.

Atte’s research on multirotor interactional aerodynamics aims to optimize rotor configuration design and control systems for electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The research is funded by the Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence, a collaboration between the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and NASA. Atte has published and presented his research several times at the Vertical Flight Society Annual Forum.

Inspired by his challenges transitioning from Nigeria to academic life in the U.S., Atte joined the Georgia Tech International Ambassadors program to connect international students with resources. He is president of the Aerospace Engineering Student Ambassadors, where he leads a team promoting the program to prospective students, donors and visitors. Atte also volunteers through the Georgia Space Grant Program and the Tau Beta Pi honor society to provide STEM training to children and young professionals.

Balaji’s undergraduate research at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center focused on the challenge of frequent rocket explosions. He led a team that developed more than 100 3D models of titanium alloys, which ultimately increased titanium corrosion resistance by 92%, enhanced structural durability of titanium alloys used in rockets by 70% and quadrupled rocket safety ratings. His graduate research has developed new technologies for real-time feedback during nighttime lunar landings.

Balaji is passionate about providing educational opportunities to youth in India. In high school, he published a book about inequalities in India’s education system, and his recommendations contributed to educational reform bills. As brand ambassador for the Next Genius Foundation, his work supported students in rural areas with college applications and contributed to securing full scholarships to U.S. universities for more than 500 Indian students.

Bosch Aponte is an on-orbit maintenance and repair engineer at Axiom Space. As a spacecraft systems engineering intern at NASA, she used her experience to identify system safety gaps in her university’s curriculum. Her research project developed a proposed curriculum module to address those gaps by integrating case studies of space-related accidents, incidents and close calls.

Bosch Aponte won a U.S. State Department scholarship to support her study abroad program in Germany. As part of Embry-Riddle’s Turtle Tech project with Northrop Grumman and a local zoo that tracks sea turtle behavior using drones, she led a team that developed payloads for uncrewed aircraft systems. As a member of the Society of Women Engineers’ Outreach Committee, Bosch Aponte developed STEM activities to inspire young women to pursue engineering careers.

Corrigan is a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. Through the service’s DAWN-ED (Developing the Airmen We Need/Education) fellowship, he is studying challenges around aerodynamic modeling and control for autonomous flight. During his internships at NASA Langley Research Center, Corrigan developed a reduced-scale eVTOL aircraft system to support the agency’s RAVEN (Research Aircraft for eVTOL Enabling techNologies) program.

Corrigan was executive officer for a 250-member battalion in the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets as well as regimental bugler, performing on campus and during community ceremonies. He is an ambassador for the university’s Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Department and has volunteered at a youth drone camp organized by the Tuskegee Airmen. Corrigan plans to pursue a second graduate degree in flight-test engineering.

Grooms won the Air Force Research Laboratory/Defense Associated Graduate Student Innovators student-faculty scholarship. He is researching optimal signal design for joint radar and communication systems to improve efficiency and reduce interference through simultaneous radar and communication signals. He also designed a novel randomized channel assignment method that increases data security.

Grooms was a hardware design engineering intern at GIRD Systems and a technical analyst/specialist intern at IS4S. As president of Miami University’s chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, he increased membership and launched initiatives including providing free workshops for new engineering students on topics such as circuitry, coding and signal analysis. Through the chapter, Grooms also volunteers at Miami University’s open house events to share STEM experiences with prospective students.

As an undergraduate researcher in the Laboratory for Electric Aircraft Design and Sustainability, Guerrero is developing frameworks for assessing urban air mobility noise, including through a $750,000 grant to study aviation noise impact in Los Angeles. During internships, he validated maintenance procedures for Boeing 777X aircraft, programmed test automation systems at Northrop Grumman and enhanced propulsion testing capabilities at NASA Glenn Research Center.

Guerrero is passionate about creating positive change in aerospace and empowering underrepresented minorities in STEM. As president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, he leads a 300-plus-member organization and has secured more than $80,000 in funding to support Hispanic engineering students. After completing his undergraduate degree, he will pursue a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering to continue his work at the intersection of sustainable aviation, aeroacoustics and social equity.

Kline is using his applied mathematics background to tackle one of space’s most pressing sustainability challenges: improving trajectory predictions for the growing number of objects in orbit. His research at MIT’s Astrodynamics, Space Robotics and Controls Lab applies machine learning to improve predictions of satellite maneuvers and space weather perturbations, addressing the critical “custody problem” of tracking objects during out-of-sight trajectory changes. Kline’s work aims to reduce false-positive collision warnings and enhance space safety for both commercial operators and military assets.

