The Sharon M. Awards are presented annually by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) to four individuals who have made outstanding contributions to space propulsion. The awards were established in 2016 in honor of Sharon McDougal, a former NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs.
The Sharon M. Awards are presented in four categories:
* Lifetime Achievement Award - This award is presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of space propulsion over a period of at least 20 years.
* Outstanding Technical Achievement Award - This award is presented to an individual or team that has made a significant technical contribution to the field of space propulsion within the past five years.
* Young Professional Award - This award is presented to a young professional who has demonstrated outstanding potential in the field of space propulsion.
* Student Award - This award is presented to a student who has demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and leadership in the field of space propulsion.
The Sharon M. Awards are considered to be some of the most prestigious awards in the field of space propulsion. Past winners of the awards include:
* 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Robert Zubrin, Founder and President of Pioneer Astronautics
* 2018 Outstanding Technical Achievement Award: Dr. Paul Attivissimo, Director of the Space Propulsion Research Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
* 2019 Young Professional Award: Dr. Christopher Combs, Assistant Professor of Astronautics and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC)
* 2020 Student Award: Ms. Emily Carney, Ph.D. candidate in Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University
The Sharon M. Awards are presented at the AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum, which is held annually in Orlando, Florida.