UA student chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics hosts Region III Student Conference

AIAA student members from universities all over the Midwest and New England alongside professionals from NASA Glenn Research Center, HX-5, LCC, M.L. Heil Consulting LLC, Classic Engineering and AIAA.

On April 5th and 6th, The University of Akron's (UA) student chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) hosted the Region III Student Conference.

The event focused on connecting students to the aerospace community and offered opportunities for students to exchange ideas and become published authors. Region III comprises all AIAA student members in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. This year, however, Region III also received students from Wentworth Institute of Technology (Massachusetts) and cadets from the United States Military Academy (New York).

UA students networking with John Sankovic, UA alumnus and current President of the Ohio Aerospace Institute.

Before the conference, students had the chance to submit papers in the Undergraduate, Undergraduate Team or Masters category. These papers featured topics related to the aerospace industry that the students were involved in, be it through research, a senior design project or a student design team project. After the papers were submitted, the students then had the opportunity to present their work in front of a panel of judges at the conference which included distinguished professionals from NASA Glenn Research Center, HX-5, LLC, M.L. Heil Consulting LLC, the Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI) and Classic Engineering.

UA students presenting their research in the Undergraduate category.

Students received a total score based on the combined scores from their written papers and oral presentations. Prizes were awarded to the first, second, and third-place winners in each category, with the first-place winners given the opportunity to present at the national AIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition in January 2025.

With over 110 attendees, UA hosted one of the largest Region III Student Conferences and provided a unique opportunity for many UA students involved in research projects to present their work. Thirty-six UA students attended the event and represented 10 of the 30 papers presented.

UA student Jason Mack receives his third-place certificate with Christopher Pestak (HX-5, LLC) and Merrie Scott (AIAA).

Congratulations to the following students who placed at the conference:

• Jason Mack received third place in the Masters category for his paper titled "Machine Learning Applications for Compression Strength After Low Velocity Impacted Carbon Fiber Composites."
• Ana Clecia Alves Almeida, Reece Davis and Jonathan Armbrust received second place in the Undergraduate Team category for their paper titled "Design and Flight Vehicle Integration of a VAPAK Liquid Engine Rocket."
• Seth Arkwright, Matthew DiPofi, Jackson Godsey, Joshua Slivka and Nicole Zimmerli received first place in the Undergraduate Team category for their paper titled "Design of a Low Barrier to Entry Reusable Rocket Engine and Test Stand." Their team will be representing Region III and The University of Akron at the national AIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition this coming January!

From left to right: Akronauts Rocket Design Team students Jackson Godsey, Matthew DiPofi, Joshua Slivka, Nicole Zimmerli, Seth Arkwright, Ana Clecia Alves Almeida, Jonathan Armbrust and Reece Davis place 1st and 2nd in the Undergraduate Team category.

The AIAA student chapter at UA is proud to have hosted this year's successful Region III Student Conference, allowing students from all over the Midwest and New England to present their work and become published authors. The chapter helped establish connections among students from various universities, laying the foundation for collaboration crucial to the advancement of the aerospace industry. The event also further solidified The University of Akron as a key player in the aerospace industry among universities nationwide due to its research, design teams, and the multitude of opportunities and resources available to students.

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Story by CEPS Marketing.

Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu.