Priyanka Vasu, a graduate student at the University of Colorado Boulder, has been named a 2026 20 Twenties winner by Aviation Week Network. Her groundbreaking research develops nonpharmaceutical countermeasures for astronaut motion sickness during high-stakes landing operations, supported by NASA’s Human Research Program and BioServe Space Technologies.
The aerospace and defense industry’s next generation of leaders has officially been named. Aviation Week Network, in partnership with Accenture, announced the winners of the 2026 20 Twenties Awards program, highlighting 20 exceptional STEM students from around the globe. Among this year’s honorees is Priyanka Vasu, whose work directly tackles one of human spaceflight’s persistent physiological hurdles.
Priyanka Vasu’s Spaceflight Health Research at CU Boulder
Vasu is completing her M.S. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, having previously earned her Bachelor of Engineering in Aeronautical Engineering from Anna University in the Class of 2023, according to reporting from Aviation Week. Her research focuses on safeguarding crew health and mission performance during critical spaceflight operations. Grounded in both rigorous research and mission-driven service, Vasu centers her work on protecting human performance during the most operationally demanding phases of spaceflight, ensuring astronauts can perform at their best when it matters most. She is committed to advancing human-centered engineering solutions for future exploration missions and aims to develop technologies that enable safe, sustainable human presence beyond Earth.
Specifically, Vasu develops nonpharmaceutical countermeasures to combat astronaut motion sickness during high-stakes landing procedures—a challenge that can compromise crew safety and mission success. Funded by NASA’s Human Research Program, her work evaluates the effectiveness of visual and anticipatory cues using advanced motion platforms and virtual reality systems to identify interventions that enhance spatial orientation and reduce discomfort without medication.
Beyond her motion sickness research, Vasu serves as the lead graduate research assistant at BioServe Space Technologies. In that capacity, she supports hardware development for payloads destined for NASA’s Lunar Gateway, conducting critical analysis, testing, and integration work that advances deep space exploration capabilities.
The 2026 20 Twenties Class and Industry Recognition
Established in 2013, the 20 Twenties program has honored 220 exceptional STEM students from 192 schools in 39 countries. This initiative brings together technology hiring managers, students, and educators to foster academic and professional excellence. This year, the winners were selected from 60 nominees from 20 schools representing 13 countries.
“Congratulations to the 20 Twenties Class of 2026! We are so inspired by the achievements and potential of these exceptional students.”
Greg Hamilton, President of Aviation Week
Greg Hamilton added that they are looking forward to honoring these rising stars in March and following and supporting their success as they begin their careers in our essential industry. John Schmidt, Global Aerospace and Defense industry lead at Accenture, said, “Congratulations to this year’s winners—an inspiring group whose achievements in STEM will help shape the future of aerospace and defense. Accenture is proud to support the 20 Twenties program, which not only celebrates academic excellence and community impact, but also champions the next generation of innovators creating lasting value for our industry and wider society.”
Honorees and Upcoming Washington, D.C., Ceremonies
The winners will be honored on March 19 at a luncheon and celebrated that evening at the 68th Annual Laureates Awards and Dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. The 2026 20 Twenties winners and universities listed in alphabetical order are Daniella Bezuidenhout of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Emanuele Bossi of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Natalie Brattain of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Skylar Butler of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Mina Cezairli of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Shreya Chandra of University of California, Davis, Tanner Chase of Utah State University, Lillian Croghan of University of Michigan, Maaz Dossa of Georgia Institute of Technology, Lilly Etzenbach of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Abigail Frank of Purdue, Grace Gratton of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Nishigandha Kelkar of Stanford University, Katherine Lemke of Virginia Tech, Jeanne Longlune of Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Spoorti Nanjamma of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Matt Nurick of University of Michigan, Noah C. Parsons of West Virginia University, Andrea Silva of Case Western Reserve University, and Priyanka Vasu of University of Colorado, Boulder.