4/18/2023 Debra Levey Larson
Written by Debra Levey Larson
Heather Arneson, M.S. ‘07, Ph.D. ’12, is this year’s recipient of AE’s Outstanding Recent Alumni Award. Since 2011, she has been a research aerospace engineer at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California.
Throughout her career at Ames, Arneson’s research has focused on a variety of topics including air traffic flow management using machine learning methods to develop decision support tools, integrated demand management for traditional aviation, and air traffic management for urban air mobility.
After completing her B.S. in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Cornell University, Arneson took a three-year break from academia. During those years, she joined the science imaging team for NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Mission.
Observing colleagues in other jobs and whether or not they had an advanced degree, convinced her to get a master’s degree.
“I chose Illinois because it is a top school in aerospace engineering, but at that point, I still wasn’t sure if I wanted to go on for a Ph.D., too,” Arneson said. “I really enjoyed the research and working with my adviser, Cedric Langbort, so I decided to stick around for a Ph.D.”
Her graduate research focus was on the development of control design techniques with applications to air traffic flow management.
For more about her current work at NASA Ames, read the story on AE's news site.