Kline is a space operations officer in the U.S. Space Force and vice president of MIT’s Graduate Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics, where he manages a $44,000 budget to create opportunities for more than 250 graduate students. As an intern at Munich-based Vyoma, he developed thermal models for satellites and researched international space policy.

Kumar has developed AI-based computer vision systems for autonomous landing of VTOL aircraft, addressing critical challenges in maritime operations and GPS-denied environments. He led a 20-member capstone team that won the grand prize at Texas A&M’s College of Engineering showcase for developing and testing an uncrewed hybrid-electric VTOL vehicle. As president of the Texas A&M Vertical Flight Society, he secured thousands in funding and led his team to first place in an international design-build competition.

As CEO and founder of Arrow Analytics, working with Southwest Airlines, Kumar continues to push boundaries in aerospace innovation while creating opportunities for others. He leads entrepreneurship initiatives, such as student pitch competitions, and runs programming camps for middle school students. His efforts to bridge socioeconomic barriers in technology earned him PennLive’s Best and Brightest honors in 2021.

Kuznetsov’s work developing AI-based disaster response systems using Boston Dynamics SPOT robots earned his team third place in the DARPA Triage Challenge. His contributions to the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Venus Aerobot project advanced the technology readiness level of planetary balloon systems, and he led UMD’s Balloon Payload Program, designing an ascent-rate control system for high altitudes that eight university teams adopted for NASA’s Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project. His research has already yielded peer-reviewed publications and presentations at major aerospace conferences.

Kuznetsov is committed to expanding STEM access for underserved communities. Drawing on his experience as a Russian-Jewish immigrant, his outreach serves diverse populations with multiple languages and abilities. He launched UMD’s first student-initiated aerospace manufacturing course, an adult workforce coding program and partnerships with libraries to provide free hands-on workshops.

Through her work in Columbia’s Robotic Manipulation and Mobility Lab, Lampo is driving innovation in space robotics and satellite systems. Her work at Carnegie Mellon University developing inverted GPS tracking technology for wildlife monitoring earned publication in IEEE Aerospace. During internships at NASA Ames Research Center and Lockheed Martin Space, she optimized rotor designs for the Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s moon Titan and tested satellite uplink configuration code.

Lampo served as co-president of the Columbia Space Initiative, which she helped transform into the university’s largest engineering organization, growing membership to more than 300 students across 13 technical projects. Her model rocketry program has enabled hundreds of Title I school students to design and launch their own rockets. She is helping to establish Columbia’s first aerospace engineering program, conducting research and developing a curriculum that will shape future generations of space engineers.

At MIT’s STAR Lab, Lee is accelerating advances in satellite optical systems and laser communications. Her work on radiation-hardened star trackers at Sinclair Interplanetary earned first place in the SmallSat Student Competition, where she competed as an undergraduate against graduate students. Lee is now developing next-generation optical terminals for NASA’s CubeSat Laser Infrared CrosslinK mission to enable high-speed laser communications between cubesats.

As president of Queen’s University’s Rocket Engineering Team, Lee led the team to victory at the Spaceport America Cup and secured it a $2 million sponsorship commitment. Driven by her own journey from aspiring pilot to aerospace engineer, Lee is dedicated to creating pathways for underrepresented groups in the field. As a Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation Mentorship Team volunteer, she has expanded her outreach activities to university students.

Working at the intersection of innovation and safety, Patel is developing aircraft battery technology at Embry Riddle’s Boeing Center for Aerospace and Aviation Safety. His research designing lightweight, additively manufactured battery cases with integrated cooling channels aims to prevent thermal runaway incidents like those that grounded the Boeing 787 fleet.

As a two-time NASA RASC-AL Design Competition finalist, Patel has led teams in developing space technologies from resource utilization on Mars to service stations in cislunar space. Driven by his own journey navigating aerospace industry challenges, Patel dedicates himself to creating pathways to success for others. Through his work with Embry-Riddle’s Career Services and as a physics teaching assistant, he mentors international students and educates recruiters on the formal process of hiring international students.

At Embry-Riddle’s Space Technologies Laboratory, Patel led power systems development for Llamas (Literally Looking At More Astronauts in Space), the first student-built payload to fly inside SpaceX’s Dragon capsule during a crewed mission. His battery validation approach for human spaceflight, which won the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ 2024 Best Student Paper in Power Systems award, is helping to make space hardware development more accessible to university teams. His work with NASA on image-based navigation for Artemis missions builds on his experience developing space-rated camera systems as he continues pushing boundaries in human spaceflight technology.

