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Ella Atkins wins 2022 AIAA Intelligent Systems Award

Atkins is honored for her two decades of interdisciplinary systems research

By:

Michigan Aerospace Engineering

The AIAA Intelligent Systems Award recognizes important fundamental contributions to intelligent systems technologies and applications that advance the capabilities of aerospace systems. Atkins was selected for her outstanding, creative, interdisciplinary solutions in the theory and deployment of intelligent autonomous aerospace vehicles over the past two decades.

Ella Atkins, Professor of Aerospace Engineering

A Professor in the Aerospace Department, Atkins directs the Autonomous Aerospace Systems (A2SYS) Lab and is Associate Director of the Robotics Institute. She holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT and Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science and Engineering from U-M.

Atkins overall research goal is to identify, adapt, and advance an appropriate set of models and algorithms from the control systems and computer science communities to best solve key Aerospace research challenges. Her research focus on autonomous systems is helping aircrafts and humans make safe decisions as intelligence and autonomy plays an increasing role in aerospace. 

Atkins is excited about the fact that AIAA has become increasingly interested in autonomy for aerospace. “It’s an exciting time in aerospace and AIAA because the organization and its members are recognizing all aspects of intelligent systems across all foundations. It will be great to see this evolve and become even more ingrained in our field.”

Atkins is honored to be given this award from her peers, saying, “I was a member of the intelligent systems technology committee for many years, the folks who determine this award, so it means a lot to me to get an award from my peers and friends.”

Some of Atkins most prominent Awards and Service include:

  • Robotics Leadership Award, 2020
  • Inaugural President’s Award for National and State Leadership, University of Michigan, 2017
  • Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) (current)
  • Senior Member, IEEE (current)
  • Editor-in-Chief, AIAA Journal of Aerospace Information Systems (JAIS) (current)
  • Executive Steering Committee, AIAA Aviation Conference (2020-2021)
  • Trudy Huebner Service Excellence Award, University of Michigan, 2013.
  • NSF CAREER Award, 2004-2009.
  • Member of the National Academy Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB), 2011-2015

More on Atkins can be found at her bio webpage or the Autonomous Aerospace Systems Lab site

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