IAWA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

IAWA 2026 Scholarship Recipients

Arcenia Belo

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Arcenia Belo is a Fulbright Scholar from Timor-Leste. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Aviation Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she also serves as a Graduate Research Assistant. She has over seven years of experience in the aviation sector, having worked as an Air Traffic Controller and supporting air traffic control inspections and audits under the Directorate of Air Navigation Services in Timor-Leste.Through her work, she has contributed to maintaining airspace safety and strengthening operational practices.

Arcenia is passionate about expanding access to aviation careers, particularly for women in underrepresented communities. As one of the first women from Timor-Leste to pursue graduate studies in aviation internationally, she is committed to using her journey to inspire others. She is currently leading the establishment of Women in Aviation in Timor-Leste through social media, creating a platform to connect, support, and encourage young women to explore opportunities in aviation.

Her academic and professional interests focus on aviation management, leadership development, and therole of education in building strong and sustainable aviation systems. She hopes to contribute to the continued development of aviation in Timor-Leste while promoting greater gender equality and collaboration within the global aviation community.  

Taylor Allen

Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law

Taylor Allen is a J.D. candidate at SMU Dedman School of Law. Growing up in Houston, she developed a passion for aerospace and aviation law from an early age through her family’s work at Johnson Space Center. As an avid traveler who has visited over 30 countries, she is committed to exploring the world both personally and professionally.Outside the classroom, she proudly serves as vice president of the Air & Space Law Society, focusing on increasing women's representation in the industry. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her dogs and rock climbing.Taylor is thrilled to be an IAWA scholar, and she looks forward to combining her legal education with her passion for the industry. She hopes to foster lifelong connections within IAWA and empower the next generation of women in aerospace law.

Ismahen Taieb

École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile (ENAC)

Ismahen Taieb is a final-year engineering student at École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile (ENAC), specializing in aeronautics with a strong interest in aircraft systems, airline operations, and aviation engineering support.

Through academic projects, industry exposure, and operational environments, including experience at Airbus (in Toulouse & Hambourg), she has developed a practical understanding of the technical and operational challenges that contribute to safe and efficient air transport.

Passionate about the future of aerospace, Ismahen aspires to build an international career at the intersection of engineering, flight operations, and aviation support while contributing to a more collaborative and innovative industry. As an emerging scholar, she is committed to actively contributing to IAWA and will remain involved in her local flying club.

Outside of aviation, she enjoys cooking for others, wakeboarding, racquet sports, and supporting the Stade Toulousain (Rugby Club), the city she’s from in France.

Ramani Juman

Cranfield University

Ramani Juman is originally from Trinidad and Tobago and is currently completing an MSc in Thermal Power and Propulsion at Cranfield University. She is a recipient of the Arthur Lefebvre Scholarship at Cranfield and is passionate about deepening her technical expertise in aero engines. Ramani aspires to transition into the aerospace industry in a Performance or Systems Design engineering role within an OEM/MRO, or operator, where she can apply her technical knowledge and experience to engine development and design.

Prior to her studies, she graduated with First Class Honours a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of the West Indies. After which she spent three years as a Powerplant Engineer at Caribbean Airlines Ltd., managing engine airworthiness across B737-8/800 and ATR72 fleet types and building strong relationships with OEM partners including CFM International and Pratt & Whitney Canada.

Outside of engineering, Ramani enjoys reading and practicing yoga as well as globetrotting to new destinations.

Lucy Bracken

TU Delft

Lucy Bracken is a first-year MSc student in Aerospace Structures and Materials at TU Delft, specializing in structures for space, having previously earned a Grade 1 in Engineering Science from University College Dublin. She is currently a Test Engineer Intern at the European Space Agency's ESTEC facility in Noordwijk, where she is designing and manufacturing a rotary table for the VTC1.5 thermal vacuum chamber and serving as a Mechanical Engineer for YPSAT-2, a satellite developed by ESA's Young Trainees Satellite program with a confirmed launch on Space Rider in 2028. A highlight in Lucy's aerospace path would be ESA's spacecraft testing workshop where she completed a vibration test campaign on real flight hardware at ESA's ESEC facility in Belgium, an experience that sharpened her commitment to making space more accessible to women. Leadership and mentoring run through everything Lucy does. She has tutored mathematics and physics students for over three years, chaired the Innovation Hub during her internship at Servier, and contributed to Stryker's WISE Mentorship Program supporting women in STEM. She hopes to carry this same spirit of lifting others forward into a long-term career working in a divisional leadership role at ESA, guiding cross-functional teams on missions that will outlast her.

Outside of this, Lucy is a five-time Irish national swimming champion, represented Ireland in coastal rowing at international level, and a highly skilled artist.

Emma Fini

McGill University

Emma Fini is pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Air and Space Law at McGill University in Montreal. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2026 with a degree in political science.

At Michigan, Emma helped design a four-credit course on space finance, technology, law, and policy. As a Brooke Owens Fellowship recipient, she joined Stoke Space as a Legal and Policy Intern. Most recently, she worked on SpaceX's Government Affairs team. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, singing, and developing a podcast about navigating early professional life as a woman.

Emma's interests sit at the intersection of the commercial space industry and the international system: airspace, treaty regimes, and the diplomatic relationships that govern both.

She is honored to join the IAWA community and to learn from the women who have built careers across this industry. Emma would not be where she is without the mentors she found along the way, and she knows what it means to have someone invest their time in you early on. One day she hopes to be that person for someone else.

Partner Colleges and Universities

The Scholarship application process is a reflection of the joint commitment by our university partners and IAWA to identify the next generation of female leaders in global aviation. A scholarship candidate must first obtain the approval to apply for the scholarship directly from their respective college or university and complete the detailed application package. Each institution then submits the completed application package of the finalists to IAWA. The students that are selected to receive an IAWA scholarship share noteworthy and inspirational traits - they share our passion for aviation, they have demonstrated grit in overcoming challenges in their academic and personal lives, and, most importantly, they each have a desire to Connect, Inspire and Lead on their college campuses, in their work, and in their volunteerism.

If you would like more information on the IAWA scholarship program, please email - info@iawa.org