June 3rd, 2024 By Randy Griffith

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Stuck in a corner of the Aerium Summit exhibitors’ hangar this week, many visitors may have missed the Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute display.

The display included a prototype for Iris, the robotic lunar rover built for NASA’s Peregrine Mission One, launched earlier this year to explore the moon.

Although systems in the lander prevented Iris from reaching the lunar surface, NASA still gained valuable information about how the lunar rover responded to the conditions of space.

Among the display hosts was Raewyn Duvall, program manager for the team of about 300 Carnegie Mellon students who developed the shoebox-sized rover.

Her contributions to the aviation and aerospace industry earned her the Aerium Women in Aviation Committee’s first Helen Richey award. Named for a McKeesport native who set several world aviation records and became the first female commercial pilot, the award recognizes women for their contributions to the field of aviation.

“Raewyn’s dedication and enthusiasm for aviation exemplify the spirit of innovation and perseverance that we aim to cultivate in our industry,” committee chairwoman Heather Tomasko said during the presentation ceremony.

“She is a role model for aspiring female aviators, and we are thrilled to recognize her achievements.”

The award included a certificate and a monetary donation to the Women in Aerospace Foundation, which is establishing a new scholarship in Duvall’s name.

Duvall said she hopes the honor will encourage more young people from different areas of education to consider aviation and aerospace studies.

“I think the one thing I bring is the unique perspective of being a woman who wasn’t just focused on aerospace,” she said. “I never sought an aerospace degree. I did English – short stories and sci-fi. I don’t look like a typical engineer. I can inspire generations that are always like, ‘Oh, I’m not the math nerd, so I can’t be in aerospace.’ That’s just not true. I think that that’s huge.”