The professional contributions and life accomplishments of three School of Aerospace Engineering grads took center stage April 25, when the College of Engineering honored them at the 2015 Alumni Awards Induction Ceremony.

The professional contributions and life accomplishments of three School of Aerospace Engineering grads took center stage April 25, when the College of Engineering honored them at the 2015 Alumni Awards Induction Ceremony.

Admiral James A. "Sandy" Winnefeld, BSAE '78. Dr. Christopher T. Jones, BSAE '86, and Dr. Ian Clark, PhDAE '09 were feted by the Institute during an evening-long soiree held at The Twelve Hotel.

Joining them were 21 other College of Engineering alumni, each singled out for unique contributions to the Institute's legacy. President G.P. "Bud" Peterson lauded the group's impact on career and community.

"High standards, hard work and entrepreneurial drive are hallmarks of Georgia Tech graduates. Our honorees are at various stages in their careers, but they all share these traits. All of them in their own way have made their mark in their respective fields, be it academia, government or industry," he said.

"As living examples of the Georgia Tech ethos, these honorees have something else in common: an unmatched technological education, along with the ability to think critically and address complex challenges, and the determination to have a positive impact on our world."

College of Engineering Hall of Fame

Inducted into the College of Engineering Hall of Fame are individuals who have

made meritorious engineering and/or managerial contributions over the course of very distinguished and often completed professional careers. This year's inductees included Kenneth G. Byers (EE), Jr., Charles W. Moorman, (CE), John E. Nobles, (ChE), Dennis V. Vohs, (IE), and AE's own James A. Winnefeld, who currently serves as the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation's second highest-ranking military officer.

Winnefeld graduated GT-AE with high honors and went on to a storied career in the U.S. Navy.

After flight training, he flew the F-14 Tomcat on several deployments to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf and served as an instructor at the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN). After squadron command, he graduated first in his class at the Navy’s nuclear propulsion training program and commanded USS Cleveland (LPD-7) and USS Enterprise (CVN-65) during the nation’s initial response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Read more about Admiral Winnefeld's thoughts on leadership.

Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni

It is no wonder why Dr. Christopher T. Jones was inducted into the Academy. Each year, this group recruits alumni who have provided distinguished contributions to the Institute, profession, field, or society at large. Candidates are highly placed executives and are actively involved in engineering, management, industry, academia, or government.

A native of Maryland, Jones currently serves as corporate vice president  and president of Northrop Grumman's Technical Service division. In addition to earning two masters degrees and a doctorate, Jones was an active duty Air Force officer, retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was a member of the Connecticut National Guard for 14 years and participated in military deployments including Operation Noble Eagle and Operation Enduring Freedom. He serves on the boards of the National Action Council for Minorities and the Air Force Association, as well as the Georgia Tech Advisory Board.

Joining him in this year's Academy Induction were William Hand Allen, (EE),  R. Keith Chambless, (ME), John T. Hammond, (ChE and IE), Michelle Jarrard, (IE) Jong-Hyun Kim, (ME),  Major General Kelly K. McKeague, (IE), Geoffrey P. Morris, (CerE), Christopher D. Pappas, (CE),  and Robert N. Stargel, Jr., (EE).

Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni

The Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni Award recognizes our future leaders. They are the alumni who have distinguished themselves through professional practice and/or service to the Institute, the engineering profession, or society at large. They are on the “fast track” having advanced rapidly within their organizations through their outstanding professional achievements.

This definition fairly well describes Dr. Ian Clark, a 2009 doctoral grad who currently serves as a systems specialist in Planetary Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL). As the principal investigator for NASA's $200 million Low-density Supersonic Decelerator project, he is leading the way to eventual exploration of Mars. For his work and leadership in the aerospace field, Ian has received awards including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Lew Allen Award for Excellence, and the JPL Explorer Award.

Joining him in this honor in 2015 were fellow GT grads Arthur D. Barfield, (ChBE), Walt Baxter, (ME),Tamara E. Hebeler, (CE)  Jorge H. Jimenez Mejia, (BME), Matthew David Trexler, (MSE)  Morgana Martin Trexler, (MSE) , and Manuel Walters, (ME).

See a slideshow of the AE awardees at the Awards Reception.

See a slideshow of  all the Alumni Award winners here.