3/19/2026 Debra Levey Larson
Aerospace engineering faculty member Laura Villafañe Roca is consistently recognized for her leadership of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Illinois Section. This year, she received first place in two categories: Outstanding Section Award and Student Branch Partnership Award.
Written by Debra Levey Larson
Aerospace engineering faculty member Laura Villafañe Roca is consistently recognized for her leadership of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Illinois Section. This year, she received first place in two categories: Outstanding Section Award and Student Branch Partnership Award.
Villafañe Roca began working with Illinois’ AIAA section in 2022, co-chairing the section with long-time faculty chair, Harry Hilton. That year they shared a third-place award for Outstanding Section. For the past three years as chair, Villafañe Roca has led the group to consistently receive first place in both Outstanding Section and Student Branch Partnership Award.
The section awards honor particularly notable achievements made by members of AIAA’s 58 sections around the world in a range of activities that help fulfill the Institute’s mission. Section awards are given annually in eight categories based on the size of each section’s membership. Each winning section receives a certificate and a cash award. The Outstanding Section award is presented to sections judged on their overall activities and contributions throughout the year.
The Student Branch Partnership Award recognizes innovative collaboration between professional section members and student branch members. The Illinois Section has also been the recipient this year of the first place Membership award, as well as second place awards on Public Policy and STEM-K12 award.
“My position as chair these past years has been an opportunity to serve student members and my community,” Villafañe Roca said.
There are four AIAA student chapters in Illinois: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois Chicago, the Illinois Institute of Technology, and since 2026, a new student chapter at Wilbur Wright College.
“I have facilitated efforts to organize activities that connect all AIAA student members between them, with the broader AIAA mission, and with industry at Illinois. The AIAA Illinois section, thanks to the work of all its volunteer officers and the support of AIAA, provides a network that connects our local communities, students, industry and the aerospace sector. David Carroll, a long-standing officer and currently AIAA IL Section vice-chair and treasurer, has been essential to all our accomplishments these past years.”
In addition to being the world's largest aerospace technical society bringing together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense, AIAA organizes annual student competitions, regional conferences - a great opportunity for students to present their work and get exposure to recruiters – and supports activities at the regional and section level. The AIAA Illinois Section is part of Region III, which also includes Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Wisconsin.