Draper’s Philip Hattis to Serve on AIAA’s National Programs

CAMBRIDGE, MA—Hypersonics, workforce development, the new space economy—Draper Technical Staff Member Dr. Philip Hattis has participated in many of the major discussions related to space and national security since 1979 when he joined the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). In 2020, Hattis will continue his service as AIAA’s National Programming Working Group Co-Chair, following posts that include Vice President of Public Policy and Region I (Northeast U.S.) Director.

With nearly 30,000 individual members from 85 countries, and 95 corporate members, AIAA is the world’s largest technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession. In 2020, Hattis says one of its program goals will be to provide opportunities for dialog with national decision makers to discuss critical issues in civil aeronautics, civil astronautics and defense.

“Congressional leaders have a renewed focus on aerospace because of the emergence of new capabilities, new opportunities and new participants. Now as always, the AIAA is responding with educational events and expertise to help those leaders shape the aerospace future,” said Hattis. He points to recent, well-attended forums on hypersonic missile defense and diversity in the workforce as two issues where AIAA Programs played an important role.

The new space economy is emerging as an important area of discussion, too, he said. “Aerospace is entering a pivotal moment, as the global community balances the benefits of the latest innovations, such as the fast-growing number of small satellites, recent advances in hypersonics, new approaches to data encryption and the impact of public-private partnerships on government procurement, with ongoing requirements for security and safety.”

In 2020, AIAA’s program calendar will include Congressional Visit Day 2020, the new annual ASCEND conference and several other major technical conferences with both technical and policy content.

A Lifetime Fellow in the AIAA, Hattis received the AIAA’s distinguished service award in 1999 and spent a decade on its Board of Directors. Some other past aerospace profession-related activities for Hattis include four years on the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, a year on a National Research Council study for NASA and several decades as an officer and Planning Advisory Board of member of the Aerospace Control and Guidance Systems Committee.