Spotlight: Spoorti Nanjamma Aviation Week's 20 Twenties Winner 2026

Spoorti Nanjamma, a 2026 20 Twenties winner from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, shares her journey in aerospace and advice for aspiring professionals.

Nanjamma applies biologically inspired design to satellite systems constrained by size, weight and power limits. Her master's thesis develops traceable frameworks that translate biological strategies into implementable subsystem concepts. As requirements engineer for an Air Force Research Laboratory CubeSat mission, she leads development of hundreds of mission and subsystem requirements. Her work at the FAA NextGen Test Bed supports advanced airspace management initiatives.

Raised in rural India and educated across continents, Nanjamma combines technical rigor with a commitment to mentoring students who lack early access to aerospace pathways. She aims to advance creative yet disciplined systems engineering methodologies.

Nominations for the 2027, 20 Twenties awards are now open.