About
I am a PhD student in Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT, advised by Prof. Daniel Varon. My research focuses on using hyperspectral satellite imagery to monitor and quantify greenhouse gas plume emissions. Currently, I'm developing high-resolution NOx plume retrievals for global quantification of power plant emissions using Earth-observing satellites.
I received my M.S. and B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Caltech. During my B.S., I focused on autonomous robotics with a minor in Astrophysics. During my M.S., my coursework focused on biodevices while conducting research on the Lunar Traiblazer SmallSat mission under Prof. Bethany Ehlmann. Throughout my time at Caltech, I was involved in teaching and mentoring students in 15 courses spanning robotics, systems engineering, and applied math, and computational neuroscience.
I am broadly interested in computational imaging, satellite remote sensing, and the intersection of machine learning and Earth/planetary observation.
Education
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PhD, Aeronautics & Astronautics
Massachusetts Institute of Technology · GPA 5.0/5.0
Sept. 2025 – Expected June 2029 -
M.S., Electrical Engineering
California Institute of Technology · GPA 4.1/4.0
June 2025 -
B.S., Electrical Engineering (minor: Astrophysics)
California Institute of Technology · GPA 3.7/4.0
June 2024
Research Interests
Research
NOx Plume Imaging from Hyperspectral Satellites
MIT Aeronautics & Astronautics · Advisor: Prof. Daniel Varon
Developing high-resolution NOx plume imaging methods to quantify power plant emissions using observation data from hyperspectral Earth-monitoring satellites. Bridging remote sensing signal processing with atmospheric science to enable fine-scale emissions monitoring.
Lunar Trailblazer Image Co-Registration
Caltech · Advisor: Prof. Bethany Ehlmann
Developed algorithms to co-register thermal and reflectance images from the Lunar Trailblazer satellite, pinpointing instrument footprints on the lunar surface. The software reduces positional uncertainty by over three orders of magnitude, enabling high-fidelity lunar surface mapping. A paper on the co-registration pipeline (IMPPAIL) is published in Earth and Space Science (2026), alongside open-source code on Zenodo and supporting data on CaltechDATA.
Bio-sensing Prosthetic Hand Development
Caltech · Advisor: Prof. Changhuei Yang
Designed and fabricated a custom prosthetic hand capable of being controlled via EMG (muscle) or EEG (brain) signals. The hand features 7 degrees of freedom, with custom electronics enabling precise motor control given noisy biosignals. The project involved mechanical design, embedded systems development, and the implementation of machine learning signal decoding algorithms. Work was completed in a team of three students for Caltech's Medical Engineering capstone course and was presented at OpenSauce 2025.
CRATER — Caltech Rover Autonomy
Caltech · University Rover Challenge & Canadian International Rover Competition
Co-founded and led the software and science teams for Caltech’s competition rover team, engaging over 50 students. Software projects included image segmentation, terrain elevation map generation, closed-loop driving controls, and robotic arm control. The science team worked on identifying biosignatures in rock samples via computational imaging and biological testing. Secured over $35,000 in funding to compete in the Canadian International Rover Competition twice.
PILLARS — NASA BIG Idea Challenge
Caltech · NASA Artemis Program
One of six national finalists awarded $150,000 by NASA to develop plume-deployed inflatable shielding for lunar launches and landings (regolith mitigation for the Artemis program). Managed all funding and logistics for a student lab space supporting over 50 participants. Work presented at the BIG Idea Forum, LSIC Fall Meeting, and AIAA ASCEND.
Quadrupedal Motion Planning
Caltech Autonomous Robotics & Control Lab · Advisor: Prof. Soon-Jo Chung
Designed motion planning algorithms for a quadrupedal robotic system as senior thesis research. Focused on real-time trajectory generation and control under terrain uncertainty.
Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Image Annotation
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory · Software Development & Research Intern
Developed annotation software for Perseverance rover imagery alongside a machine learning model to automate geological feature classification and identification, supporting the science team’s analysis of the Martian surface.
