Student Scholars
Smead Scholars at the 麻豆免费版下载 represent the best and brightest minds in aerospace. The program, begun in 2007, recognizes outstanding students for their research and character, with alumni spanning the nation both geographically and across the aerospace sector.
Each year, two incoming PhD students are selected for this honor, which provides financial support, academic enrichment, and exclusive networking opportunities.
Scroll down to learn more about our current Scholars and alumni.
Cate Leszcz
Cate Leszcz is a 2023 Smead Scholar pursuing her PhD under the direction of Profs. Iain Boyd and Kurt Maute. Her research interests include hypersonics, reentry vehicles, aerothermoelasticity, and optimization. Cate received a BS in Aerospace Engineering from The Ohio State University in 2023, graduating Summa Cum Laude with Honors Research Distinction in Aerospace Engineering. Her undergraduate thesis focused on the optimization of a variable thickness hypersonic skin panel. She spent her summers interning with NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory. At Ohio State, Cate served on the executive board for Sigma Gamma Tau Aerospace Honor Society and was a member of the Multi-Physics Interactions Research Group. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Cate is an avid Cleveland sports fan as well as a huge Ohio State fan. Her other hobbies include fitness, hiking, yoga, and cooking.
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David Dezell Turner
David Dezell Turner is a 2022 Smead Scholar studying astrodynamics under Prof. Jay McMahon. He graduated from MIT in 2022 with a BS in Aerospace Engineering. Dezell is also an NSF Graduate Research Fellow, GEM Fellow, and Matthew Isakowitz Fellow. He has previously interned at NASA, The Aerospace Corporation, and the Southwest Research Institute, where his projects ran the gamut from orbit design for an upcoming AFRL Mission to a constellation concept study for the United States Space Force. Dezell is also passionate about science communication and has written articles for NASA, SwRI, and MIT Angles. Outside of the lab, he enjoys writing fiction, singing, and making Etch-A-Sketch drawings.
Evangelina Evans
Evangelina Evans is a 2022 Smead Scholar pursuing her PhD in astrodynamics for cislunar space applications under the direction of Profs. Dan Scheeres and Marcus Holzinger. Eva graduated Summa Cum Laude from Penn State in 2022 with a BS in Aerospace Engineering where she completed an undergraduate honors thesis on 鈥淭rajectory Optimization for Refueling Geosynchronous Satellites鈥. During her summers, Eva has interned with Boeing as an astrodynamicist for commercial space launch mission operations. She is from Kailua, Hawaii and enjoys scuba diving, traveling, and social dancing outside of her academics.
Sarah Luettgen
Sarah Luettgen began pursuing her PhD at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder in 2021 with a research interest in the dynamics of the Earth鈥檚 upper atmosphere. She is advised by Prof. Jeffrey Thayer and is engaged in studies in the Remote Sensing, Earth and Space Sciences focus area. Sarah graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boston University with a BA in astronomy and physics and minors in mathematics and computer science. There, she performed research concerning the lunar exosphere and was on the leadership board of BU鈥檚 undergraduate physics club. Sarah grew up in Winchester, MA. She finds joy in hiking, reading, and trying new recipes.
Mitchell Wall
Mitchell Wall is a 2021 Smead Scholar interested in studying hypersonics and reentry vehicle under the direction of Prof. Iain Boyd. Mitchell graduated with a BS in Engineering Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Wisconsin 鈥 Madison in 2021. At Wisconsin, he pursued research interests in structural dynamics and contributed to the hyperloop competition team as a system lead and as mechanical director. He has also spent multiple summers interning at companies such as ATA Engineering, SpaceX, and Relativity Space, where he worked on launch vehicle dynamics and CFD. He is also involved in the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program. Mitchell enjoys hiking, backpacking, road trips, and cooking
Connor Morency
Connor Morency is a Smead Aerospace PhD pre-candidate at the 麻豆免费版下载. Advised by Prof. Kenneth Jansen, Connor conducts research regarding the development and execution of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations in the supersonic and hypersonic regimes. In addition to the Smead fellowship, he is also supported by a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) fellowship. Connor graduated from Vanderbilt University in May 2019 with a BE in mechanical engineering where he won the NASA Student Launch Competition as the simulations lead for the Vanderbilt Aerospace Design Laboratory (VADL). He spent the following year in Bengaluru, India as a Henry Luce Scholar where he worked on an atmospheric physics model at the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS). Connor earned his MS in aerospace engineering from 麻豆免费版下载Boulder in December 2022. As a Chicago native, Connor enjoys baseball (go Cubs!), writing music, and traveling.
