2008 Graduates

Name: Vanessa Aubuchon
University/Date: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, July 2008
Degree: MS in Aerospace and Oceanic Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Mayuresh Patil
Thesis Topic: Damping Effects of Drogue Parachutes on Orion Crew Module Dynamics
Present Position: Flight Dynamics Branch, NASA’s Langley Research Center

Name: Cory Barton
University/Date: North Carolina A&T University, November 2008
Degree: MS in Electrical Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Gary Lebby
Thesis Topic: The Development and Implementation of a Testbed Unmanned Aerial System
Present Position: Engineer, Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, Fort Eustis, Virginia

Name: Robyn Harmon
University/Date: University of Maryland, September 2008
Degree: PhD in Aerospace Engineering
Advisor: Dr. James Hubbard
Thesis Topic: 
Present Position: Mechanical Engineer, AAI Corporation, Hunt Valley, Maryland

Name: Christopher Hartman
University/Date: North Carolina State University, December 2008
Degree: MS in Aerospace Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Robert Tolson
Thesis Topic: 
Present Position: PhD Candidate, North Carolina State University

Name: Joseph Hickman
University/Date: Georgia Institute of Technology, May 2008
Degree: MS in Aerospace Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Alan Wilhite
Thesis Topic: 
Present Position: Advanced Programs Group, Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Virginia

Name: Eric Nelson
University/Date: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, June 2008
Degree: MS in Aeronautical and Ocean Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Rakesh Kapania
Thesis Topic: Unitized Curvilinear Structural Design and Analysis
Present Position: Structural Engineering Group, The Boeing Company, Mesa, Arizona

Name: Long Ni
University/Date: North Carolina A&T University, August 2008
Degree: PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Advisor: Dr. David Song
Thesis Topic: Monitoring and Analyzing Interactive Network Traffic to Detect Stepping-Stone Intrusion
Present Position: 

Name: Benjamin Nickless
University/Date: University of Maryland, December 2008
Degree: MS in Aerospace Engineering
Advisor: Dr. James Hubbard
Thesis Topic: Dynamic Modeling and Position Control of a Piezoelectric Flextensional Actuator
Present Position: Advanced Materials Processing Branch, NASA’s Langley Research Center

Name: Jairaj Payyapilly
University/Date: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, November 2008
Degree: PhD in Materials Science and Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Kathryn Logan
Thesis Topic: Formation and Growth Mechanisms of a High Temperature Interfacial Layer Between A1 and Ti02
Present Position: Process Engineer, Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, California

Name: Rafael Perez
University/Date: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, September 2008
Degree: PhD in Aeronautical and Ocean Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Robert Walters
Thesis Topic: Uncertainty Analysis of Computational Fluid Dynamics Via Polynomial Chaos
Present Position: 

Name: Thomas Sebastian
University/Date: North Carolina State University, August 2008
Degree: MS in Aerospace Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Robert Tolson
Thesis Topic: Orion CEV Abort Scenario Methods and Tools
Present Position: PhD Candidate, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Name: Daniel Shreiber
University/Date: University of Virginia, December 2008
Degree: PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Mool Gupta
Thesis Topic: Negative Index Materials for Sensing
Present Position: 

Name: Philip Tanner
University/Date: Georgia Institute of Technology, August 2008
Degree: MS in Aerospace Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Alan Wilhite
Thesis Topic: 
Present Position: Aerospace Engineer, Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command, NASA’s Langley Research Center

Name: Michael Tosto
University/Date: University of Virginia, May 2008
Degree: MS in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Robert Lindberg
Thesis Topic: Load Sharing Optimization of a Redundant Path Planar Mechanism
Present Position: Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Virginia

Name: John Wagner
University/Date: Georgia Institute of Technology, December 2008
Degree: MS in Aerospace Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Alan Wilhite
Thesis Topic: Import of Operational and Design Requirements on Mars Ascent Performance
Present Position: PhD Candidate, Georgia Institute of Technology

Name: Marc Wilson
University/Date: Georgia Institute of Technology, May 2008
Degree: MS in Aerospace Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Alan Wilhite
Thesis Topic: 
Present Position: Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Lab, Laurel, Maryland