A group of 11 Florida Tech undergraduates presented research at this year’s American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Southeastern Regional Student Conference in Greensboro, N.C. Three sophomores studying aerospace engineering earned awards for their work: Yash Malik, Nicholas Pisani, and Peter Waszowski.
More than 400 students from institutions in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana attended this year’s conference. The annual event gives students the chance to present their research in a formal technical meeting atmosphere while building relationships with one another.
Malik won second place in the freshman/sophomore open topic category with the paper, “The Orbiter: Pushing the Boundaries of Conventional Amateur Rocketry.” Pisani and Waszowski won third place in the same category with their joint paper, “A Review of Hypersonic Vehicle Engine Optimization.”
Florida Tech’s AIAA chapter connects students who are passionate about aerospace with engineers, like-minded majors and industry professionals. Assistant professor of aerospace engineering Danilo de Camargo Branco serves as the organization’s faculty advisor.
Branco believes conference attendance is extremely valuable to the undergraduate experience, allowing students to sharpen skills such as writing scientific papers – a strong resume builder – and presenting to professional audiences. He said the conference also gives students a special opportunity to network with both members of the professional AIAA community and their peers, which helps spread the word of Florida Tech’s dedication to hands-on education.
“I am very glad that Florida Tech students participate in such events,” Branco said. “Not only do they help students grow professionally, but they also elevate the reputation of Florida Tech for its excellence in undergraduate research.”
