UMD Faculty Recognized for Program Development

Dr. Costello accepted the Cross Award on November 5 at ITEA's Forge 2026 Symposium

A University of Maryland A. James Clark School of Engineering faculty member received an award from an international association.

Dr. Donald "Bucket" Costello, an assistant professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and the MATRIX Lab Director for Test and Evaluation of Autonomous Systems, was awarded the International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA) Major General Richard G. Cross, Jr. Award for his work on autonomous systems education.

The honor recognizes Dr. Costello’s new graduate certificate program, Development and Certification of Autonomous Systems (DCAS). The program equips participants with the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate the safety, performance, and readiness of autonomous and AI-enabled systems. Sponsored by the Institute for Systems Research (ISR) with funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and NAWCAD, the curriculum directly addresses critical workforce gaps across defense and aerospace sectors.

“I am honored that the hard work that went into developing the DCAS program was recognized by the association. We are giving the workforce the necessary skills to face the challenges that they will be tasked with,” Dr. Costello said. “Over the next few years, we hope to expand the program into a full Master of Science program to further this goal. I am thankful for the support of ONR and NAWCAD in this endeavor.”

The Cross Award is named after the late Major General Richard G. Cross, Jr., USAF, a respected figure in the military and early Director of ITEA known for his work in military aviation testing. It is presented to an individual, team, or organization for a significant contribution to education for T&E in three areas: Leadership, teaching, and research and development.

The award was formally presented at ITEA’s FORGE 2026 Symposium, which was held November 3-6 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Published November 5, 2026