Embry-Riddle Professor Honored with Arizona Aviation Safety Award

Dr. Sarah Nilsson, an associate professor of Applied Aviation Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, was named the 2026 recipient of the Ruth Reinhold Award, one of Arizona’s most distinguished honors recognizing significant contributions to aviation safety.

The award, presented annually by the Arizona Pilots Association, was bestowed during the Arizona Aviation Safety Advisory Group’s 52nd General Aviation Awards Banquet on Feb. 7 at the Hilton Phoenix Airport. The Ruth Reinhold Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated sustained leadership and measurable impact in advancing aviation safety across the state.

Nilsson was selected for her long-standing commitment to safety education, aviation law and advocacy in emerging aviation sectors, particularly uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility. Over the past decade, she has played a key role in safety outreach through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Safety Team (FAAST), including the development of a nationally attended webinar series focused on UAS regulations, airspace integration and evolving operational standards.

“I am honored — truly honored,” Nilsson said. “I have been passionate about aviation, safety and law. That I am being recognized for what I do, and for what is truly my essence, is so very humbling.”

Nilsson’s professional background spans multiple facets of the aviation industry, including experience as a Part 135 pilot, flight instructor, aviation attorney and professor. She earned her first pilot certificate in the mid-1990s and later became a member of the Arizona State Bar, bringing a rare combination of operational and legal expertise to her work in aviation safety education.

Her FAAST outreach has extended well beyond Arizona, reaching pilots, drone operators and aviation professionals nationwide. The webinar series addressed topics such as UAS registration, recreational and commercial operating rules, agricultural drone operations and the rapid growth of advanced air mobility — areas Nilsson said demand broader awareness as airspace becomes increasingly complex.

“The airspace is shared among drones, electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs), general aviation aircraft and large jets,” Nilsson said. “That they all need to coexist is what drives my approach to promoting safety. All pilots from all these various types of aircraft should be versed in each other’s operations and challenges so that all can coexist in our skies safely.”

The Ruth Reinhold Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated sustained leadership and measurable impact in advancing aviation safety across the state. (Photo: photosGRANTed)That philosophy carries directly into her teaching at Embry-Riddle’s College of Aviation, where Nilsson integrates real-world industry engagement into the classroom. Through her global professional network, students regularly interact with aviation experts, regulators and judges from around the world, particularly in courses focused on advanced air mobility and emerging technologies.

“These contacts bring the real-world into my classrooms at Embry-Riddle,” she said. “They watch and evaluate my students as they present their team projects, taking into account the airspace, the ground infrastructure, vertiports, public acceptance and so forth.”

The Ruth Reinhold Award is named for one of Arizona’s earliest aviation pioneers. Reinhold was a professional pilot, flight instructor and aviation safety advocate who served as Sen. Barry Goldwater’s pilot for two decades and later became the first woman appointed to the U.S. Department of Transportation. She was inducted into the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame in 1991, and the award bearing her name is considered one of the highest honors within Arizona’s general aviation community.

For Nilsson, the future of aviation holds both challenges and opportunities as aviation continues to evolve, particularly with the integration of new types of aircraft.

“I am excited. It’s a whole new age of aviation and it is rapidly expanding,” she said. “I am thrilled that I get to share this with my students here at Embry-Riddle. This is home to me!”