Duke Provost Alec Gallimore Elected AIAA Honorary Fellow

Honor is aerospace technical society’s highest distinction

Alec Gallimore’s research has advanced development of a plasma drive system that may ultimately propel humans to Mars.
Alec Gallimore’s research has advanced development of a plasma drive system that may ultimately propel humans to Mars.

Duke University Provost Alec D. Gallimore has been elected an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the world’s largest aerospace technical society.

“Honorary Fellow is AIAA’s highest distinction, recognizing preeminent individuals who have made significant contributions to the aerospace industry and who embody the highest possible standards in aeronautics and astronautics,” according to the organization’s Dec. 9 announcement.

The first AIAA Honorary Fellow was aviation pioneer Orville Wright, in 1933, and since then only 241 others have received the honor.

“These are among the most respected names in the aerospace profession,” said Dan Hastings, AIAA President. “These distinguished individuals have earned the respect and admiration of the global science and engineering community. We are in awe of their creativity and exceptional contributions that have advanced aerospace.”

Gallimore, an aerospace engineer, was cited “for contributions to research and education in advanced spacecraft electric propulsion systems.” He will be recognized at a ceremony in April in Washington, D.C.

“I am deeply honored to be elected by my peers as an AIAA Honorary Fellow,” Gallimore said. “I dedicate this honor to the dozens of graduate students, postdocs, faculty colleagues and staff members who worked with me on this research, and the sponsors who have fueled it with upwards of $100 million in funding. It has always been a team effort and now stands as a powerful example of interdisciplinary collaboration.”

Gallimore, who was named provost in 2023 after serving 31 years on the faculty of the University of Michigan, the last seven of which as Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering, is a leader in the field of advanced spacecraft propulsion. He is also the Alfred J. Hooks E’68 Distinguished Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science of the Pratt School of Engineering.

At Michigan, Gallimore founded a laboratory that is developing the plasma drive system that may ultimately propel humans to Mars. There he held both the Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Professorship in recognition of his research achievements and the Arthur F. Thurnau Professorship, which is awarded to “master classroom teachers.” He has been recognized by lifetime achievement awards such as the Wyld Propulsion Award from the AIAA, the Ernst Stuhlinger Medal from the Electric Rocket Society, and induction into the National Academy of Engineering.

Gallimore received a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and MA and Ph.D. degrees in aerospace engineering at Princeton University. He is the author of over 360 publications, has worked at NASA, and has been the advisor to 44 Ph.D. students and 14 master’s students.