Aviation Week has searched the globe for undergraduate or graduate degree students working to solve challenges within the aviation, aerospace, and defense industries. A judging panel composed of hiring managers and engineers evaluated and scored nominees based on academic performance, civic contribution, personal challenges, and the value of each student's research or design project.

Aviation Week has discovered 20 students who embody these traits and are on a course to change the future of aviation, aerospace, and defense. Nominated by their universities, the honorees were selected from an international field of highly qualified students. The class of 2026 was top ranked in academics, has articulated the value of their research and design projects, already dealt with personal struggles, and has an established record of giving back to their communities.

Bossi is the only ERAU Prescott student to be honored in the class along with five of his fellow students from the Daytona Beach campus.  He is the first Prescott student to received the honor since 2021.  Bossi traveled to Washington D.C. where he was honored at a banquet.  He was able to visit NASA Headquarters in D.C. and was invited to the Italian Embassy in D.C. where he met with the Science Attaché and the Space Attaché.  During the week, Bossi also got to meet Jared Isaacmen, the administrator of NASA.