Three of AIAA's newest Associate Fellows from Georgia Tech, from left, Vishal Acharya, Graeme Kennedy, and Juergen Rauleder

Three researchers from Georgia Tech have been elected to the 2023 Class of Associate Fellows by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Research engineer Vishal Acharya and professors Graeme Kennedy, and Juergen Rauleder received the distinction for their work in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering.

“This distinguished group of professionals has made significant and lasting contributions to the aerospace profession,” said AIAA president Laura McGill. “They exemplify expertise, passion, and dedication to advancing their specific disciplines, and they are truly shaping the future of aerospace.”

AIAA is the largest aerospace technical society in the world, and it grants the rank of Associate Fellow to individuals whose work “drives the industry forward,” according to AIAA executive director Dan Dumbacher. The rank carries weight both professionally and personally, said Acharya, a senior research engineer in the Ben T. Zinn Combustion Lab.

“Everybody knows what the AIAA Associate Fellow means,” he said. “It’s a distinction that builds trust and credibility, and lends weight when I apply for research funding.”

Kennedy is an associate professor and Rauleder is an assistant professor in the AE School.

“We are incredibly proud of Juergen, Graeme, and Vishal and their contributions to the aerospace community,” said Mark Costello, William R. T. Oakes Professor and School Chair.

Acharya researches combustion instability and combustion noise in gas turbines, but wears many other hats in his lab, including mentoring graduate students, managing resources, and writing grant proposals. Fulfilling these roles gives him the opportunity not only to participate in active research but also to move beyond the academic sphere into building and maintaining relationships with major companies and impacting industry designs and products.

“Receiving the rank shows that my work matters for the industry as well as the Institute,” Acharya said. “But it also means a lot to me because this is my first professional recognition, and it shows that the research community values my work and sees its impact on the industry.”

Acharya, Kennedy, and Rauleder will be recognized alongside Associate Fellows from around the world at the annual AIAA SciTech Forum in January 2023.