Boeing

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 14, 2009 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced the winners of the company-sponsored 2009 Engineering Student of the Year Award, presented by aerospace publication Flight International. This year's competition had two first-place winners: Can Bayram of Northwestern University and Michael Grant of Georgia Institute of Technology. The awards ceremony was held in Dubai on the eve of the international Dubai Airshow.

Bayram, a Turkish Ph.D. candidate at Northwestern's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Center for Quantum Devices, focuses his research on energy-efficient III-Nitride semiconductor devices, including developments such as high-sensitivity ultraviolet detectors, high-performance light emitting diodes, and compact terahertz emitters, which could advance reliability, duration and performance in many areas of aeronautics and astronautics.

Grant, an American Ph.D. candidate, is researching the design and optimization of space systems for exploration of the planet Mars. Grant received a NASA Special Achievement Award by demonstrating that swarm theory can be utilized to optimize large complex systems having potentially conflicting multi-objective goals. His work has the potential to improve systems design in all areas of ground, air and space systems.

The second-place winner is Pierre-Yves Delaunay, a French Ph.D. candidate at Northwestern University, and the third-place winner is Alexandros Thomopoulos, a Greek master's candidate at Delft University in the Netherlands.

"Boeing embodies innovation and leadership in aerospace technology, and I am excited and honored to receive this recognition from the company," said Bayram. "I hope to take advantage of the unique networking opportunities this award presents me and develop a strong relationship with Boeing and other leaders in aerospace technology."

"There is no greater honor than being recognized among your peers," said Grant. "As a graduate student at Georgia Institute of Technology, my research has focused on space applications, and I am eager to take advantage of the opportunities Flight and Boeing will present for me to learn more about the aviation industry."

Boeing has partnered with Flight International to host the worldwide Engineering Student of the Year competition since 2005 in an effort to encourage students to pursue careers in aerospace-related engineering fields. The competition is open to any full- or part-time engineering student pursuing a recognized degree. The winning student's work must be judged as likely to impact the future of aerospace engineering in areas such as new or enhanced capabilities, systems, processes or tools; new levels of performance; and improved life cycle costs.

"Our 2009 competition reflected a great diversity of nations, and a great diversity of talents, interests and abilities. We had entries from many outstanding students whose accomplishments were most impressive and made for our best competition ever," said Charles Toups, vice president of Engineering and Mission Assurance for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. "Their work is destined to take the art and science of engineering to new levels -- the future of aerospace is in very good hands."

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.

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Contact:

Paul Lewis
Integrated Defense Systems
Office: 562-797-2186
Mobile: 562-537-1990
paul.j.lewis2@boeing.com

Maggie Kymn
Integrated Defense Systems
Office: 562-797-2019
maggie.j.kymn@boeing.com