Spotlight: Abigail Frank Aviation Week's 20 Twenties Winner 2026

Abigail Frank, a senior studying aeronautical and astronautical engineering at Purdue University, shares her gratitude and excitement for being recognized as a 2026 20 Twenties winner.

Frank serves as the project manager for Purdue Space Program’s High Altitude Rocketry team, leading large-scale student rocket development efforts. Under her leadership, the team achieved Purdue’s first undergraduate-designed two-stage rocket and significantly increased its launch cadence. Her team consistently ranked among the top universities at national competitions, successfully completing all planned launches and recoveries. Frank also established structured onboarding programs, training dozens of new engineers, and regularly represents student aerospace teams to industry audiences.

As a Brooke Owens Fellow, Frank combines technical leadership with cultural transformation—revamping team structure, onboarding processes, and accountability systems. She advocates for safer, more human-centered approaches to aerospace systems and plans to pursue a career focused on aviation safety and human factors.

Nominations for the 2027, 20 Twenties are now open. Submit your nomination today: https://fs2.formsite.com/AW-Events/y8fndk1m4f/index