Research Experience
LuSTR ISRU Lunar Mining
Beginning Aug. 2022, I began working with Dr. Rahman on a Lunar ISRU project funded by NASA’s inaugural Lunar Surface Technology Research (LuSTR) grant. Responsibilities include:
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Developing a Python tool to calculate lunar resource availability and the power requirements needed to meet the required water production rate
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Performing thermal and structural analyses using the NX Siemens software
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Assisting in running ice collection and thermal sublimation tests
I am currently training to lead ionization and plasma transport experiments beginning January 2023
DBD Invariance-Based Analysis
Beginning Aug. 2022, I worked with Dr. Vladik Kreinovich as part of CS 4365 (Topics in Soft Computing - Computational Intelligence for Engineering Solutions: Invariance-Based Approach).
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I used natural invariances to come up with a theoretical explanation to propose a more general family of models that may lead to a more accurate description of the Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma thruster’s behavior
MIT Haystack Observatory Internship
I had the opportunity to work as part of the AERO-VISTA (Auroral Emission Radio Observer - Vector Interferometry Space Technology using AERO) team under the mentorship of Dr. John Swoboda. I contributed by:
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Developing software that expanded the AERO-VISTA simulation pipeline by modeling the impact of plasma on the impedance and sensitivity of the satellite's vector-sensor dipole antennas
Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Actuator
I worked as part of the Emu Aerospace lab mentored by Dr. Amelia Greig on investigating the feasibility of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuators for solid-state electric propulsion. This work resulted in the publishing of a conference research paper. I was responsible for:
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Designing multiple experiment plans to measure the thrust production rates of multiple DBD actuator geometries in both normal atmospheric (Earth) conditions and in a simulated Martian environment
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Building DBD actuators and test stand setups
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Running designed experiment plans
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Leading experiments and training two new students on DBD plasma actuators
NIAC ISRU Lunar Mining
As part of the Emu Aerospace lab mentored by Dr. Amelia Greig, I worked on lunar exploration technology development with the goal of mining water and other volatiles from lunar regolith using ablative plasma arcs. This project was funded through a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) phase one award. This work resulted in the publishing of a conference research paper. My specific responsibilities included:
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Developing Python molecular dynamics simulation to model the movement of ablated particles due to electromagnetic forces
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Assisting in design of the rover
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Preparing icy regolith simulant for use in plasma arc experimentation
The University of Alabama in Huntsville Internship
I had the opportunity to work as part of the TRYAD (Terrestrial RaYs Analysis and Detection) team under the mentorship of Dr. Peter Jenke and Dr. Michael S. Briggs. I contributed by:
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Assisting with building and testing a gamma-ray detector for two CubeSats that will take multipoint measurements of the beam profile of terrestrial gamma-ray flashes ​
The University of Texas at Austin Internship
I participated in the TAURUS (Texas Astronomy Undergraduate Research experience for Under-represented Students) program and worked with Dr. William M. J. Best and Dr. Adam L. Kraus. This work resulted in the publishing of a conference research note. My projected entailed:
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Exploring the applicability of Point Spread Function (PSF) fitting versus aperture photometry in Python
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Developing a PSF fitting routine that was 85-100% effective at measuring the fluxes of the faintest objects in the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images