TEAM: PEOPLE
Tiffany Finley
Academic Department
Aerospace Engineering
Gene Holland
Academic Department
Aerospace Engineering
2nd year, M.S.
Any Previous Degrees?
B.S., Physics, University of Kansas
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
I am responsible for the systems engineering for the project.
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
I really enjoy the coursework and have always had great respect and admiration for the U.S. space program.
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
Skiing and hiking.
Ervin Krauss
Academic Department
Aerospace Engineering
I am a senior currently, working towards the combined BS/MS degree
What are your future career plans?
After finishing with my master's degree, I would like to go work for a company that builds rocket engines. This is a very broad goal for me right now, because I have not committed myself to a specific job. Basically, any job that looks to be fun and interesting in the long run will be what I pick in the end.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
For SDC, I work on the mechanical side of things, with my primary responsibility being the electronics box. I also help in designing the detectors, and do other work that helps in the testing of the instrument.
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
I have always liked to use my hands and build things, so coming to the engineering college was a natural choice. When it came to choosing an engineering major, aerospace engineering was my top choice (with mechanical engineering coming in a close second) because of my interest in anything space related.
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
My outside interests at the moment are very limited; due to all the time school and work take up. When I do have free time, I try to go hiking.
Anselm Fernandez
Academic Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
M.S.
Any previous degrees?
B.Tech. (Hons.) from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Kharagpur, India
What are your future career plans?
I plan to pursue a career in spacecraft design or in consulting.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
I am working on the digital electronics design & the software management.
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
Hiking, Biking and Gaming (UT/AOM:).
Chelsey Bryant
Academic Department
Aerospace Engineering
2nd year M.S. student
Any previous degrees?
Bachelor Degree in Physics from Hendrix College in Conway, AR Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis
What are your future career plans?
I am currently doing my emphasis in spacecraft design and plan to pursue a career in that area.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
I am working as the lead for the design and fabrication of the PVDF Detector's subsystem for SDC.
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
After spending the majority of my young life playing with barbies and doing other very non-scientific "girly" things, I was very fortunately shown a video in my career orientation class about solar power. From that point on, I realized science could actually be fun and interesting for me, and it has just taken off from there.
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
All the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer, and food.
Nick Bunch
Academic Department
Physics
Senior (ie 4th year) towards B.A. in Physics
What are your future career plans?
I hope to attend graduate school in the fall, most likely in astro- or applied physics.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
Member of the detector subsystem, with focus on laser stimulation.
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
Two things mainly contributed to my interest in science: my high school astronomy class, and Stephen Hawkings book "A Brief History of Time."
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
Music, fitness, the outdoors, snowboarding, golf, vintage sports and muscle cars, sports (go Buffs!), politics, and probably a bunch of other stuff I am not thinking about.
Beth Grogan
Academic Department
Computer Science
B.S.
What are your future career plans?
I hope to continue working the space industry on satellite or instrument computer systems.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
I am in charge of the Ground Software. I am also a member of the Flight Software team.
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
I've always been good at math and science, so my teachers pushed me in this direction.
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
I've always enjoyed ancient history so in addition to my degree in Computer Science I will also receive a minor in Classics.
Michael Neeland
Academic Department
Mechanical Engineering
What are your future career plans?
I'm going to spend a few years in the engineering industry to get a feel for what area of engineering I'd like to concentrate in- probably either aerospace or bioengineering. Then I'll pursue a Master's degree.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
I assist in the fabrication and testing of detector elements.
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
It started with Legos and Erector Sets when I was a kid and just grew from there.
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
Alpha Gamma Omega, CU's Christian fraternity; classical, swing, and rock music; network gaming; British humor.
Otto Krauss
Academic Department
Aerospace Engineering
Concurrent B.S./M.S.-5th year
What are your future career plans?
I would like to work on the design of advanced propulsion systems, either working for a NASA center, or a company such as Rocketdyne or Aerojet. I have a specific interest in scramjets, advanced chemical rocket engines, nuclear propulsion, and hybrid rocket technology.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
I'm primarily responsible for the design and development of GSE for all phases of instrument design and test. In addition, I'm the test conductor for the SDC environmental tests.
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
I always loved building things, which started with LEGOS at an early age. Once I got to high school and college, designing and building hardware for the space program was especially appealing, and right now I'm also working on the CU MaCH-SR1 hybrid rocket.
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
I love hiking, skiing, camping, kayaking, anything outdoors. I love to build rockets, watching movies, and building scale models. Plus, tennis and swimming when I have a chance.
Personal Quote
"Life is good."
Matt Colgan
Academic Department
Aerospace Engineering and Computer Science (double major)
B.S.
What are your future career plans?
After completing my last year at CU, I would like to continue on with graduate school at different school. After grad school, I hope to continue working on flight software for planetary spacecraft.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
I'm responsible for the design and implementation of the software that will run on SDC. The software is required to store information related to a dust hit (e.g. particle size, time of event, etc.), monitoring temperature and voltage levels, and communicating with the spacecraft (i.e. receiving commands and sending telemetry).
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
One night in high school I was watching a PBS special Dr. Zubrin and sending humans to Mars. I contacted Dr. Zubrin and convinced/pestered him into letting me intern at his company.
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
I picked up gliding (in a sailplane) last year when I studied abroad for a year in London, England (at Imperial College). In addition to realizing the importance of living (not just traveling for a week) in another country, I also realized the importance of landing on the runway (which I can now do).
Colin Mitchell
Academic Department
Physics
4th year Ph.D. student
Any Previous Degrees?
B.S. Colorado State University
What are your future career plans?
Survive.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
Student Scientist. I explain why we care.
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
No clue. Interested since childhood.
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
Sci-fi.
Personal Quote
"He who runs behind bus gets exhausted. He who runs in front of bus gets tired."
Cori Krauss
Academic Department
Astrophysics and Planetary Science
6th year Ph.D. student
Any Previous Degrees?
B.S. Montana State University
M.S. University of Colorado
What are your future career plans?
Education and Public Outreach coordinator working on a NASA project.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
Student Education/Public Outreach Lead
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
I've always enjoyed watching the night sky and trying to understand the world around me.
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
Skiing, ultimate frisbee, camping, horses, traveling.
Tinapan Chanthawanich
Academic Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering. M.S.
Any Previous Degrees?
B.S. Electrical Engineering
Chulalongkorn University 1998
Bangkok, THAILAND
What are your future career plans?
I want to continue being Electrical Engineer, building things to advance this world. I have so much fun doing this.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
I worked on Digital circuits and FPGA design. I fix the boards at their first power on. And I fix any problem that Software guys come to me.
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
I'd say because of my mom and dad. My mom is a doctor who works really hard. My dad is an engineer but he doesn't work that hard. So I think engineer is much easier. I got my my first circuit built when I was in 6th grade. It was a walkie-talkie (which, however, didn't work)
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
I love traveling to see the world from different angles. Recently, I'm in to outdoors: whitewater kayaking, rock climbing, mountainbiking, hiking, camping.
Personal Quote
"Live the day like it is your last day."
Vaughn Hoxie
Josh Christofferson
Academic Department
Astrophysics and Planetary Science
Recent graduate with B.S. in Astrophysics
What are your future career plans?
I plan on getting an M.S. in Education and then teaching Physics and Astronomy at a High School.
What are your responsibilities for SDC?
I designed this fabulous website. :)
How did you get interested in science/engineering?
I was introduced to astronomy in 4th Grade and have loved it ever since.
What are your interests outside of science/engineering?
Gaming, drawing, music, biking/hiking, and bonsai.