Aeronautics and Astronautics
Showing 151-200 of 218 Results
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Robert Phelts
Research Engineer
BioR. Eric Phelts is a research engineer in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University. His research involves signal monitoring techniques and analysis for SBAS, GBAS, and ARAIM.
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J David Powell
Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and of Mechanical Engineering, Emeritus
BioEDUCATION:
1960 - B.S. Mechanical Engineering, M.I.T.
1966 - M.S. Aeronautics & Astronautics, Stanford
1970 - Ph.D. Aeronautics & Astronautics, Stanford
EXPERIENCE:
1960-1961 - Engine Design and Testing Engineer at Outboard Marine Corp.
1961-1967 – Engineer at Lockheed in the field of Aerospace Guidance and Control
1967-1968 – Engineer at Analytical Mechanics Associates
1968-1970 – Engineer, Systems Control, Inc. Parameter ID of aircraft models from flight data, automatic generation of approach paths for Air Traffic Control. Attended Stanford University specializing in control systems.
1971 – 1998 – Member of the Stanford Faculty in the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department. His research has included spacecraft pointing, space tether dynamics and control, internal combustion engine control, the design of aerospace digital flight control systems, GPS-based attitude determination augmented with inertial sensors, and the use of GPS for air and land vehicle surveillance and navigation. He taught courses in aerospace control including radio and inertial navigation, optimization and digital implementations and is a coauthor of two of the leading control textbooks. He is also an author or coauthor on over 100 papers.
1998 – present – Emeritus faculty carrying out research in Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford Univ. Recent focus of research is the use of GPS-based attitude determination augmented with inertial sensors, applications of the FAA’s WAAS for enhanced pilot displays, flight inspection of aircraft landing systems, and the use of WAAS and new displays to enable closer spacing of parallel runways.
SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS
AIAA (Fellow), ASME (Fellow), SAE, IEEE, ION
CONSULTANT TO: (over past several years)
Seagull Technology
Sequoia Instruments
Engine Control and Monitoring
Transparent Networks
Pratt and Whitney (Technical Advisory Committee)
Sensor Platforms
OTHER RECENT ACTIVITIES
Co-Founder, CEO, and Director of GyroSat Corp. 1999 – 2000
Director of Sequoia Instruments, 2001 – 2005
Aircraft owner and licensed instrument pilot
National Research Council Panel member for the review of NASA airspace activities, 2003
Board of Directors, Mechanics Bank, Richmond, CA., 2003 – 2015
Board of Directors, ExactBid, Inc. 2014-present. -
Yash Rampuria
Masters Student in Aeronautics and Astronautics, admitted Autumn 2025
BioI am an MS student, pursuing robotics at Stanford University. I am particularly interested in AI applications to autonomous mobility. My work at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay has spanned the intersection of computer vision, SLAM and controls for self-driving, drones and healthcare. I have served as the CTO of Autonomous systems at IIT Bombay Racing Driverless, leading a team of 100+ students in building self-driving race cars for Formula Student, United Kingdom.
Leading multiple teams throughout my education has allowed me to hone my teamwork and management skills, while staying deeply involved in engineering and technology. -
Antonio Ricco
Affiliate, Program-Senesky, D.
BioTony Ricco received BS and PhD degrees in Chemistry from UC Berkeley (1980) and MIT (1984), respectively. In Sandia National Laboratories’ Microsensor R&D Department (1984 – 1998), he developed chemical microsensors and integrated microsystems. He was guest professor at the University of Heidelberg's Applied Physical Chemistry Institute (winter 1996 – 1997). From 1999 – 2003, he was ACLARA BioSciences’ Director of Microtechnologies and Materials, developing consumable plastic microfluidic systems for genetic analysis, high-throughput pharmaceutical discovery, proteomics, and pathogen detection. He directed Stanford’s National Center for Space Biological Technologies from 2004 – 2007; from 2007 – 2024, he served as NASA Ames Research Center’s Chief Technologist for Small Payloads while on assignment from Stanford University. From 2003 - 2016, he was a founding member, then adjunct professor, at the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI, Dublin City University), developing single-platform point-of-care medical diagnostic devices for platelet function, infectious disease, and cardiovascular health. In 2024, he retired from Stanford and joined NASA Ames Research Center as the Instrument Manager for the Programs & Projects Directorate, where he is currently employed.
