Tom West Elected as an AIAA 2025 Associate Fellow

The Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate (SACD) at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is pleased to announce that Tom West has been elected to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Class of 2025 Associate Fellows.

“The members of the Class of 2025 Associate Fellows embody the ingenuity that is crucial for developing solutions to the complex questions raised across aeronautics, aerospace R&D, and space,” said AIAA CEO Dan Dumbacher in an AIAA press release.

Only one of every 150 AIAA voting members is selected as an Associate Fellow each year by a review committee. Nominations require three references, and nominees must have 12 years of professional experience. 

West has been with NASA since 2015 and currently works for the Vehicle Analysis Branch (VAB) of SACD, serving as technical lead for systems analysis and vehicle design within the NASA Hypersonic Technology Project (HTP). He is also the deputy principal investigator for the Entry Systems Modeling (ESM) Project and the technical lead for the ESM detailed post-flight analysis of Mars 2020 and the Mars Entry Descent and Landing and Instrumentation 2 (MEDLI2) package.  

Christopher Johnston, aerospace engineer for the Research Directorate at NASA Langley, nominated West for the 2025 Associate Fellows Class.

“He has pushed the state-of-the-art for uncertainty quantification (UQ) of the aerothermodynamics and heatshield design of NASA atmospheric entry vehicles and air-breathing hypersonic systems, primarily through development and implementation of efficient UQ techniques,” Johnston explained. “He has also performed exceptionally in leadership roles and has been an excellent mentor for numerous students and young engineers at Langley.”

One of those mentees is Jannuel Cabrera, who has been an aerospace engineer with VAB for four years and credits West for helping to grow his NASA career. “Tom basically made sure that I had the tools I needed, that I had the knowledge that I needed to succeed in what I’m doing right now,” he said. “He’s instilled some golden nuggets of wisdom such as, ‘If you can do better, do better.’ That’s kind of become my mantra.”

AIAA will formally honor and induct the class at the AIAA Associate Fellows Induction Ceremony and Reception in January during the 2025 AIAA SciTech Forum in Orlando, Florida.

Congratulations, Tom!  

“He has pushed the state-of-the-art for uncertainty quantification (UQ) of the aerothermodynamics and heatshield design of NASA atmospheric entry vehicles and air- breathing hypersonic systems.”