Koki Ho, Dan Lev, and Cristina Riso were honored with Outstanding Research Advisor and Support Author Awards for their commitment to mentoring and collaborative scholarship.
The Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering (AE School) has presented the inaugural Outstanding Research Advisor (ORA) Award to Associate Professor Koki Ho for Ph.D. students, and to Assistant Professor Cristina Riso for M.S. students. Research Engineer Dan Lev was honored with the Outstanding Supporting Author (OSA) Award.
The ORA Award was created to recognize an AE School faculty member who, in addition to their instructional responsibilities, demonstrates exceptional mentorship by consistently going above and beyond to support the academic and professional success of graduate students.
“Faculty do a lot in developing their students, especially at research universities day in and day out. Often, the work outside of the classroom is not noticed. It is an apprenticeship model. We wanted to acknowledge and reward the invisible work that our faculty does in mentoring our research students,” said Karen Feigh, AE School professor and associate chair for Research.
The OSA Award acknowledges an AE School research engineer who plays a pivotal role in helping graduate students publish their work. These individuals often forgo first authorship to allow the student to take lead credit, and they may not appear as the last author, a position typically reserved for the principal investigator. Their contributions, though frequently unacknowledged in traditional authorship hierarchies, are essential to the success and clarity of the published research.
Koki Ho
Koki Ho, the Dutton-Ducoffe Professor in the Space Systems Design Lab (SSDL), leads the Space Systems Optimization Group, where he is developing advanced methods for space mission analysis and design. Since joining the AE School in 2019, Ho has formed collaborations across Georgia Tech, including with the Center for Space Technology and Research (C-STAR), the Supply Chain and Logistics Institute (SCL), and the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM). His research focuses on developing sophisticated modeling and optimization techniques that push the boundaries of how space missions are conceptualized and executed.
“Dr. Ho invested significant time in my development through productive weekly meetings and constant availability. When facing research challenges, he helped dissect problems, proposed insightful strategies, and guided me toward independent solutions, fostering critical research skills. His dedicated mentorship was instrumental to my success,” said his former student, Hang Woon Lee, assistant professor at West Virginia University.
Ho was recently inducted to the 2025 class of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Associate Fellows and has also received the NASA Early Career Faculty Award, the National Science Foundation Career Award, and the DARPA Young Faculty Award.
Additionally, he currently serves as the associate editor for the AIAA Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets. Previously he served as the chair of the AIAA Space Logistics Technical Committee from 2017-2024 and on the Steering Committee for the NASA-funded Consortium for Space Mobility and In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing Capabilities (COSMIC) from 2023-2025.
Cristina Riso
Cristina Riso, who joined the AE School in 2022, is an assistant professor with expertise in aeroelasticity of both fixed-wing and vertical lift aircraft. Her Structural Dynamics and Aeroelasticity Research Laboratory focuses on deepening the fundamental understanding of dynamic aeroelastic phenomena in next-generation aerospace configurations, using novel computational models and analysis methods. Riso is actively involved in the professional community, serving on the AIAA Structural Dynamics Technical Committee, the Vertical Flight Society (VFS) Dynamics Technical Committee, and the AIAA Aeroelastic Prediction Workshop’s Large Deflection Working Group.
“Dr. Riso supported not just my research but my overall professional development, helping me prepare for design competitions and using lab meetings as platforms for presentation practice, regardless of if they were directly research related or not. In addition, she has also encouraged me to apply for multiple scholarships and awards while also providing feedback on my essays and writing recommendation letters as well,” said Gray Simmons, AE School graduate student.
She was recently selected as a Boeing Visiting Professor where she spent part of the summer at Boeing, interacting with industry experts and discussing future research directions from an applied, production prospective. In 2024, she gave the keynote at the International Forum on Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics. In 2023, she received the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from the Oak Ridge Associated Universities. She also serves as the technical discipline chair for Structural Dynamics for the 2026 AIAA SciTech Forum and has been recently appointed an associate editor for the Journal of Aircraft.
“Riso truly goes the extra mile,” said Feigh. “She meets with her students at conferences—even as late as 9:00 p.m. the night before their presentations—just to hear them rehearse one final time. It is that kind of quiet, consistent dedication that often goes unseen, which is exactly what we aim to recognize with this award.”
Dan Lev
Dan Lev joined the AE School in 2021 and is a research engineer in the High-Power Electric Propulsion Laboratory (HPEPL). His research revolves around electric propulsion technologies and developing new emerging propulsion innovations such as high-power Hall thrusters, magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters, and ion engines.
“Dr. Lev employs a rigorous and thorough approach to the publication process. We would discuss different paper-topic ideas to decide on the paper's ‘storyline’, target the most appropriate journal, and work on the detailed paper structure. He diligently explained the logic behind paper structured decisions, specifically focusing on the literature review section to ensure the study had a solid foundation. Additionally, we held multiple discussions on the physics behind the research and the best methods to break down complicated analyses to make the publication coherent and clear to the reader,” said William Brabston, AE School former doctoral student and recent graduate.
In 2021, Dan Lev was honored with the Innovation Award, the Excellence in Research and Development Award, and the Employee Appreciation Award from Rafael, Israel for his outstanding contributions to space propulsion technology. Among his most notable achievements is his patent for the Heaterless Hollow Cathode for Electric Propulsion, a discovery that eliminates the need for external heating elements in space thrusters. This advancement enables faster ignition, reduces system complexity and mass, and enhances reliability by minimizing thermal fatigue failures. Lev’s design has proven especially valuable for low-power Hall thrusters, offering improved efficiency and durability in demanding space environments.
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