UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — James Coder and Jose Palacios, both Penn State associate professors of aerospace engineering, were selected as 2023 Associate Fellows of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).
The rank of associate fellow recognizes individuals “who have accomplished or been in charge of important engineering or scientific work, or who have done original work of outstanding merit or who have otherwise made outstanding contributions to the arts, sciences or technology of aeronautics or astronautics,” according to the AIAA website.
To be selected as an AIAA associate fellow, an individual must be nominated by three current associate fellows, be a senior member of the institute in good standing and have at least 12 years of professional experience.
Coder joined Penn State as an associate professor in 2022 after six years as an assistant professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Tennessee. He earned his doctorate in aerospace engineering from Penn State in 2014 and went on to serve as a research associate in computational mechanics at Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory for two years.
"It's an honor to be recognized by AIAA and become part of this select group,” Coder said. “I have been involved with the institute since I was an undergraduate, continuing through my involvement in the Applied Aerodynamics Technical Committee. It provides a wonderful opportunity to not only showcase my research but also connect with and expand my professional network."
Coder’s research centers on computational and experimental fluid dynamics, flight science, rotorcraft engineering and vehicle systems engineering. He is a recipient of the 2022 Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Award, and is a member of the Vertical Flight Society, Sigma Gamma Tau and the NATO Science and Technology Organization AVT-346 for hypersonic boundary-layer transition. He also serves as a peer reviewer for more than 10 journals. For AIAA, Coder is chair of the Applied Aerodynamics Technical Committee and serves on the organizing committees for the Computational Fluid Dynamics Transition Modeling and Prediction Workshop and the High-Lift Prediction Workshop.
Palacios joined the Penn State Department of Aerospace Engineering as an assistant professor in 2013 after serving as a postdoctoral researcher for the Penn State Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence for five years. He received his doctorate in aerospace engineering from Penn State in 2008.
“It is humbling to be named an associate fellow for such a highly respected community of engineers,” Palacios said. “I am grateful that our team’s efforts to train aerospace engineering professionals in the field of aircraft safety have been recognized by the AIAA community. I could not think of a more motivational award to continue my educational goals at Penn State.”
Palacios’ research centers on experimental fluid dynamics, multifunctional materials, structural dynamics and adaptive structures, as applied to aircraft icing, rotorcraft aeromechanics and active rotors. He also investigates vibration control and conducts aeroacoustics testing for vertical lift vehicles with active rotor systems.
Palacios is the recipient of the American Helicopter Society’s François-Xavier Bagnoud Vertical Flight Award and was listed in the American Society for Engineering Education's Prism Magazine's "20 Under 40" in 2014. He serves on AIAA’s Atmospheric and Space Environments Technical Committee and chairs the Vertical Flight Society’s Test and Evaluation Group.
“The AIAA associate fellows personify the innovation that drives our industry forward,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director, in a press release. “The members of the class of 2023 associate fellows embody the ingenuity and commitment that are crucial for developing solutions to the complex questions raised across the aerospace community.”
The Institute is hosting a Class of 2023 Associate Fellows Meet and Greet on Jan. 24 during the 2023 AIAA SciTech Forum in Fort Washington, Maryland.