Gross recognized with Early Achievement Award for exceptional navigation research contributions

Chair Jason Gross has been recognized by the The Institute of Navigation with this year's Per Enge Early Achievement and Samuel M. Burka awards (Photo supplied). 

Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering Professor and Chair Jason Gross has been awarded the Per Enge Early Achievement Award by the The Institute of Navigation (ION). ION is the world’s foremost nonprofit professional society advancing the art and science of positioning, navigation and timing (PNT). 

Story by Kaley LaQuea, Communications Specialist
Photos supplied

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

“We’re incredibly proud of Dr. Gross for this prominent achievement,” Glen H. Hiner Dean Pedro Mago said. “This award is a highly deserved acknowledgment of his significant contributions and impactful research in robotics and unmanned aerial systems. Recognitions like these illustrate the caliber of research initiatives and collaborative efforts at the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources and highlight the incredible opportunities for our faculty and students to pursue excellence at the highest level.”

This prestigious award, named in memory of Norwegian aeronautics Professor Per Enge, honors early career innovators who have achieved remarkable advancements in PNT by the age of 35 at the time of the achievements. Gross embodies this legacy through his innovation, research and mentorship of the next generation of engineers and scientists.

“This recognition is incredibly humbling,” Gross said. “It means all that more to me to represent West Virginia University as both an alumnus and current faculty member. To see papers that I worked on early in my career with research collaborators and my first few WVU graduate students recognized as having made an impact is really exciting.”

Gross has been recognized for his exceptional research contributions on robotic and unmanned aerial systems with an emphasis on perception and localization. One of the most critical capabilities for a robot’s autonomy is its understanding of its location in a given environment. Gross’ research has focused on meeting this need in challenging environments where standard GPS systems are unreliable, unavailable or under a malicious attack. 

“This recognition also speaks volumes to our research community—some of the most impactful papers I have contributed to have come through successful collaborations with well-known scholars that I met at ION conferences,” Gross said. “I am so grateful for my collaborators. I hope to be able to pay it forward by continuing to mentor outstanding graduate students at WVU who go on to make positive impacts to the field.” 

Gross also received ION’s 2024 Samuel M. Burka award for his outstanding achievement in papers that advance the art and science of PNT. Gross was recognized for the 2024 paper “Factor Graphs for Navigation Applications: A Tutorial” which he co-authored alongside lead author Dr. Clark Taylor, faculty member at the Air Force Institute of Technology in Dayton, Ohio. The paper was selected by ION’s Navigation journal editorial board as the 2024 recipient.

Both awards were presented during the ION 2025 International Technical Meeting held this week in Long Beach, California.

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