Kathleen Howell, Hsu Lo Distinguished Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, was recognized by the International Astronautical Federation with a Distinguished Service Award.

Howell was honored for “outstanding competence and continuous dedication to the IAF Astrodynamics Committee and Astrodynamics Symposium for over 20 years.”

Kathleen Howell

The Distinguished Service Award, which had seven recipients in 2020, is intended to reward active volunteers for their distinguished service to the activities of the IAF.

“My own research work has been enriched and expanded by collaborations with my international colleagues. Thus, my association with the IAF and the Astrodynamics Symposium has been personally rewarding,” Howell said. “But, the support for our broad astronautics community by the IAF and our symposium is also an important responsibility, and I am privileged to be able to participate.”

Howell previously has been honored by the IAF. In 2007, she was invited to give the John V. Breakwell Memorial Lecture at the IAF International Astronautical Congress, as part of the Astrodynamics Symposium. The honor is the only award given by the International Astrodynamics Technical Committee in a given year.

The IAF, founded in 1951, is the world’s leading space advocacy body with 397 members in 69 countries, including all leading space agencies, companies, research institutions, universities, societies, association, institutes and museums worldwide, according to the IAF website.