Suo Yang Named Georgia Tech 40 Under 40 Honoree

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is proud to announce that Professor Suo Yang has been named to the 2026 Class of 40 Under 40 by the Georgia Tech Alumni Association. 

The program recognizes distinguished Georgia Tech alumni under the age of 40 who have demonstrated bold achievements early in their careers and made a significant impact within their sector, among their colleagues and peers, and in the wider community. Collectively, the Class of 2026 includes 40 impactful Georgia Tech alumni spanning 10 industries and hailing from 14 states. Honorees have founded eight companies and led more than 30 organizations. They include five healthcare and biomedical leaders, seven C-suite executives, 11 professors, researchers, or academic leaders, and six advanced technology and artificial intelligence innovators.

Suo Yang is an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota. A distinguished Georgia Tech alumnus, he earned his PhD and master’s in aerospace engineering, alongside a master’s in computational science and engineering, followed by postdoctoral research at Princeton University. Yang has authored more than 100 publications and pioneered modeling for advanced aerospace propulsion. He has received four prestigious Department of Defense Young Investigator awards and the inaugural CSSCI Early Career Award. A leader in AIAA and education, Yang advances critical technologies for the U.S. Armed Forces and global energy industries.