Dr. Ricco is co-author of some 450 presentations, 300 publications, and 20 patents. He is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and of The Electrochemical Society (ECS), former president of ECS's Sensor Division, and, from 2004 – 20024, was Vice President of the Transducer Research Foundation (TRF). He was an editor of the Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems (JMEMS) from 2000 – 2019.
At NASA, Tony works with teams that develop, launch, and operate remote, autonomous bioanalytical and spectroscopy systems for fundamental space biological and astrobiological studies, serving as chief technologist for multiple successful "cubesat" spaceflight missions incorporating living organisms. He is presently adapting these spaceflight technologies to the challenge of searching for molecular indicators of the presence of life on our solar system's "icy worlds", in particular Europa and Enceladus, as well as developing systems to seek molecular evidence of ancient life beneath the surface of Mars. -
Stephen Rock
Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Emeritus
BioProfessor Rock's research interests include the application of advanced control and modeling techniques for robotic and vehicle systems (aerospace and underwater). He directs the Aerospace Robotics Laboratory in which students are involved in experimental programs designed to extend the state-of-the-art in robotic control. Areas of emphasis include planning and navigation techniques (GPS and vision-based) for autonomous vehicles; aerodynamic modeling and control for aggressive flight systems; underwater remotely-operated vehicle control; precision end-point control of manipulators in the presence of flexibility and uncertainty; and cooperative control of multiple manipulators and multiple robots. Professor Rock teaches several courses in dynamics and control.
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Maria Sakovsky
Assistant Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics
BioMaria Sakovsky's work focuses on the use of shape adaptation to realize space structures with reconfigurable geometry, stiffness, and even non-mechanical performance (e.g., electromagnetic, optical). Particular focus is placed on the mechanics of thin fiber reinforced composite structures, the interplay between composite material properties and structural geometry, as well as embedded functionality and actuation of lightweight structures. The work has led to applications in deployable space structures, reconfigurable antennas, and soft robotics.
Maria Sakovsky received her BSc in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto. Following this, she completed her MSc and PhD in Space Engineering at Caltech, where she developed a deployable satellite antenna based on origami concepts utilizing elastomer composites. She concurrently worked with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on developing cryogenically rated thin-ply composite antennas for deep space missions. She was awarded the ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2018 as well as the DARPA Young Faculty Award in 2024. -
Debbie Senesky
Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, of Electrical Engineering and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy
BioDebbie G. Senesky is an Associate Professor at Stanford University in the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department and the Electrical Engineering Department. In addition, she is the Principal Investigator of the EXtreme Environment Microsystems Laboratory (XLab). Her research interests include the development of nanomaterials for extreme harsh environments, high-temperature electronics for Venus exploration, and microgravity synthesis of nanomaterials. In the past, she has held positions at GE Sensing (formerly known as NovaSensor), GE Global Research Center, and Hewlett Packard. She received the B.S. degree (2001) in mechanical engineering from the University of Southern California. She received the M.S. degree (2004) and Ph.D. degree (2007) in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Prof. Senesky is the Site Director of nano@stanford. She is currently the co-editor of two technical journals: IEEE Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems and Sensors. In recognition of her research, she received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2025, Emerging Leader Abie Award from AnitaB.org in 2018, Early Faculty Career Award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 2012, Gabilan Faculty Fellowship Award in 2012, and Sloan Ph.D. Fellowship from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in 2004.
Prof. Senesky's career path and research has been featured by Scientific American, Seeker, People Behind the Science podcast, The Future of Everything radio show, Space.com, and NPR's Tell Me More program. More information about Prof. Senesky can be found at https://xlab.stanford.edu and on Instagram (@astrodebs). -
Charles Shao
Affiliate, Stanford Center For Position, Navigation and Time (SCPNT)
BioA seasoned entrepreneur and senior executive with multiple start-up enterprises in Silicon Valley and China. As co-founder, vp engineering, CTO of Easyway Company Limited, design and implement a Chinese high-speed rail passenger transit service system. As a founding team member, start-up EPIN Technologies, Inc., ServGate Technologies, Inc., NetScreen Technologies, Inc. between 1996 ~ 2006.
