Elijah Simpson Named Aviation Week Network’s 20 Twenties Class of 2025

Simpson and Abdulhak are two of 20 students from around the world who were selected for the 2025 20 Twenties cohort, recognizing individuals who are on track to be leaders within the aerospace and aviation industries. Each nominee is evaluated and selected based on their academic performance, civic contributions, personal challenges and the value of their research.

This year, recipients of the 20 Twenties class of 2025 were recognized at an awards luncheon on March 6, 2025 and honored during Aviation Week Network’s 67th Annual Laureate Awards and Dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

Leading up to the awards ceremony, Simpson commented, “Receiving this award is a deeply humbling experience. It reminds me of the incredible Aerospace Engineering community that has supported me throughout my journey, from the mentors, peers and faculty who have encouraged me every step of the way. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their guidance, so my first thought is one of immense gratitude. To me, this award is not just a reflection of my own efforts but also of the supportive, collaborative community that makes this department special.”

Since he was young, Simpson has had a passion for aviation and aerospace thanks to his mother who is an active duty service member in the United States Air Force and a huge inspiration to him. He stated that he credits his mother for much of his resilience and drive. As he grew up, he remembers moving around the country and the globe, following his family’s enthusiasm for the field. 

Once being accepted to U-M, Simpson naturally pursued education in Aerospace Engineering, being one of the department’s very few freshmen students actively taking courses in the program. Soon after he joined the Black Students in Aerospace (BSA) student organization and began to soar within his community and his studies. Now as a senior, he has participated in various departmental initiatives, research labs and outreach activities, continuing to showcase his talents and dedication towards the field.

“If I had to choose one word to describe my experience within the Department of Aerospace Engineering, it would be fulfilling. When I first joined the department as a freshman, I remember feeling overwhelmed because I had no clear direction. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, how I fit in, or what my future held. But as I immersed myself in different opportunities, from Black Students in Aerospace and project teams to department committees and research labs, I found that my path formed naturally. Engaging with so many aspects of the department has been incredibly rewarding, and I truly feel that I have explored almost everything the department has to offer,” Simpson explained.

Continuing his path of exploration, he has spent a majority of his time throughout the 2024 – 2025 academic year developing and leading the Black Students in Aerospace CubeSat Demonstration Program. The program focuses on guiding young students through the process of designing, building, testing and flying their own CubeSat system over the course of one semester. Last semester, the team piloted the program with three students, which culminated with a tethered weather balloon launch on the FXB Wave Field. 

This semester, the team has fully launched the program, with nine students: seven freshmen and two sophomores. The program gives young students an opportunity to build engineering confidence and gain exposure to different engineering areas and features a close partnership with the University of Michigan CubeSat Flight Lab (CFL) and Blue Origin as an industry partner.

Additionally, Simpson has engaged in a directed study with Professor Aaron Johnson in the SHUTTLE Lab, focusing his research on effective learning strategies for young students to develop engineering tinkering and self-efficacy skills which has tied directly into his work within the CubeSat Demonstration Program. He is also an Instructional Aide in the MBSE Leadership Lab for the x88 course series under Professor of Practice, George Halow.

Not only has his work within the department highlighted his incredible work ethic – it has also helped him to gain recognition throughout U-M and beyond. Thanks to all of his efforts, Simpson has been awarded multiple distinctions during his academic career, including the 2022 William J Branstrom Freshman Prize, the 2022 Patti Grace Smith Fellowship, the 2023 Commercial Spaceflight Federation Scholarship, and also received last year’s 2024 North Campus Deans’ MLK Spirit Award: Activism Awareness & Organizing. 

As he nears graduation, Simpson plans on returning to Blue Origin this summer for an internship in Cape Canaveral, Florida where he will continue working on New Glenn launch vehicle development. In the fall, he will return to the University of Michigan for Sequential Undergraduate/Graduate Studies (SUGS) in the CLaSP Department.

Photo Credit: Tina de la Rosa