CT Reconstruction Artifact Correction
VJ Technologies · R&D Intern
Corrected attenuation artifacts and density anomalies in CT reconstructions of large industrial objects. Developed an algorithm using the Fraunhofer CT engine for reconstructing time-domain (4D) CT scans as videos.
Publications
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“Post-Acquisition Image-Based Localization for High Resolution Thermal and Visible/Shortwave Infrared Images with Application to the Lunar Trailblazer Mission”
Earth and Space Science, 13, e2025EA004594, 2026 · doi: 10.1029/2025EA004594 Accepted; DOI not yet active
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“The Lunar Trailblazer Mission: Science Motivation and Implementation of a Pioneering Small Satellite for Lunar Water and Lunar Geology in the NASA SIMPLEx Program”
Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 2025 · doi: 10.1029/2025JE009300 Accepted; DOI not yet active
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“Image Localization: Code for the Iterative Matching Pipeline for Post-Acquisition Image Localization (IMPPAIL)”
LTB-Code/Image-Localization, GitHub / Zenodo, 2026 · doi: 10.5281/zenodo.18636928
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“Supporting Data for Post-Acquisition Image-Based Localization with Application to the Lunar Trailblazer Mission”
CaltechDATA, 2026 · doi: 10.22002/ad4b0-9cp74
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“PILLARS: Plume-Deployed Inflatable for Launch and Landing Technologies”
AIAA SciTech Forum, AIAA Paper 2025-4126, 2025 · doi: 10.2514/6.2025-4126
Teaching
Recipient of the Caltech ASCIT Teaching Award (2024), given to two undergraduate TAs annually for exemplary teaching as nominated by students.
CS 12: Introduction to Prototyping
Winter 2024Designed and taught a course providing 50+ undergraduates with foundational prototyping experience, coordinating with contacts at Caltech, JPL, and industry for design reviews.
ME/CS/EE 129: Experimental Robotics
Spring 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Worked with Prof. Günter Niemeyer to design this graduate-level robotics course and served as TA all four years it has been offered, supporting over 150 students. Received the ASCIT Teaching Award for this course.
ME 8: Introduction to Robotics
Fall 2022, 2023, 2024Co-designed a course with Prof. Günter Niemeyer for incoming first-year students exploring robotics through mechanical, software, and systems engineering. Over 200 students served since creation.
ME/CS/EE 133b: Robotics
Winter 2023, 2025Instructed the foundational robotics class, grading sets and quizzes and mentoring final projects for 40+ students.
CNS/Bi/EE/CS/NB 186: Vision: From Computational Theory to Neuronal Mechanisms
Winter 2024Served as the first-ever undergraduate TA for this graduate-level neuroscience course (20 students), writing and grading all assignments and managing logistics.
ACM 95a/100a: Introductory Methods of Applied Mathematics
Winter 2025Instructional and grading TA for applied mathematics (complex analysis, differential equations); core requirement serving 200 students per year.
ACM/IDS 104: Applied Linear Algebra
Fall 2024Instructional and grading TA covering proofs, applications, and MATLAB coding for 150+ students.
CS/EE/ME 75a: Multidisciplinary Systems Engineering
Fall 2023Co-designed a new capstone course in systems engineering in the context of lunar exploration and robotics, supporting 30+ students.
Honors & Awards
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2025Caltech New Horizons Award
One of three student recipients recognized for sustained science outreach to several hundred local K–12 students and for expanding student communication opportunities at Caltech.
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2025Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) Affiliate
One of six graduate students at Caltech appointed to the 2025 KISS affiliate cohort.
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2024ASCIT Teaching Award
One of two undergraduates awarded for exemplary teaching in the 2023–24 academic year, as nominated by students.
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2024NASA BIG Idea Challenge Finalist — $150,000
Led one of six teams nationwide to receive NASA funding for developing lunar regolith shielding infrastructure for the Artemis program.
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2023Caltech Innovation in Education Fund — $20,000
Awarded a grant to support instruction in systems engineering at Caltech.
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2023Caltech George W. Housner Fund — Boardmember
One of two undergraduates on a faculty committee funding undergraduate academic ventures totaling $200,000 per year.