Jennifer Horing
Jennifer Horing is a 2020 Smead Scholar interested in studying hypersonic aerothermodynamics and is advised by Prof. Iain Boyd. Jennifer graduated from Harvard University in 2018 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. While in school, Jennifer pursued research in biomimetic robotics at the Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory while also taking classes at MIT, and her senior design focused on the design of a morphing wing. After graduation, Jennifer entered Blue Origin鈥檚 New Graduate Rotation program and continued there as a Fluid Systems Engineer working on thermal-fluid analysis for the second stage of the New Glenn rocket. Jennifer also enjoys soccer, snowboarding, hiking and reading.
Jackson Jandreau
Jackson Jandreau is a 2019 Smead Scholar studying under Prof. Xinzhao Chu, focusing on Earth & space science research, and spent a season at the McMurdo Research Station in Antarctica as part of Prof. Chu鈥檚 work. Jandreau grew up in Oklahoma City and completed a bachelor of science degree in aerospace and mechanical engineering at Oklahoma State University. Outside of school, his hobbies include cycling, cars, hiking, music, making kombucha, and finding new hobbies.
Samantha Sheppard
Samantha Sheppard is a 2019 Smead Scholar working within the Experimental Aerodynamics Laboratory under the direction of Prof. John Farnsworth and Prof. James Brasseur. Her research focuses on understanding the interaction of turbulent structures听near surfaces towards the aim of听improving听wall models听for听large eddy simulations. Samantha graduated from Duke University Cum Laude in 2017 with a BSE in Mechanical Engineering and a certificate in Aerospace Engineering. In 2020 she was awarded the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship. Samantha is originally from Andover, MA and in her free time she enjoys skiing,听painting, ballet, and mountain biking.
Damennick Henry
Damennick Henry is a 2018 Smead Scholar and is advised by the A. Richard Seebass Chair, Prof. Dan Scheeres. Damennick graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Minnesota in May 2018 with a BS in Electrical Engineering. In addition to being a Smead Scholar, Damennick's research is also supported by a NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship, first awarded in 2019. Originally from Beavercreek, OH, Damennick is interested in studying controls and astrodynamics to provide solutions to problems such as formation flying and multi-agent control. During his academic tenure at UMN, Damennick served as president of UMN鈥檚 IEEE honor society, performed research in compressive sensing, and led the design of the attitude controller for UMN's small satellite team. He has also interned at the Air Force Research Laboratory and Honeywell Aerospace. Long-term, Damennick hopes to stay in academia after completing his PhD studies, and continue to work on space systems control research and act as an ambassador for the field. Outside of academics, he enjoys tennis, hiking and traveling.
Alex Hirst
Alex Hirst is a 2018 Smead Scholar, 2020 Draper Scholar, and is advised by Smead Faculty Fellow emeritus, Prof. Eric Frew. Alex holds a B.S. from Cornell University in Mechanical Engineering. His research focuses on the design, application, and control of fixed-wing small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS) applied to atmospheric science. He has participated in several weeks-long field campaigns across the mid-western United States, studying severe storms and early-convective cloud formations. Alex's thesis research develops a learning-enhanced, optimization-based guidance controller for agile path-following control, with the goal of enabling fixed-wing sUAS applications in more extreme and demanding environments, such as urban environments or offshore wind farms.
Abhishektha Boppana
Abhishektha Boppana entered CU鈥檚 Aerospace Engineering Sciences PhD program in Fall 2017 and is advised by Prof. Allie Anderson in the His research focuses on developing a new spacesuit boot architecture using dynamic foot-shape models, thereby allowing for astronauts to more efficiently and comfortably walk on planetary surfaces. This work is further supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship he earned in 2018. Abhi is involved in research exploring alternative reality technologies as a spacecraft habitat design tool. He graduated from Case Western Reserve University in May of 2017 with a BS in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Mechanical Engineering. Abhi conducted multiple internship tours at NASA as an undergrad. He is an alumnus of the 2015 Glenn Space Academy, where he worked to create a finite-element based model designed to simulate the effects of microgravity-performed exercises on bone loss. He also spent the spring and summer of 2016 at Johnson Space Center, working with their Anthropometry and Biomechanics group and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, evaluating new equipment to improve the space suit sizing process. Outside of school, Abhi enjoys hiking, photography, traveling, and cooking.
Jonathan Manni
Jonathan Manni entered听Smead Aerospace's PhD program in Fall 2017 and is co-advised by Prof. Nisar Ahmed in the Autonomous Systems focus area with an emphasis on Controls, and Prof. Jay McMahon in the focus area. Jonathan graduated from Calvin College in May of 2017 with a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering and a minor in German. As an undergraduate, Jonathan participated in numerous study programs in Germany, including a research internship developing methods to improve crop sensing and imaging for autonomous agricultural robotic platforms at the Osnabr眉ck University of Applied Sciences in Osnabr眉ck, Germany. Jonathan鈥檚 research interests include spacecraft autonomy and autonomous planning, machine learning, and human-robot collaboration. Outside of his academic interests, he enjoys hiking, learning, tinkering, photography, and travel.
Andrew Harris
Andrew Harris is conducting research on developing and refining techniques for autonomous, aero-assisted orbital and attitude maneuvers as a PhD student working under Prof. Hanspeter Schaub. Prior to arriving at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder, Andrew graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University at Buffalo with a degree in aerospace engineering and a minor in English. While at UB, he co-founded the University at Buffalo Nanosatellite Laboratory (UBNL), an undergraduate-focused satellite development group with funding from NASA and the Air Force. He has also spent multiple summers interning with NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory. In his spare time, Andrew enjoys community engagement, hiking, tinkering, tennis, and creative writing.
Marielle Pellegrino
Marielle Pellegrino is a 2016 Smead Scholar working under Prof. Daniel Scheeres in the . Marielle is studying the solar radiation pressure perturbation and how to harness it for orbital debris removal and mission design optimization. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Florida where she worked as an undergraduate research assistant for the Space Systems Group. Recently, she has been focusing her energy in science communication by founding with the goal of making information accessible to someone without a technical background. In her free time, she loves to travel, eat, watch TV, watch sports (occasionally play them), and hike.
Shaylah Mutschler
Shaylah Mutschler worked as a software engineer in the Space Situational Awareness Industry after completing her BS in Computer Engineering at Wright State University in 2012. As a software engineer, she assisted in the development of algorithms that characterized geosynchronous satellites using light curve data. After two years in the space industry she began pursuing her PhD at the 麻豆免费版下载 with a听focus in . She was a research assistant with the during her first two years, where she developed algorithms for multi-target, multi-sensor tracking. In addition, Shaylah conducted research as an intern Summer 2016 and 2017 at the Space Vehicles Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There, she focused on analyzing and quantifying the effect of attitude dynamics, shape modality fidelity, and uncertainty on the characterization and prediction of space-object motion. In 2017, Shaylah was awarded both the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (accepted).
Conor Benson
Conor Benson is pursuing his PhD in the focus area. As a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow, Conor is investigating how solar radiation and other perturbations affect the spin states of retired Earth-orbiting satellites. He hopes to better understand and predict the long-term rotational evolution听of these debris objects through dynamical modeling and analysis of satellite light curve observations obtained with ground-based telescopes. Conor received his BS in Aerospace Engineering from North Carolina State University in 2015. Outside of academics he enjoys cycling, skiing, and exploring the great Colorado outdoors.
JoAnna Fulton
JoAnna Fulton is a Technologist at Tendeg, LLC, working on the Starshade project. She completed her PhD in May 2020 in the Autonomous Vehicle Systems Laboratory with Prof. Hanspeter Schaub. As a graduate student, JoAnna earned both a NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship and Zonta Amelia Earhart Fellowship. She received her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Florida in 2014. Her broad research interests concern the deployment dynamics of complex deployable space structures. Current research focuses on origami-inspired folded space structures that incorporate novel elastic hinge materials. Additionally, she co-founded a new student organization for Women in Aerospace Engineering at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder and serves on the graduate committee for the Society of Women Engineers. In her spare time, she enjoys rock climbing, reading, crafting, 3D printing, and cooking.
Ryan Skinner
Ryan Skinner works at the intersection of design optimization and computational fluid dynamics. He spent his first two years at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder developing active flow control strategies for an aggressive subsonic diffuser, in collaboration with Prof. Kenneth Jansen and Northrop Grumman. As an NDSEG graduate fellow, Ryan developed scalable methods for design optimization of a broader class of unsteady aerodynamic systems. He earned his bachelor's degree in physics from Carleton College in Minnesota and graduated with his PhD in aerospace from 麻豆免费版下载Boulder in Spring 2019. Outside of science and engineering, Ryan is also an avid cyclist and cross-country skier.
Kiichiro DeLuca
Kiichiro J. DeLuca is a venture capitalist at WERU Investment, the oldest university-affiliated venture capital firm in Japan. He leads the firm鈥檚 investment activities in frontier technology areas including space technology and invests predominantly in spinout companies from universities and research institutions in the US and Japan. He currently serves on the board of LeoLabs, an SRI International spinout which operates the world鈥檚 first and only commercial space situational awareness (SSA) platform for low Earth orbit (LEO). Before entering the venture capital world, Kiichiro worked with several early stage startups in San Francisco and Tokyo in technology focused business development roles. Prior to his career in the venture capital and technology industry, he was a graduate student at the 麻豆免费版下载 under the guidance of听Prof. Daniel J. Scheeres.听His research work focused on guidance, navigation, and control of spacecraft and was funded by The Smead Program听as well as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. He graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2013 with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering with Highest Honor.
Lauren McManus
Lauren McManus graduated with her master's from 麻豆免费版下载Boulder in 2013. She worked under the advisement of Dr. Hanspeter Schaub where she completed her thesis,听An Investigation into Establishing a Formation of Small Satellites in a Lunar Flower Constellation. She now works as a Systems Engineer at Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI).
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Ann Dietrich
Ann Dietrich graduated with her PhD in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the 麻豆免费版下载 in 2017 under the supervision of Dr. Jay McMahon. Her thesis focused on studying satellite relative navigation around asteroids with lidar altimetry measurements.听She received the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and Zonta Amelia Earhart Fellowship while at CU, and has completed internships at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the JPL Planetary Science Summer School.听 She received her Masters from 麻豆免费版下载in 2014, and her Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Florida in 2012. Ann has volunteered her time encouraging engineering outreach in middle and elementary schools through 麻豆免费版下载TEAMS and the Society of Women Engineers. She loves being outside with her two dogs enjoying rock climbing, yoga, running, and kayaking.
Samantha Rieger
Samantha Rieger is an aerospace engineer at Lockheed Martin, supporting the asteroid sample return mission, OSIRIS-Rex, out of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. While pursuing her PhD, Samantha worked with A. Richard Seebass Chair, Prof. Dan Scheeres, in the where she studied natural and artificial satellite stability and orbital evolution around small bodies. She was a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow and NSF Fellowship recipient. Her research was on Laplace plane dynamics related to spacecraft and natural satellites around asteroid. Other research interests include astrodynamics, celestial mechanics, and mission design. Before pursuing her PhD, she graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical engineering in 2012. She has interned previously at Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Samantha鈥檚 other interests include rock climbing, skiing, traveling, and learning about world history.听 听
Antonella Albuja
Antonella Albuja received her undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University in 2011. She finished her Ph.D. at the University of Colorado - Boulder under the guidance of Dr. Daniel Scheeres in October 2015. Her dissertation focused on studying the rotational dynamics of inactive satellites in Earth orbit, with a special focus on the Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP effect). Antonella is currently Technical Director for Walt Disney Animation Studios in California. Prior to that, she was听a Member of the Technical Staff in the Astrodynamics Department at The Aerospace Corporation.
Dan Lubey
Dan Lubey graduated in 2011 with a BS in Aerospace Engineering from Penn State University. He received a PhD in Aerospace Engineering Sciences in 2015 from the 麻豆免费版下载 where he was advised by Dr. Daniel Scheeres. In addition to being supported by the Smead Program, Dan was a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow. His research focused on Estimation Theory and Uncertainty Quantification as applied to problems in the area of Space Situational Awareness. Dan is currently working at NASA鈥檚 Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the Psyche and LICIAcube missions. He was previously at The Aerospace Corporation as a Member of the Technical Staff in the Navigation and Geopositioning Systems Department in El Segundo, CA.
Aaron Rosengren
Aaron Rosengren is an Assistant Professor of Space Systems in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at University of California San Diego鈥檚 Jacobs School of Engineering. He was previously an Assistant Professor in the College of Engineering at the University of Arizona, specializing in astrodynamics-based space situational awareness. Prior to joining UA, he spent one year at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece working in the Department of Physics, as part of the European Union H2020 Project ReDSHIFT. He has also served as a member of the EU Asteroid and Space Debris Network, Stardust, working for two years at the Institute of Applied Physics Nello Carrara of the Italian National Research Council. He held visiting researcher positions at both the University of Rome Tor Vergata in Italy and the Belgrade Astronomical Observatory in Serbia. His research interests include space situational awareness, orbital debris, celestial mechanics, and planetary science. Aaron is kept stable in the chaotic dynamics of tenure-track academia by occasionally hiking, boxing, and traveling.
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Dylan Boone
Dylan Boone is a Navigation Engineer in the Outer Planet Navigation group at NASA鈥檚 Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His tasks include navigation for the Cassini mission at Saturn, and the New Horizons mission to the Pluto-Charon system, as well as studies for the Europa Clipper and Next Mars Orbiter missions. Dylan received his PhD in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2013. While at 麻豆免费版下载he was awarded the H. Joseph Smead Fellowship and the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship. He received a BSE in Aerospace Engineering in 2008 and an MEng in Space Systems in 2009, each from the University of Michigan. He is interested in continuing research into the information content of spacecraft tracking measurements and orbit design in unstable orbital environments.
Ben Dunham
Ben Dunham grew up in Helena, Montana, where he attended Carroll College and earned a double major in Mathematics and Computer Science. He is fascinated in both the art and science of design optimization and automation. Ben completed his PhD in Aerospace Engineering Sciences in 2017.
Stephanie Golmon
Stephanie Golmon is currently a Principal Engineer at Ambri, Inc in Boston, where she has lived for the last several years. She received her PhD in Aerospace Engineering from 麻豆免费版下载Boulder in 2011, where she also earned an MS. She holds a BS in Physics and Mathematics from Principia College. She was one of the inaugural Smead Scholars (then Fellows) in 2007.
Jason Roadman
Jason Roadman has been a test engineer at the NWTC since March of 2011. His experience includes field and dynamometer testing of large and small wind turbines, validation of eagle detection systems using trained raptors, metrology, storm chasing, and wind tunnel testing of atmospheric turbulence. He is also an integral member of the team that organizes the Department of Energy's Collegiate Wind Competition, acting as head rules judge as well as testing judge during the wind tunnel tests of the students' turbines. Jason is the NWTC鈥檚 lead point of contact for unmanned aircraft and sits on NREL鈥檚 unmanned aircraft steering committee.听听He has a BS in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech and an MS in Aerospace Engineering from the 麻豆免费版下载.听He was one of the inaugural Smead Scholars (then Fellows) in 2007.
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