School of Engineering
Showing 151-200 of 215 Results
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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. -
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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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.
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Todd Walter
Professor (Research) of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsHigh integrity satellite navigation for guiding aircraft, including satellite based augmentation systems (SBAS) and advanced receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (ARAIM).
