Co-Chairs

JOSEFINE GRAEBENER

Josefine is a Ph.D. student in Space Engineering at Caltech, working on providing safety guarantees for autonomous systems. She received her Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences (FH) Aachen, Germany, where she graduated top of the department.

She also received a Fulbright scholarship to pursue her Master of Science degree in Space Engineering from Caltech in 2019.

While studying for her Bachelor’s degree, Josefine worked on an innovative concept to stabilize the temperature of a geostationary satellite during a solar intrusion; her thesis on this topic received the Young Scientist Award from the German Aerospace Society.

She is an instrument-rated private pilot of aircraft and passionate about flying. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, diving, and playing with her puppy named Lumi.

LIAM HEIDT

Liam is a Ph.D. student in Aeronautics at Caltech studying jet noise control in supersonic jets. He received his Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering from the University of Sydney with first class honours and his Master of Science in Aeronautics from Caltech.

Liam has always been driven to involve himself in various student organizations and outreach activities. Notably, he was the AIAA Sydney Section National STEM Outreach Lead for Astronaut Stories Australia, when a series of keynote events was held across Australia, featuring five astronauts. They talked about their experiences to over 1,000 high- school students and 3,000 members of the general public. Additionally, he was the vice- chairperson of the AIAA University of Sydney Student Branch, where we hosted over 15 events, including the annual networking night, which approximately 150 people attended.

When Liam is not performing research, you might find him traveling, cooking, or just reading a good book.

The Team

Ying luo - sponsorship and speakers

Ying is a Ph.D. student in Aeronautics at Caltech studying hypersonic flow. Ying received her Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering and LL.B from the University of Sydney, and an Master of Science in Aeronautics from Caltech.

Ying has always been passionate about STEM outreach. She has chaired professional development conferences such as the Aerospace Futures Conference (the largest student-run aerospace- focused conference in Australia with over 300 attendees) and helped organize national outreach events such as Astronaut Stories.

During her free time, she enjoys traveling (and eating her way through those countries), puzzles, and spending time with her cat Bernie.

Niyati Desai - Students and media

Niyati is a PhD student in Aerospace Engineering at Caltech. She is doing astronomical instrumentation research in Caltech Astronomy’s Exoplanet Technology Lab, working on characterization and analysis of scalar vortex coronagraphs for direct imaging of exoplanets at close angular separations to their host stars. Niyati received a BSc in Physics and BEng in Aerospace Engineering from MIT and an MSc in Aerospace from Caltech.

Niyati enjoys volunteering in STEM to spread her passion for space to the broader community. In her free time, Niyati loves playing soccer and frisbee as well as drawing and making music. One of her favorite activities is setting up telescopes and sharing her love for the stars at Caltech’s Astronomy Open Nights.

Brayden aller - students and Social events

Brayden is a Space Engineering Ph.D. student at Caltech, working on developing a novel spacecraft structural health monitoring system.

Brayden received his Master of Science in Space Engineering from Caltech and his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University. Previously, Brayden worked with industry and academia on behalf of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) working with composite materials and structures. Additionally, Brayden served as the Lead Recovery Engineer on Vanderbilt’s 2018-2019 NASA Student Launch Champion team.

Outside of research, you can find Brayden hiking, traveling, trying new foods, or enjoying live music.