Akshaj Kumar and Valerie McNeill standing together and smiling.

Texas A&M’s Akshaj Kumar and Valerie McNeill leveraged their college experiences and entrepreneurship skills to pitch their startup to investors at the Austin-based conference on March 13-14.

Five individuals pose around two autonomous aircraft models with their thumbs up.

Team Harmony was one of three out of 200 global teams to receive both the Stage 1 and Stage 2 prize — along with NASA’s University Innovation Award — for their quadrotor biplane design, moving closer to full-scale production.

Two men sitting in a small jet.

Storied explorer establishes aerospace engineering scholarship for Texas A&M students, charting a course for future Aggies in a seamless process.

A couple posing in front of a castle for a photo.

Former student and veteran, Dr. Kasandra Pirkey ’01, established a memorial scholarship in the Department of Aerospace Engineering in honor of her late uncle, uniting service, education and family.

A woman in a rocket.
Giving

An Aggie’s legacy in aerospace

Jan. 9, 2026 • 3 min. read

From rural Colorado to the forefront of aerospace engineering, Merri J. Sanchez ’85 broke barriers at NASA and now hopes to help future engineers reach for the stars.

Headshot of Dr. Darren J. Hartl on a maroon background.

Dr. Darren J. Hartl was honored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics for his extensive body of research in aerospace engineering, materials science and physics.

Two College of Engineering fixtures named Regents Professors.

Dr. Dimitris Lagoudas and Dr. Arul Jayaraman in the College of Engineering were honored with the Regents Professor designation for their steadfast commitment to outstanding performance and professional service.

A group of people pose for a photo

Recent aerospace alumni of the year, David Gastinger ’69 and his wife Carol, endow a scholarship to support an aerospace engineering student.

Researchers floating while performing experiments.
Research

The ups and downs of space research

Nov. 18, 2025 • 3 min. read

Researchers participate in microgravity parabolic flights to study spaceflight associated health risks.

A group photo with three individuals holding trophies.

The second annual art competition brings new and creative art to the engineering community.