People

Andy Eskenazi (he/him)
Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment
​Contact: andyeske@mit.edu

Hi! I’m Andy, a self-proclaimed avgeek. I was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and completed my undergraduate and masters degrees at the University of Pennsylvania, after which I worked for a brief period of time in the semiconductors industry in Texas. Outside of plane spotting and researching the airline industry, I enjoy playing tennis and squash, biking long distances, and playing my beloved euphonium and piano!

Anna Wadhwa (she/her)
Aerospace Physiology Lab
​Contact: wadhwa@mit.edu

3rd year MD-PhD student in the Harvard/MIT program, researching human health in space using brain organoids and a spaceflight-analog platform.

Chloé Gentgen (she/her)
Engineering Systems Laboratory
​Contact: cgentgen@mit.edu

Chloe Gentgen is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT and a Research Assistant in the Engineering Systems Lab with Prof. Olivier de Weck. Her research focuses on space systems engineering, mission architecture, and multi-disciplinary optimization applied to deep-space robotic exploration. Chloe interned at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and received a B.S. and M.S. in Engineering from Ecole Centrale Paris in France and an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from MIT.

Mollie Johnson (she/her)
Engineering Systems Lab
Contact: mojohn23@mit.edu

Mollie Johnson is an SM candidate in the Strategic Engineering Research Group within the Engineering Systems Laboratory, researching under Dr. Olivier de Weck. She obtained her BS in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2023. Her experience with spacecraft operations has taken her from the Moon to Mars, where she did engineering operations for the Lunar Flashlight and science operations for the Curiosity rover. As a graduate student at MIT, she now focuses on space systems engineering and the development and applications of augmented/virtual reality for uses in aerospace education.

Mich Lin (they/them)
Human Systems Lab
​Contact: shuyulin@mit.edu

Hi everyone! I’m a 4th year PhD student in the Human Systems Lab and Engineering Systems Lab. My research is in space architecture and how leverage design to support behavioral health in extreme environments. I spend my time outside of research snowboarding, knitting, and making ceramics. I served as the Diversity & Outreach chair in GA^3 in ‘22-’23, and am involved with GWAE and Quasar in the department. Talk to me about: work/life balance, interdisciplinary research across labs/departments/schools, funding (NSF, NSTGRO), and experiences as a gender minority in the dept.

Ciarra Ortiz (she/her)
Aerospace Physiology Lab
​Contact: ciarra@mit.edu

Ciarra Ortiz is current graduate student in the MIT AeroAstro department with a focus in Human-System Collaboration. She received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2023. Her prior research experience includes human performance optimization, physiological signals, control systems, and wearable device evaluation. Currently, Ciarra is focused on developing countermeasures and hardware to aid physiological changes during long duration space missions.

Daniel Gochenaur (he/him)
Engineering Systems Lab (ESL)
Contact: dgochena@mit.edu

Daniel is a 3rd year PhD student in the Engineering Systems Lab. Daniel’s research focuses on the multidisciplinary analysis and design of aeroassist vehicles, or space systems that use atmospheric forces for maneuvering on-orbit. Before MIT, Daniel completed an MPhil in supersonic aerodynamics at the University of Cambridge, and a BS in Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University.

Ireland Brown (she/her)
Engineering Systems Lab
Contact: imbrown@mit.edu

Ireland Brown just finished her masters of aeronautics and astronautics here at MIT February 2025 and enjoyed it so much, she is continuing as a PhD student in Space Systems. Prior to MIT, Ireland got her bachelors in aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Florida. Ireland grew up in Orlando, FL, but has enjoyed experiencing the seasons in Cambridge. She enjoys exploring the city, traveling, and is in the MIT dance troupe, and is excited to meet the new students, and share her experiences with them!

Emma Shafer (she/her)
Space Telecommunications, Astronomy and Radiation Laboratory (STARLab)
Contact: shaferem@mit.edu

Emma Shafer is a second-year master’s student at the Space Telecommunications, Astronomy, and Radiation (STAR) lab under Professor Kerri Cahoy, focusing on spacecraft thermal engineering. She is currently a teaching assistant for a graduate class that focuses on aerospace sensors and instrumentation, and she is involved in student groups such as Disabled@MIT, the AeroAstro departmental Resources for Easing Friction and Stress (dREFS), and the Video Game Orchestra. In her free time, she likes playing in music ensembles, playing video games, and exploring the area. She is originally from Florida, and she obtained her B.S. in aerospace engineering and minor in music from the University of Central Florida.

Mina Cezairli (she/her)
International Center for Transportation (ICAT)
Contact: cezairli@mit.edu

Mina is a master’s student advised by Professor Hansman. Her projects focus on evaluating the noise impacts of flight procedures and assessing operational fuel efficiency in the global air transportation network. Prior to MIT, Mina studied Mechanical Engineering at Yale University and worked as an economic consulting analyst for two years. She is interested in human systems and the intersection of aviation and data science. Mina has a private pilot’s license and enjoys flying, running, and reading in her free time.

