On January 2, 2026, the National Academy of Engineering announced a celebration of 250 years of engineering as part of the U.S. semi-quincentennial. An NAE video highlights the impact of aerospace engineering on transportation and exploration.
American engineers pioneered aviation through powered flight and helicopter design, enabled space exploration with rockets, human spaceflight, and planetary rovers, and advanced satellite technology for communication, navigation, and GPS.
Career Communications Group has recognized many trailblazers in aerospace in its publications, including:
Guion S. Bluford Jr., the first African American to travel to space. While at NASA, he flew on four Space Shuttle missions. In 1983, as a member of the Orbiter Challenger crew on the STS-8 mission, he became the first African American in space. Bluford earned a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Penn State University in 1964, a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1974, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in laser physics in 1978.
In 2020, Myron Fletcher received the Dr. Walt E. Braithwaite Award at the BEYA Conference for his contributions to the aerospace industry.
Fletcher was then a senior flight test engineer at Boeing. He began his career at 16 as an Aerodynamics Engineer at NASA. In just six years with Boeing, he became the first engineer to deliver qualified space hardware to the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, where he was a Rocket Propulsion Engineer working on the core stage for the NASA Space Launch System, the world's most powerful rocket.
"Myron makes it his goal to give back and uplift others in promoting STEM," said Dr. Braithwaite at the BEYA event in February, stressing "the importance of mentorship by advocating for diversity and inclusion across Boeing's enterprise."
"My father always said, 'If you dream it, you can achieve it,'" said Fletcher on receiving his legacy award.
Growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, Fletcher saw the Boeing 747 Air Force One quite a lot.
"Living down the street from Little Rock International Airport, I wondered how planes fly," he said. "One day, my brother said why don't you build and fly them? Now, I stand before you as a flight test engineer working on the next presidential aircraft that will fly long after I'm gone. I'm forever grateful to my family for all they instilled in me."
I dreamed it, and I achieved it.
Walt W. Braithwaite played a key role in introducing CAD/CAM and IGES technology at Boeing. In 2000, he was named president of Boeing Africa. The Walt E. Braithwaite Legacy Award at the BEYA Conference honors his contributions. Braithwaite earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the American Institute of Engineering and Technology in 1965. While at Boeing, he received a master's degree in computer science from the University of Washington in 1975 and a master's in industrial management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981 as a Boeing Sloan Fellow. He completed his Ph.D. in technology and business processes at Rushmore University.
Among the winners of the Wanda M. Austin Legacy Award at BEYA is an Army vet, who joined an Airborne Reconnaissance Low-Enhanced program and quickly developed an innovative solution to complex issues with the system.
Austin earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Then she trained as a teacher and a professional in actuarial science. Later, she got master’s degrees in math and systems engineering before leaving Pittsburgh for southern California.
After a spell in rocket systems at Rockwell International, she settled down for a thriving career with The Aerospace Corporation in 1979. One of Austin’s first jobs at Aerospace was with a team at Cape Canaveral. After the satellite lifted off and arrived at the destination, she thought it was the kind of moment when one could say ‘you guys don’t even have to pay me to be here.’
Soon, Austin was tapped to lead Aerospace’s military satellite program, with 1,000 engineers in the engineering and technology group. In January 2008, she became The Aerospace Corporation’s president and CEO leading more than 4,000 scientists and engineers. She retired in 2016 after nearly nine years as CEO.
Austin served on the U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee, the US Defense Science Board, and the NASA Advisory Council. In 2017, she co-founded MakingSpace, Inc., a leadership and STEM consulting firm, where she continues as CEO.
She is a member of the California Council on Science and Technology, the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the International Academy of Astronautics, and is a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Austin also serves as a World 50 executive advisor and has previously served on the boards of the Space Foundation and the National Geographic Society.
She currently serves on the boards of Chevron Corporation, Amgen Inc., Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc., the Horatio Alger Association, and is a life trustee of the University of Southern California. In January 2024, she was nominated to Apple Inc.'s board of directors.
Austin's honors include the National Intelligence Medallion for Meritorious Service, the Air Force Scroll of Achievement, and the National Reconnaissance Office Gold Distinguished Service Medal. She has received the Robert H. Herndon Black Image Award from The Aerospace Group and was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame in 2007. She was named Black Engineer of the Year in 2009 and received the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics' von Braun Award for Excellence in Space Program Management in 2010.
In 2019, an executive leader with the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) organization received the Dr. Christopher Jones Legacy Award at the BEYA STEM Conference for creating opportunities to strengthen the talent pipeline in technology leadership.
Christopher T. Jones is currently chief of operations at The Leadership Compass. The National Air and Space Museum Wall of Honor is just one of many organizations that list Dr. Jones's accomplishments in academia, industry, and government service.
According to the citation, his service has directly contributed to advancing aerospace technology and to the defense and security of the United States and its allies.
Dr. Jones directed and oversaw engineering, technology development, and integration into aircraft, avionics, and other aerospace systems for the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and those of allied nations. His organization supported more than 60 major subsystems and different types and models of aircraft, including bombers, fighters, unmanned aircraft, helicopters, electronic aircraft, cargo and refueling aircraft, and commercial-derivative aircraft.
In the past, Dr. Jones was instrumental in the airborne early warning and battle management command and control, where he was responsible for all U.S. E-2 Hawkeye support and international E-2 Hawkeye programs. He provided technical leadership during the aircraft design, development, production, and fielding, and was a key member of the technology insertion and integration teams.
Before joining Northrop Grumman, Dr. Jones worked at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, where he led analysis, flight tests, and research on innovative rotorcraft technologies. He was Sikorsky's technology lead on the RAH-66 Comanche helicopter program and served as chief systems engineer for the Naval Hawk program.