Each year, one master’s student is competitively selected from each academic department to receive the Dean’s Award reflecting exceptional contributions to scientific, management, or engineering knowledge. From the collection of Dean's Award recipients, one overall winner is chosen to receive the Chancellor's Award recognizing the graduating student who produced the most exceptional master's thesis. In addition to the award, the winner also receives the Russ Prize sponsored by the AFIT Foundation.
Recent Chancellor's Award winners and the title of their theses are listed below. AFIT theses are available from the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC), the Air University Research Web, and in the AFIT library.
M.S. Electrical Engineering
2022 - Capt Andrew Dittrich, USSF
M.S. Electrical Engineering
Thesis Title: Implementation and Characterization of Adaptive-Hybrid Redundancy (AHR) on A Xilinx FPGA
Faculty Advisor: Maj Nicolas Hamilton
2021 - Capt James Crumpacker
M.S. Operations Research
Thesis Title: Air Combat Maneuvering via Operations Research and Artificial Intelligence Methods
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Matthew Robbins
Sponsor: Strategic Development Planning & Experimentation Office
2020 - 2d Lt Alexander Boeckenstedt
M.S. Applied Physics
Thesis Title: Validation of HTS Optical Turbulence Profiling via Sonic Anemometry
Sponsor: Directed Energy Joint Technology Office
2019 - Capt Dawn Sanderson
M.S. Applied Mathematics
Thesis Title: Modeling the Distribution of Lightning Strike Distances Outside a Preexisting Lightning Area
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Edward "Tony" White
Sponsor: 45th Weather Squadron
2018 - Capt Steven M. Beyer
M.S. Computer Engineering
Thesis Title: Pattern-of-Life Modeling using Data Leakage in Smart Homes
2017 - Maj Francis D. Hallada
M.S. Applied Physics
Thesis Title: The Fresnel Zone Light Field Spectral Imager
Faculty Advisor: Lt Col Anthony Franz
2016 - Capt W. Thompson Graves, Jr, USMC
M.S. Aeronautical Engineering
Thesis Title: Topology Optimization of a Penetrating Warhead
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Anthony Palazotto
Sponsor: Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate
2015 - 2nd Lt Megan E. Lewis
M.S. Applied Mathematics
Thesis Title: Recent Advances in Compressed Sensing: Discrete Uncertainty Principles and Fast Hyperspectral Imaging
Faculty Advisor: Maj Dustin Mixon
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2014 - Capt David L. Levene
M.S. Aeronautical Engineering
Thesis Title: An Embedded, Programmable GPS Injection Jammer for Aircraft Testing and Aircrew Training
Faculty Advisor: Dr. John F. Raquet
Sponsor: Air Force Research Laboratory Sensors Directorate
2013 - Capt Timothy Cleaver
M.S. Aeronautical Engineering
Thesis Title: Aerodynamic Characterization of an Air-to-Air Missile with Computational Fluid Dynamics
Faculty Advisor: Capt Christopher L. Martin
Sponsor: Lockheed Martin
2012 - 2d Lt Jack G. FitzGerald
M.S. Nuclear Engineering
Thesis Title: A Programmable Liquid Collimator for Both Coded Aperture Adaptive Imaging and Multiplexed Compton Scatter Tomography
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Larry W. Burggraf
Sponsor: United States Strategic Command
2011 - Capt Brian T. Bohan
M.S. Aeronautical Engineering
Thesis Title: Analysis of Flow Migration in an Ultra-Compact Combustor
Faculty Advisor: Lt Col Frederick G. Harmon
Sponsor: Air Force Research Laboratory Propulsion Directorate
2010 - Capt Casey J. Pellizzari
M.S. Electrical Engineering
Thesis Title: Phase Unwrapping in the Presence of Strong Turbulence
Faculty Advisor: Maj Jason D. Schmidt
Sponsor: Air Force Office of Scientific Research
2009 - Maj Daniel T. Schmitt
M.S. Computer Science
Thesis Title: Automated Knowledge Generation with Persistent Video Surveillance
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Peter J. Collins
Sponsor: Air Force Research Laboratory Sensors Directorate
2008 - Capt Robert J. Johnson
M.S. Operations Research
Thesis Title: Improved Feature Extraction, Feature Selection, and Identification Techniques that Create a Fast Unsupervised Hyperspectral Target Detection Algorithm
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kenneth W. Bauer, Jr.
2007 - 1st Lt Robert Koo
M.S. Operations Research
Thesis Title: Feature Extraction Using Principal and Independent Component Analysis
for Hyperspectral Imagery
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kenneth W. Bauer, Jr.
2006 - Capt Steven M. Ross
M.S. Aeronautical Engineering
Thesis Title: Formation Flight Control For Aerial Refueling
Faculty Advisor: Dr. David R. Jacques
Sponsor: Air Force Flight Test Center
2005 - Maj Kurt W. Meidel
M.S. Electrical Engineering
Thesis Title: GPS Signal Jamming Mitigation Through Multiple Model Adaptive Estimation Applied to Ultra-Tightly Coupled GPS/INS Architecture
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Peter S. Maybeck
Sponsor: Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate