Two students and a professor at Kansas University walked away from a recent conference with awards for their excellence in aerospace.

KU student Nobuya Nishio took first place honors internationally for his aircraft design. Nishio, who graduated last May and now works for Mitsubishi in Japan, designed a small, light aircraft that would travel faster than a car and retail for $45,000.

A graduate student, Roelof Vos, also earned a top award for his work to push the limits of aircraft structural elements. He designed a process that creates actions that mimic the movement of birds.

Additionally, Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, associate professor of aerospace engineering, was given the Abe M. Zarem Educator Award, recognizing him as one of the top teachers of aerospace engineering.

All three awards were handed out Jan. 10 at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics convention.