Rovey recognized with AIAA Sustained Service Award

For his more than 16 years of significant service, dedication and contribution to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Joshua Rovey is receiving the 2026 AIAA Sustained Service Award.

“Josh has been a dedicated member of the Electric Propulsion Technical Committee and the Plasmadynamics & Lasers technical committees as well as serving as an officer of both committees, ensuring that these important foundational organizations of the technical activities division ran smoothly and professionally,” said Rovey’s nominator, Kurt Polzin, chief engineer of the space nuclear propulsion program at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

Polzin cited numerous other contributions Rovey has made to AIAA including developing the Year in Review article for the Electric Propulsion Technical Committee, which appeared in the December 2009 issue of Aerospace America. 

He has served as the electric propulsion technical area organizer, developing the technical tracks and recruiting session chairs for the 2016 and 2017 Propulsion & Energy Forums. 

“Without the technical area organizers, the technical tracks of AIAA’s Forums do not happen,” Polzin said. “Beyond those duties, Josh also served on the Organizing Committee for the 2017 Propulsion & Energy Forum as the Deputy Technical Chair for Propulsion, which added to his already busy AIAA service load in that particular year.”

In the area of publication-related activities, which Polzin said are extremely important in maintaining AIAA as a thought leader in aerospace engineering, Rovey has been a member of the publications committee for five years and serves the very important role of an associate editor for the AIAA Journal of Propulsion and Power. 

“Josh has also supported student activities in the Institute through his role as a student branch faculty advisor for six years while he was a professor at the Missouri University of Science and Technology,” Polzin said.

In addition, Rovey has contributed to AIAA by supporting colleagues in his technical area, nominating them for membership advancement and awards.

Rovey earned his Ph.D. from University of Michigan Ann Arbor. After his years at Missouri University, he joined Illinois’ aerospace engineering faculty in 2017. Since 2019, he has been the director of the Illinois Space Grant Consortium and was promoted to full professor in 2022.

For the complete list of award recipients, visit AIAA’s website.