Faculty

Marcus Holzinger Headshot

Marcus Holzinger

Associate Professor • H. Joseph Smead Faculty Fellow
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
See Prof. Holzinger's biography .

Research Associates & Postdoctoral Researchers

Meaghan Allyn Headshot

Meaghan Allyn

STARLIT Outreach Project Manager • Professional Research Associate
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Meaghan is from Skaneateles, New York. She earned her BA in Geography from Dartmouth College in 2015, and her M.Ed. in Education Policy and Management in 2020. Her professional interests include career-connected learning, workforce development and the evolving future of higher education. She oversees student outreach, engagement, and experiential learning efforts for the VADeR lab as part of the STARLIT award. Outside of work, Meaghan enjoys gardening, reading, cooking for...
Conor Benson

Conor Benson

Research Associate
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Conor is from Wake Forest, North Carolina. He received his BS in Aerospace Engineering from North Carolina State University in 2015 and his PhD in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2021. His research interests include natural and artificial small body rotational dynamics, optical and radar-based spin state estimation, and multi-phenomenology approaches to space object characterization. Outside of research he enjoys music, biking, and road trips.
Casey Heidrich

Casey Heidrich

Research Associate • GAANN Fellow
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Casey is from Sacramento, CA. Casey earned his B.S. from University of California Davis in 2013, M.S. in aerospace engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2015, and Ph.D. from University of Colorado Boulder in 2021. Casey's research involves optimal control theory and estimation as applied to Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and space object pattern of life characterization. In his free time, Casey enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and playing music.
Damennick Henry Headshot

Damennick Henry

Postdoctoral Associate
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Damennick is from Beavercreek, OH. He earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder. Damennick’s research interests include dynamical systems theory, spacecraft trajectory design, and astrography. Outside of research he enjoys backpacking, running, and anxiously awaiting Gopher football championships.
Madeline Job Headshot

Madeline Job

VADeR Lab Manager
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Madeline Job is from Clearwater, Florida. She received her BA in Environmental Geosciences from the University of Florida, and her MFA from the University of Colorado Boulder in Art Practices. Before joining the lab, she served as a Graduate Program Advisor for the Ann & H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department.

Skywatchers

Cai Kenemore Headshot

Cai Kenemore

Skywatcher
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Chris Kuester Headshot

Chris Kuester

Lead Skywatcher
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Shelby Rock Headshot

Shelby Rock

Skywatcher
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences

Owen Schuler

Skywatcher
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences

Graduate Student

Queenique Dinh

Queenique Dinh

Ph.D. Student (From Fall 2022)
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Queenique graduated with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in astronautical engineering from the University of Southern California. Her research interests lie in the applications of optimization and optimal control methods to Space Domain Awareness in the cislunar region. In her free time, she enjoys ballroom and social dancing.
Eva Evans

Evangelina Evans

Ph.D. Student (From Fall 2022)
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Eva is from Kailua, Hawaii. She completed her undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering with honors at The Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include astrodynamics, trajectory optimization, and mission design. In her free time, she enjoys scuba diving, traveling, hiking, and is learning how to fly fish.
Zack Funke Headshot

Zack Funke

Ph.D. Student (from Fall 2024)
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Zack is from Boise, Idaho. He earned a BS in Astronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2015 and a SM in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2017. Since then, he has served in various military assignments with the U.S. Air Force and transferred to the U.S. Space Force in 2021. Zack’s research interests include space situational awareness, astronomy, and guidance, navigation,...
Jean Ghantous Headshot

Jean Ghantous

M.S. Student (From Fall 2024)
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Jean was born in Beirut Lebanon but grew up in San Jose, California. Jean received his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo in 2023. He is pursuing his M.S. from CU Boulder in Astrodynamics and Satellite Navigation starting Fall 2024 with Casey Heidrich as his advisor. In his free time, Jean likes to surf, hike, and travel.
Michael Klonowski

Michael Klonowski

Ph.D. Student (From Fall 2021) • Graduate Research Assistant
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Michael is from Rice Lake, Wisconsin and studied Mathematics and Physics as an undergraduate at St. John's University in Minnesota. His research interests include reachability theory, optimal control, and multi-objective design optimization (as well as anything else space related). He also enjoys rock climbing, skiing, playing the guitar, and snuggling with his roommate's dog, Duke.
Garrick Lau

Garrick Lau

Ph.D. Student (From Fall 2020) • Graduate Research Assistant
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Garrick is from New Jersey and got his bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University. He has been working at Northrop Grumman in its Control Systems Engineering group. His research interests include optimization of navigation problems, reachability, and admissible regions. In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors, rock climbing, and playing and listening to music.
Alec Liberman Headshot

Alec Liberman

Ph.D. Student (From Fall 2024) • NDSEG Fellow
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Alec is from Newton, Massachusetts. He graduated from Georgia Tech with his bachelor's and master's in Aerospace Engineering. His research interests include cislunar astrodynamics and space situational awareness with the goal of advancing human spaceflight. In his free time, he enjoys downhill skiing, exploring new coffee shops, and traveling. Alec holds an FAA commercial pilot certificate and is an active flight instructor.
Katie Melbourne

Katie Melbourne

Ph.D. Student (From Fall 2021)
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Katie is a part-time PhD student on the ASN track at CU and a full-time Systems Engineer at Ball Aerospace. She graduated with a B.S. in Astrophysics from Yale University. At work, Katie is a wavefront sensing scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope, but her academic interests are Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and Conjunction Assessment and Risk Analysis (CARA) in LEO. She hopes to pursue a career in space...
Karina Rivera

Karina Rivera

Ph.D. Student
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Karina's interests include research on guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for spacecraft proximity operations, satellite swarms, intelligent algorithms for autonomous missions. In addition, in her free time, she enjoy playing the violin and doing aerial arts.
Ben Schmactenberger

Benjamin Schmachtenberger

Ph.D. Student (From Fall 2022)
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Ben is originally from Denver, CO and currently lives in Baltimore, MD where he works at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in the Space Control Applications group. He studied math and physics as an undergrad at Creighton University, as well as applied mathematics during his time at RPI in Troy NY. In his spare time, he enjoys rock climbing, biking, camping and exploring the many great breweries and restaurants...
Liam Smith

Liam Smith

Ph.D. Student (From Fall 2021)
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Liam is from San Clemente, CA and completed a B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Astronomy at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He then spent 5 years at Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center working on SSA projects and currently is a flight dynamics engineer at Amazon’s Project Kuiper. His research interests are in spaceflight dynamics, space situational awareness, and space safety. Outside of research, Liam enjoys...
Adam Wilmer Headshot

Adam Wilmer

Ph.D. Student
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Adam earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2020 and a M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 2021. He currently serves as a Captain in the U.S. Space Force. Before joining CU, Adam worked as a propulsion engineer at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Propulsion Directorate, where he focused on advancing emerging technologies. His research...

Graduated Ph.D.

Daniel Aguilar-Marsillach

Daniel Aguilar-Marsillach

Ph.D. Student • Graduate Research Assistant (Graduated Fall 2021)
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Daniel Aguilar Marsillach is a graduate research assistant specializing in decision theory and tasking of electro-optical systems within the SSA field. His previous experience includes direct and indirect optimal control techniques along with real-time closed-loop control of electro-optical systems using image processing feedback. Daniel currently focuses on sensor tasking using evidential reasoning and estimation techniques to resolve hypotheses of interest for a set of resident space objects.
Julian Brew

Julian Brew

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory • NSTRF Fellow
School of Aerospace Engineering • Georgia Tech
Julian is from Stone Mountain, Georgia. His Dissertation is: Using Sample-Based Continuation Techniques to Efficiently Compute Subspace Reachable Sets and Pareto Surfaces
Samuel Fedeler

Samuel Fedeler

Ph.D. Student (From Fall 2018) • Draper Fellow • NSF Fellow
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Sam studied Physics and Computer science as an undergraduate student at North Carolina State University. Sam's research focuses on the development of novel autonomous multi-object tracking algorithms for ground-based telescopes. Other than his research, Sam enjoys the outdoors, whether he's hiking, skiing, playing soccer, or throwing a frisbee.
Shahzad Virani

Shahzad (Shez) Virani

Ph.D. Student (Graduated Summer 2022) • NDSEG Fellow • MSGS (West)
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Shez comes from the Atlanta metro area, and focuses his time on wide field-of-view electro-optical sensor control, data reduction, and detecting / tracking space objects.
Samuel Wishnek

Samuel Wishnek

Ph.D. Student (Graduated Fall 2021)
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Sam graduated with high distinction from UC Berkeley with majors in physics and astrophysics. He spent two summers interning at Schaeffler and the following three at Northrop Grumman Synoptics. At Synoptics he built optical systems for laser crystal metrology. Sam's research interests include the application of optical systems to spacecraft tracking, guidance, navigation, and control.

Graduated M.S.

Matthew Harwood

Matthew Harwood

M.S. Student (2nd year)
School of Aerospace Engineering
Matthew is from Jacksonville, FL, and completed a dual B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at University of Florida. During his time away from studies and work, he enjoys distance running, cycling, climbing, backpacking, and the great outdoors. He also likes local eats, alternative rock music, and star gazing
Patrick Miga

Patrick Miga

M.S. Student (From Fall 2020) • Graduate Research Assistant • Matthew Isakowitz Fellow • Dean's Graduate Award Fellowship
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Patrick is from Lisle, Illinois and received a BS in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech. He is interested in creating systems architectures beyond Earth orbit at the intersection of astrodynamics and decision making under uncertainty, and he is involved in research with cislunar architectures. In his spare time, Patrick likes to lift weights, run, hike, golf, snowboard, visit Colorado's many breweries, and play the drums.
Anna Montgomery

Anna Montgomery

M.S. Student (From Fall 2019) • NSF Fellow • Draper Fellow • Dean's Graduate Award Fellowship
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Anna is from Tampa, FL and graduated from the University of Florida in May 2019 with dual B.S. degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Her current research focus involves utilizing numerical methods to solve optimal control problems as they relate to astrodynamics. In her free time, Anna enjoys cooking, exploring local breweries and coffee shops, and various outdoor activities such as running, biking, and backpacking.
Andrey Pak

Andrey Pak

Ph.D. Student (4th year)
School of Aerospace Engineering (Robotics)
Andrey is a doctorate student in Robotics (Aerospace Engineering). After obtaining his Masters degree in Computer Vision and Robotics, he worked in Chile under the AFOSR grant on Random Finite Sets for space object tracking. His research interests include multi-target tracking for Space Situational Awareness. Andrey is an amateur photographer and while studying at Tech, he is also planning to get his private pilot certificate.
Jacob Vendl

Jacob Vendl

Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Jake now works at Ball Aerospace. M.S. Thesis topic: Cislunar Periodic Orbit Analysis for Space Object Detection Capability (defended March 30, 2020)
Anthony Zara

Anthony Zara

Master's Student (From Fall 2020) • Graduate Research Assistant
Ann & H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Anthony was born and raised in St. Louis and went to Mizzou for an undergraduate degree in Mechanical and Aerospace engineering. He used to work in the HVAC industry, but after feeling the need for a career change, entered the Masters program at CU Boulder to study Astrodynamics and Satellite Navigation. He is currently pursuing research in Space Domain Awareness, using an optimal control based estimator to train machine learning...