Professors Elected to Associate Fellow of Aeronautics and Astronautics Institute

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Daniel Kirk and David Fleming, associate professors of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Florida Institute of Technology, were recently elected to Associate Fellow status by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). This distinguished honor is not easily attained. The AIAA elects only two percent of members to Associate Fellow each year.

David Fleming served as the AIAA Cape Canaveral Section Chair from 2007-2009. The Cape Canaveral Section earned the AIAA Outstanding Section Award for its size category under his leadership for the 2008-2009 year. He continues to serve on the AIAA Section Council and has served as adviser for the Florida Tech AIAA student branch for more than a decade.

Daniel Kirk was elected to Associate Fellow in his first year of eligibility, becoming one of the youngest members ever elected. He is a member of the AIAA Liquid Rocket Propulsion Technical Committee, a head of the AIAA Air-Breathing Propulsion Education Technical Committee and an organizer of the Liquid Rocket Technical Session for the AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference. He also served as chair of more than 20 AIAA Propulsion Technical Sessions over the years.

To be upgraded to Associate Fellow status, a candidate must have at least 12 years of experience in a given field, be an AIAA senior member and be recommended by at least three AIAA Associate Fellows.

AIAA was founded in 1963 and has more than 35,000 members. Its mission is to address the professional needs and interests of the past, current and future aerospace workforce and to advance the state of aerospace science, engineering, technology, operations and policy.