Explore. Achieve. Lead.
The Smead Program provides excellence in research, academic programming, and personal and professional enrichment for the brightest minds pursuing graduate- and faculty-level research in aerospace engineering.
Ìý
A unique community within the larger Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the Âé¶¹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØ, the Smead Program emphasizes ground-breaking interdisciplinary research and leadership through a multi-pronged approach:
- PhD Student Scholars
- Faculty Fellows
- Visiting Professorships
- Distinguished Post- Doctoral Associates
2025 Student Scholars

Madison Lin
Research: Trajectory
design and optimization

Hasani Spann
Research: Modeling and timing
of orbits and orbital transfers
2024 Student Scholars

Sarah Kinney
Research: Fluid structure interactions
in hypersonic applications

Lisa Ventura
Research: Decision-making for autonomous
aircraft, robot and human interactions
Ìý
2023 Student Scholar

Cate Leszcz
Research: Characterizing
uncertainty in hypersonic
aerothermodynamic environments
2022 Student Scholars

David Dezell Turner
Research: Astrodynamics

Evangelina Evans
Research: Astrodynamics
for cislunar space applications
2021 Student Scholars

Sarah Luettgen
Research: Dynamics of the
Earth’s upper atmosphere

Mitchell Wall
Research: Hypersonics
and reentry vehicles
Ìý

Ìý


