Alumni News

The Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences has honored nine alumni for outstanding contributions to industry, for technical achievement, and public service. The 2024 AeroBuffs Club Alumni Academy inductees were recognized during a...

The Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences is honoring nine alumni for outstanding contributions to industry, for technical achievement, and public service. The 2024 AeroBuffs Club Alumni Academy inductees are being recognized for work in business, civil, and military aerospace spheres. “Smead Aerospace has outstanding graduates serving...

Michael J. Frazier (AeroEngr MS’11, PhD’15) discovered the dream engineering job he never knew he was looking for: university professor. In high school, as an undergraduate, and even as a master’s student, Frazier was sure an industry job was in his future, but a drive for more knowledge and research sent him down a different path...

The Front Range is a recognized hub for startups and technology firms; earlier this year, the CU system was honored as fifth in the nation for startup creation. With the state’s major aerospace presence, it is no surprise that many startups are aerospace-oriented. “From our experiences doing research at...

Ishaan Patel (MAeroEngr’18) is an CU Boulder aerospace alumnus with an entrepreneurial passion for space. He is co-founder and chief technolog officer of In Orbit Aerospace, which is developing uncrewed reentry vehicles and orbital utility stations to enable lower-cost in-space manufacturing and research infrastructure.

Jack Elston (left) and Maciej Stachura in Costa Rica with their S2 UAS sampling Turrialba Volcano. Jack Elston (ElCompEngr’03, MS’05, AeroEngr MS’07 PhD’11) had a hunger for better uncrewed aerial systems that he has turned into a successful business. With fellow CU Boulder alumnus Maciej Stachura (AeroEngr PhD'13), they founded...

Bradley Cheetham with a model of the successful CAPSTONE satellite. Bradley Cheetham (MAeroEngr’11) and Dr. Jeff Parker (MAeroEngr’03, PhD’07) saw potential for sustainable exploration of space that they've turned into a booming startup company. From humble beginnings in Cheetham's loft, Advanced Space today has NASA contracts and a workforce of...

Sailing across space, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is preparing for its most important challenge and a University of Colorado Boulder graduate has a major role in ensuring the mission’s success. Mike Moreau (AeroEngr MS’97, PhD’01) is NASA’s Goddard’s sample recovery manager for the mission that has...

Ashley Williams is advancing a lifelong passion for aerospace and making backcountry excursions safer through new iPhone technology. Williams, a 2006 CU Boulder graduate with dual degrees in aerospace engineering sciences and applied math, is a leader on the modeling and...

Mike Lee (AeroEngr’87) is helping guide the national transformation from exclusively government to commercial space launches up to the International Space Station. As deputy manager of the Mission Management and Integration Office for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, he oversees mission operation planning and execution for launches of astronauts and cargo...