Space Policy Institute Alumnus Jenn Makins with Astronaut Sunita Williams

 

 

Current M.A. Candidate Stephanie Wan with Chinese Taikonaut Zhai Zhigang

Current M.A. Candidates

MEGAN ANSDELL has completed internships at the Gemini North Observatory in Hawaii, the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico and the NASA Ames Research Center in California. She also participated in the 2009 Manfred Lachs Moot Court Competition this past April. Ms. Ansdell graduated with a B.S. in Astrophysics in 2008 from University of St. Andrews in Scotland and later with a M.S. in Space Management from the International Space University in 2009.

 

NICK AUSTIN graduated from Florida Tech in 2009 with degrees in astrophysics, math, and physics from Florida Institute of Technology. While at Florida Tech, Mr. Austin served as a research assistant running complex threads to extract data on distant active galaxies with point and diffuse sources. He now works full time as an analyst for SRA International.

 

ERIC CONNER is a space systems engineer and consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton. He received a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan. Mr. Conner has interned with General Electric Aviation, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, and the Kennedy Space Center in Space Shuttle and EELV launch operations. While at Michigan, he participated on the Michigan RISE nanosatellite mission, and worked with the committee on the Rationale and Goals of the U.S. Civil Space Program hosted by the National Academies.

 

LAURA DELGADO is a 2009 Harry S. Truman Scholar and a Northrop Grumman Fellow at the Space Policy Institute. She graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico in 2008. Ms. Delgado has interned at the Space Studies Board of the National Academies, NAIC-Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, and the office of Congressman Luis Fortuno.

 

FUAD GULIYEV is a lawyer from Azerbaijan as well as a 2009 Fullbright Scholar. He completed his B.A. in International Law from the Gafgaz University in Baku, Azerbaijan. He received his LL.M in Human Rights from the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. Mr. Guliyev has previously taught Air and Space Law at Khazar University in Azerbaijan.

 

LEWIS GROSWALD is a research associate with the Space Studies Board of the National Research Council.  Mr. Groswald has completed internships with the National Space Society, former Senator Jim Talent's office, and the Professional Services Council. He graduated from George Washington University with a B.A. in International Affairs with a double concentration in Conflict & Security and Europe & Eurasia.  

 

DANIEL HENDRICKSON is the current staff assistant at the Space Policy Institute. He has completed internships with the Society of Automotive Engineers, the 45th Space Wing at Cape Canaveral, and the Florida Space Authority. While at the 45th Space Wing he served as a mission assurance engineer on five Atlas V launch campaigns. Mr. Hendrickson received a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2009. During his time at Florida Tech he led a nanosatellite design team to first place in the Florida University Satellite Competition.

MATTHEW ISAKOWITZ is the associate director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. He has completed internships with SpaceX, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (APL), the X PRIZE Foundation team, and Space Adventures Ltd. Mr. Isakowitz received a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University, where he was granted early acceptance to the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society, a distinction given to fewer than two percent of that year's graduates.

 

NICOLE HERRMANN is an intern within NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) in the Directorate Integration Office (DIO) at NASA Headquarters. She has previously completed an internship with NASA's History Division within the Office of External Relations. Ms. Herrmann received a B.A. in History with a minor in Astronomy from the University of Maryland in College Park, MD.

 

PHILLIP LARSON is an intern at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.  Previously he worked full time with a defense contractor in Jacksonville, Florida. More recently, Mr. Larson has interned with Congressman Parker Griffith, and the Department of Commerce's Office of Space Commercialization. In 2006, he conducted research in the Mars Desert Research Station for NASA's Spaceward Bound program. Mr. Larson received his B.S. in Aerospace Studies in 2007 from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

 

NOELLE MILIARD is a program coordinator for Space Activities at EADS North America. She was previously a space policy analyst for the French Space Agency at the Embassy of France in Washington. Ms. Miliard has also taught English as a second language through the French Ministry of Education Assistantship Program. She received a B.A. in French Studies from Wheaton College in 2001, and an M.A. in French with a specialization in French business and language from Middlebury College in 2004.

 

TOMMY SANFORD is a graduate student of the George Washington University School of Political Management, but has a strong interest in space policy. He has previously interned with the office of Representative Russ Carnahan, the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, and the Department of Commerce's Office of Space Commercialization.

 

CONSTANCE SPITTLER is a systems engineer in Civil Systems Business Development at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.  She is the deputy systems engineer for the NASA ACCESS Exoplanet Astrophysics Strategic Mission Concept Study.  Ms. Spittler received an M.S. in 2007 from UCLA in Atmospheric Sciences, with a concentration on space physics.  She received her B.S. in 2005 in astronomy from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

 

STEPHANIE WAN is the project co-lead for the Youth Promoting Cooperation and Education in Global Navigation Satellite Systems. She has presented for numerous conferences and agencies such as the Space Generation Conference, the International Astronautical Congress, and the U.N. Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on topics of global navigation satellite systems. Ms. Wan received her B.A. in International Studies at American University.

 

KIRK WOELLERT is a research assistant at the Space Policy Institute. Prior to pursuing graduate studies, his career included a civil service appointment to the staff of the Office of the Director at the National Science Foundation. Mr. Woellert was also a member of the technical staff for Northrop Grumman and led a team investigating novel visualizations of signals intelligence. From 1988 to 1994, he was an officer in the U.S. Naval Security Group and in his final tour of duty he was assigned to the U.S. National Security Agency where he conducted mission analysis for national space systems.  Mr. Woellert received a B.S. in Math from Lander University in 1987.