Katherine Lemke named one of Aviation Week's annual 20 Twenties
Lemke, a senior, has been recognized as a top university talent to watch in the field of aerospace engineering.
Aerospace engineering senior Katherine Lemke has been named one of Aviation Week’s 20 Twenties, an international honor recognizing standout STEM students for academic excellence, research contributions, and leadership.
Lemke is one of 20 students selected this year from a pool of 60 nominees across 13 countries.
The annual award, sponsored by Aviation Week in collaboration with Accenture, highlights emerging leaders poised to shape the future of aerospace. The 2026 honorees were celebrated March 19 at the 20 Twenties Awards Luncheon and later recognized during Aviation Week Network’s 68th Annual Laureate Awards and Dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.
Lemke's studies focus on sustainable and applied aerospace design with an emphasis on propulsion and autonomous systems. In summer 2025, she gained experience through the Rolls-Royce International Internship Program in Derby, U.K., where she supported development of hydrogen demonstrator engines through trade studies, test integration, and prototype testing. The experience cemented her career path in sustainable propulsion.
Back on the Blacksburg campus for her senior year, Lemke leads a multidisciplinary team designing an advanced firefighting aircraft system as part of the year-long aerospace and ocean engineering senior capstone design course.
“Katherine has a natural ability to best exploit the strengths of each of her team members while minimizing interpersonal discord and maintaining a laser focus on her team’s design objective,” said Professor of Practice Pat Artis, who nominated her for the honor. “Although these are skills that we do not teach, they are essential for the design of large and complex aerospace systems. Coupled with analytic and design skills, her leadership abilities portend a bright future in our industry.”
Beyond the classroom, Lemke excelled as an NCAA Division I golfer, balancing a 20‑hour weekly athletic commitment with a demanding engineering major. After concluding her collegiate golf career last spring, she now mentors engineer-athletes through the University Athletics Committee, helping student-athletes prepare for life beyond sports. She is also active in the Society of Women Engineers and Newman House campus ministry.
Lemke is currently enrolled in the Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Degree Program to complete her master’s degree in aerospace engineering. While she pursues her master’s, she will chase her dream of playing golf professionally and will begin qualifying school in September to earn status on the LPGA or Epson tour for 2027.
She is the eighth Virginia Tech student to receive the 20 Twenties honor since the program launched in 2013. Past recipients from the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering include:
