Why did you choose to study at Illinois?

I knew I wanted to attend a large university that had its own culture, community, and a great engineering program. Illinois checked off all those boxes for me, and I have been so grateful to have experienced my college career here!

Why aerospace engineering?

My heart was always set on working in the space industry. I started my career at the University studying bioengineering, with the hopes of learning how microgravity impacts the human body.

However, I found myself more interested in the study of spacecraft and launch vehicles themselves, which inspired me to transfer over into aerospace.

Now, I am passionate about advancing human spaceflight, specifically missions to the Moon and Mars, and pushing humanity further than we have ever gone before.

Who helped you choose your specialty?

I am currently taking AE 498 - Space Launch Vehicle Design, a course about the design and operation of launch vehicles. While this class has challenged me a lot academically, I find the content extremely interesting, and it has strongly grown my interest in working within the launch vehicle industry. I have been wanting to learn about large rocketry for a very long time, and this class has been an excellent introduction to the rockets of the past and the future!

 What projects helped you gain technical expertise?

Last semester, I took AE 483, the Autonomous Systems Lab. Within this class, I had the opportunity to program my own controller and implement it into a drone. This was the first course where I got to see the theoretical concepts I learned in the classroom come to life within the lab. Naturally, there were a few road bumps, as real-life implementations never work perfectly. Yet after lots of iterating and fine-tuning for my specific drone, I was able to get my drone to fly!

The class culminated in a final project, in which I programmed a controller which could generate topographical, 3D maps of anything it flew over. Through this course, I got to learn about control theory, drone controller design, and that I enjoy physically applying academic material.

What are you particularly proud of?

I am currently in the process of achieving my Level 1 High-Powered Rocketry certification, in which I am designing and manufacturing my very own rocket. I really enjoy being able to complete the process end-to-end, as, due to transferring majors, I never had the opportunity to do this within AE 100, the introductory aerospace course.

From iterating designs to 3D printing parts to assembling the rocket, I have been able to truly call this project my own. I am planning on finishing my rocket and launching before I graduate, and if all goes well, pursuing my Level 2 certification post-graduation.

Did you have any internships?

I have interned twice at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

My first summer, I worked for the contracting company KBR within the Flight Operations Department, learning how flight controllers are trained to work on real-time operations for the International Space Station and Artemis programs. My project focused on creating the computer displays which will go inside the Mission Control room for the launch of Artemis II, the first manned mission orbiting the Moon since Apollo.

My second internship, I worked for the Engineering Directorate to help complete a crater-based navigation algorithm which will be used on Lunar Gateway, NASA’s new space station which will orbit the Moon.

 How did the pandemic affect you?

Starting my college career in the middle of a pandemic was quite difficult. My first year at the university was in 2020, when we were still adjusting to living around COVID. Socially, it was hard to meet people on campus due to physical restrictions, but I was very grateful for how Illinois handled the process with their own saliva PCR testing.

Academically, it was an adjustment having most of my courses online, but I learned to adapt, and make the best of the situation. I really appreciated having one or two classes in person, allowing me to meet other students, and we were able to form bonds in a safe manner. This environment taught me to persevere through adversity, no matter how difficult, to be grateful for every healthy day that I have.

What extracurricular experience stands out as memorable for you?

My junior year, I had the opportunity to be one of the social chairs for the professional engineering fraternity, Kappa Theta Tau. Almost all my favorite memories at the university have been within Theta Tau, and I am so lucky to have been part of such a talented, inspirational group of people. This organization has taught me how to become the best engineer I can be and provided me with a diverse community of engineers who have supported me along the way. My time as social chair gave me an opportunity to give back to our brotherhood, by hosting events which helped build our sense of community. I am so thankful to have been part of this organization and am excited to continue giving back within a mentorship role.

How did you decide what to do after you graduate?

I was fortunate enough to participate in research and complete two industry internships while on campus. For research, I was a member of the Laboratory for Advanced Space Systems at Illinois, in which I created systems requirements for a generic reaction wheel system and wrote Freeflyer scripts to simulate different spacecraft scenarios.

Although I learned a lot from this experience, I was more satisfied with my accomplishments and impact within the industry, and knew I wanted to pursue that route post-graduation.

Where will you be located and what will you be doing?

I recently accepted a full-time position at NASA’s Johnson Space Center with the contracting company Craig Technologies, to be trained as a flight controller for the International Space Station, specifically for the Attitude Determination and Control Officer.

I will be studying over the next two years how to handle real-time spaceflight operations, specifically those pertaining to the motion and control of the ISS and learn how to respond to all possible emergencies.

 Do you have any other career goals?

I am hoping to pursue higher education for a master’s or PHD. I would also like to one day work within the private space sector and help with the advancement of future launch vehicles and spacecraft which will take mankind to Mars. 

What's on your bucket list for the next five years?

I really would like to travel the world, specifically Greece, Italy, and Spain and visit the culture and history they have to offer. I am also hoping to explore more of the National Parks across America, get into hiking and snowboarding, and just enjoy being outdoors. I believe having a healthy work-life balance is very important, and I want to experience all that our beautiful planet has to offer.