Research fellow and deputy director, center for high-speed rail technology (CHRT), Tsinghua University. Managed R&D projects for China's high-speed rail system since 2006; Initiated “Introduction for High-Speed Rail Technologies” class at California State University, Bakersfield.
Venture partner of TEEC Angel Fund in Palo Alto. General partner of TSVC fund.
BSEE, MSEE, Lecturer/Assistant Professor at Tsinghua University following with visiting scholar at University of California San Diego during 1980 ~ 1993. First prize winner of Rail Technologies Awards by China Railway Society. -
Lauren Simitz
Ph.D. Student in Aeronautics and Astronautics, admitted Autumn 2021
BioHi there! I'm an aerospace engineer, chemist, and geoscientist striving to both protect our world and advance technologies to explore new ones. Sustainability, teaching, and DEI are just as strong of passions, in and outside of the aerospace sector.
My work in industry (Chevron, SpaceX, Benchmark, Boeing) and academia catalyzed my interest in advancing sustainable, safe propulsion and energy systems. As a Stanford PhD candidate in the Hypersonics, Propulsion, and Energy Laboratory (HyPEL) working under Professor Ronald Hanson, I employ fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and chemical kinetics to experimentally probe combustion behavior. -
Jakob Thumm
Postdoctoral Scholar, Aeronautics and Astronautics
BioJakob is a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. His research aims to improve the safety, efficiency, and acceptance of autonomous robots by combining formal methods and machine learning. Jakob focuses on developing algorithms that enable robots to efficiently act in dynamic environments while guaranteeing safety at all times. He is particularly interested in allowing robots to safely work together with humans.
Prior to joining Stanford, Jakob earned his Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from the Technical University of Munich. His doctoral thesis is titled ``Establishing Safe and Preference-Aligned Human-Robot Collaboration in Autonomous Manipulation'' and passed with highest distinctions. Jakob received his M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Mechatronics from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, researching the intersection of system modelling and machine learning.
Outside the lab, Jakob is a passionate runner and volunteer at Sutro Stewards, where he maintains hiking trails in the heart of San Francisco. -
Stephen Tsai
Professor (Research) of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Emeritus
BioProfessor Tsai's research interest is in the development of design methodology of composite materials and structures. As an emerging technology, composite materials offer unique performances for structures that combine light weight with durability. Keys to the successful utilization of composite materials are predictability in performance and cost effective design of anisotropic, laminated structures. Current emphasis is placed on the understanding of failure modes, and computer simulation for design and cost estimation.
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Thibaut Van Gorp
Graduate Visiting Researcher Student, Aeronautics and Astronautics
BioThibaut received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering from UCLouvain (Belgium). His interests include semiconductor device modeling and characterization, with a focus on micro- and nanofabrication, RF applications, and electronics for harsh environments.
He is currently a Graduate Visiting Researcher at XLab, Stanford University, while completing his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering at UCLouvain.
His Master’s thesis, titled “Characterization, Modeling, and Simulation of FD-SOI Transistors at High Temperature,” focuses on the analysis of DC and RF device performance using TCAD simulations and compact modeling in Cadence Virtuoso. -
Luca Vialetto
Postdoctoral Scholar, Aeronautics and Astronautics
BioLuca Vialetto earned his master's degree in physics at the University of Padua (Italy) in 2017, with honour. His doctoral studies were conducted at the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (Eindhoven, the Netherlands), with focus on computational modeling of plasmas for conversion of CO2 into chemicals. He obtained the PhD in Applied Physics in November 2021 at the Eindhoven University of Technology, with honour. After that, he was employed as a postdoctoral researcher at Kiel University (Germany). Luca's research interests include plasma physics and chemistry, data driven models, and high performance computing. He is the recipient of the 2021 Student Award for Excellence given at the 74th Gaseous Electronics Conference and of the 2023 Rutherford Plasma Physics Communication Prize given by IOP.
