School of Aeronautics and Astronautics Ph.D. student Amanda Haapala received the 2014 Leading Light Award on October 1, 2014 in a special awards ceremony in Indianapolis. Sponsored by Women & Hi-Tech, the Leading Light Award honors women of achievement in science, education, and technology. Amanda was recognized for her demonstrated exceptional and substantive accomplishments as a recipient of the Rising Star Award which notes achievements in technology, science or engineering related careers.

Haapala is studying with School of AAE Professor Kathleen Howell. Her research interests include multi-body dynamics and mission design, and, in particular, the development of tools to aid in trajectory design. Her current focus is on the application of periapse Poincaré maps to trajectory design in multi-body regimes.

Women & Hi-Tech was established as a non-profit organization in 1999 to address the specific of women in high tech industries in Central Indiana and to encourage more women to consider careers in technology. Women and Hi Tech is an organization of women and men whose goal is to attract, develop, retain, support and promote women who are interested in technology, through networking, role modeling, education and professional development.

For more information regarding the 2014 Leading Light Awards, visit: https://womenandhitech.wildapricot.org/2014-LLA-Award-Winners