Shreya Sharma (she/her)
Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment (LAE)
Contact: shreya22@mit.edu

Shreya is a third year PhD student in the Lab for Aviation and the Environment. Her research looks at improving tools for assessing policies which reduce the environmental impacts of the aviation sector. She is an international student and has previously served on the executive board of GWAE. Shreya is happy to talk about all aspects of the graduate school experience, including living on campus and changing advisors.

Aneesa Sonawalla (she/her)
Aerospace Controls Lab (ACL)
Contact: aneesa@mit.edu


Aneesa is a second-year graduate student in the Aerospace Controls Lab with Professor Jonathan How. Her research interests centers on factor graph optimization for multi-agent SLAM on small mobile robots. Prior to starting at MIT, Aneesa worked at the neighboring Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, where she developed alternative inertial navigation systems for GPS-denied environments, such as vision-aided and gravity-aided solutions. Aneesa received her B.A. in Physics from the University of Chicago (’16) and her M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech (’18). Other than research, she is happy to talk about life in Cambridge outside of MIT, returning to grad school after industry, powerlifting, and a totally objective ranking of all the coffee shops in Camberville.

Nathanael Jenkins
Aerospace Plasma Group
Contact: naj20@mit.edu

Nathanael is a 1st year AeroAstro PhD student from Imperial College London, where he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. With the help of supercomputers in the UK and the USA, he is developing a computational model for the ’swept stroke’ phase of aircraft lightning strikes. A modelling and simulation aficionado, he has previously worked for MBDA Missile Systems and conducted research in high-performance heterogeneous computing at Imperial College. In his spare time, he has broken UK rocketry altitude records with ICL Rocketry’s Altitude Record Team and now enjoys exploring New England with the MIT Outing Club.

Niya Hope-Glenn (she/her)
Aerospace Plasma Group
Contact: niya@mit.edu

Niya is a first year Masters student studying Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT. She received her Bachelor of Science from Howard University in Chemical Engineering and has research experience in electrochemistry, space mission engineering, and co-crystallization. She’s intrigued with learning more about quantum chemistry, plasma physics, and building on her knowledge of power systems for spacecraft. As a member of the Aerospace Plasma Group, her research focuses on plasma-assisted CO2 conversion for Mars ISRU efforts. In her free time, Niya enjoys reading, taking nature walks, and playing with her dog, Bella!

Noah McAllister (he/him)
ACSEL
Contact: nmmcall@mit.edu

Noah McAllister is a first-year AeroAstro grad student, with current research focusing on aerodynamic shape optimization with output-based mesh adaptation. He received his undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from Rutgers University, where he researched thin-film coatings manufactured by self-limiting electrospray deposition; he conducted his undergraduate honors thesis on aeroelastic design optimization of a flying wing with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). Noah has interned at Lockheed Martin Space on the NASA Dragonfly mission, and at AFRL.

Patrick Riley (he/him)
Human Systems Lab
Nuclear Reactor Lab
Contact: pdriley@mit.edu

Patrick is a first year masters student with a bachelors in mechanical engineering and is currently the co-president of the Graduate Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Patrick is a US Naval officer who spent 4 years on the submarine USS Jefferson City, home ported in Agana, Guam, before showing up to MIT. Patrick’s research at MIT involves testing reactor core materials for nuclear thermal rocket propulsion applications in the presence of extreme temperature hydrogen and a neutron flux. In his free time, he enjoys running, sailing, skiing, and exploring Boston.

Timothy Cavesmith (he/him)
Aerospace Controls Lab
Contact: timsmith@mit.edu

Timothy Cavesmith is a first-year master’s student and graduate researcher in the Aerospace Controls Lab (ACL) with Professor Jonathan How. He is funded by the NSF GRFP fellowship and is also a Draper Scholar. His research focuses on highly constrained trajectory generation for spacecraft descent and landing, collaborating with the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory to enable hazard detection and avoidance capabilities for future missions.

An Air Force Officer and graduate of the United States Air Force Academy with a B.S. in Astronautical Engineering, he is also a former intern at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Beyond research, he enjoys hiking, long-distance running, and lifting weights. He is happy to answer any questions about work/life balance, research, fellowships, or anything else!

Samir Wadhwania (he/him)
Interactive Robotics Group
Contact: samirw@mit.edu

Samir Wadhwania is a 4th year graduate student in the Interactive Robotics Group advised by Professor Julie Shah. His research focuses on human-machine teaming, explainable AI, and multiagent coordination in robotic domains. Outside of MIT, Samir enjoys SCUBA diving, yoga, and reading at the coziest coffee shop you can find.