Inspired by astronaut Nicole Stott’s fusion of art and science, Patel founded The Drive to Fly, an aerospace-themed art competition that awarded scholarships to local high school students. Through this initiative and his role teaching STEM workshops, he strives to make aerospace accessible to all. Patel is also a two-time Astronaut Scholar.

Pelia is bridging the gap between technical systems and humanitarian needs, creating methodologies that transform how organizations from the U.S. Office of Naval Research to NATO approach complex operational challenges. At Georgia Tech’s Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory, she developed interactive tabletop exercises to help military leaders evaluate disaster relief operations. Her work with the Carter Center mapped unexploded ordnance in conflict zones.

Pelia is an inaugural Quad Fellow and the first female cadet graduate chosen as a Brooke Owens Fellow. A proud Sikh-American and advocate for inclusion, she has volunteered for initiatives supporting veterans, women in military aviation and STEM education. As a NASA Solar System Ambassador and Science ATL volunteer, Pelia brings space science to K-12 classrooms, while her work with the Women’s Initiative Team aims to reshape sexual assault prevention policies across the military.

Leading research on NASA’s Benchmark Validation Experiments for RANS/LES Investigations project, Shanmugam spearheaded experimental methods to validate computational models for complex aircraft aerodynamics. Her novel application of laser Doppler velocimetry for near-surface flow measurements established new benchmarks in predicting high-lift device performance, advancing aircraft safety and efficiency. Her current research is developing digital twins for aircraft engine health monitoring.

As head of media for Women of Aeronautics and Astronautics India, she amplified diverse voices in aerospace, fostered inclusivity through hands-on outreach and helped organize the Indian Women in Space Conference. She also volunteered with Virginia Tech’s Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity and on the Aerospace and Ocean Engineering department’s DEI Committee.

Simoneau leads research at Embry-Riddle’s Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety, analyzing FAA enforcement actions against drone operators and helping to shape national policy for uncrewed aircraft system integration. His study examining regulatory compliance challenges has been downloaded more than 2,000 times and is informing how the aviation industry approaches drone safety oversight.

Having founded the Chart It All business at age 11 to fund his education, Simoneau is giving back to the community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he led an initiative donating more than $45,000 in face masks to first responders and essential workers. As adjutant for the Commemorative Air Force Florida Wing, he supports education programs for middle and high school students. Simoneau also teaches free aviation communications and flight planning sessions to students through his Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter’s Introduction to Aviation series.

During his undergraduate studies, Simpson has launched a cubesat payload on Blue Origin’s New Shepard Payload Support System and spearheaded diversity initiatives in aerospace. His expertise spans avionics design, systems integration and launch vehicle operations, demonstrated through multiple Blue Origin internships, including work on New Glenn stage integration. He was also a technical engineering intern at Northrop Grumman.

As president of Black Students in Aerospace, Simpson transformed the organization’s reach and impact, establishing the annual Social Justice in Aerospace event and developing hands-on engineering programs for underrepresented students. He serves on the Michigan Aerospace Department Community Success and Outreach Committee, and his efforts to create equitable opportunities earned him the 2024 North Campus Deans’ MLK Spirit Award. Through the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship and extensive mentorship work, he builds sustainable pathways for diverse talent in aerospace.

Amy Bahrani, Senior Manager, Defense and Intel, Accenture

Kevin Duda, Senior Program Manager, Distinguished Engineer—Space Systems, Draper Laboratory

Fernando L. Figueroa, Senior Manager, Aerospace and Defense, Accenture

Craig Gottlieb, Managing Director, Aerospace and Defense, Accenture

Col. (Ret.) Eric Jackson, Senior Program Manager, Lockheed Martin

Daniel Jensen, Global Chief of Capability—Control Systems, Rolls-Royce

Nimeesha Kuntawala, Flight Sciences—Product Development Team Lead, Gulfstream Aerospace

Joe Landon, Co-Founder, Rendezvous Robotics

Ho-Jun Lee, Lead Aerospace Engineer, NASA Johnson Space Center

Kathy Mulvaney, Manager, Systems Engineering, Northrop Grumman

Courtney Schultz, Manager, Aerospace and Defense, Accenture

Kristina Williams, Chief Operating Officer, Jetaire Group