3/26/2024 Debra Levey Larson
Written by Debra Levey Larson
Last spring, the Department of Aerospace Engineering recognized alumni Richard Mange as a Distinguished Alumni. This year, he is being elected as a 2024 Fellow by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The class will be inducted during a ceremony on May 14, in Washington, D.C. and celebrated at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts the following day.
To be elected as an AIAA Fellow, individuals must already be Associate Fellows and must have made notable and valuable contributions to the arts, sciences or technology of aeronautics and astronautics.
Mange earned three degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, B.S. ’86, M.S. ’90, and Ph.D. ’96. His 38-year career in the aerospace industry includes 11 years at McDonnell Douglas Aerospace in St. Louis, and 26 years at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Ft. Worth.
During this career, Mange held positions of increasing responsibility culminating in his current position as the F-35 Chief Engineer, responsible for ensuring the safety, airworthiness, and technical integrity of all F-35 Engineering products.
For more about Mange read the story about his 2023 Distinguished Alumni award.