The barrier to entry in the aerospace industry has come down as innovation and technology advance rapidly. This session will discuss the role of "new aerospace" and how small and medium sized companies have impacted the industry. Hear from four alumni who work for interesting companies in the “Disruptors” arena and how their career experience has helped shape this new segment of the industry. Join us to learn about this exciting and evolving time in aerospace!
About the Speakers:
Jay Thomas (BS 2002), Director, Field Engineering at LDRA Technology
Jay Thomas is long time space enthusiast who had the privilege to write some key software for what was once an early stage startup called SpaceX. He has also written flight and ground software for a variety of spacecraft and satellites and currently works as a Director of Field Engineering for a company that produces software to verify flight software called LDRA Technology. I also attached a small head shot.
Jannis Töpfer (MS 2014), Head of Investments at Supernal
Jannis' team is responsible for scouting, evaluating and executing all investment opportunities with the goal of bringing the right technologies at the right time and the best costs to the Supernal missions. The Supernal investment team not only looks at vehicle specific technologies, but also the broader AAM ecosystem. Prior to leading the investment team, Jannis managed all partnerships related to the vehicle and its associated subsystems at Supernal and was in charge of its innovation activities.
Previously, he was a leader in McKinsey’s Aerospace & Defense practice, serving as an aerospace industry expert and touching over 100 different client engagements. In addition, he was part of the founding team of McKinsey’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Hub and in charge of all Urban Air Mobility (UAM) initiatives of the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility (MCFM).
Nihar Ghandi (BS 2012), GNC Technical Lead at Archer Aviation
Nihar Gandhi is the technical lead for Guidance, Navigation, and Controls for Prototype Aircraft at Archer Aviation where he is responsible for the development of flight control systems for autonomous eVTOL aircraft. Before joining Archer, he developed and flight-tested the control system for the novel Vahana tilt-wing eVTOL at A³. Prior to that, his Flight Controls experience ranged from building small autonomous drones at Airware, all the way up to some of the largest commercial aircraft in the world at Boeing. Nihar received his BS in Aerospace Engineering in 2012 from UIUC.
Courtney Leverenz (BS 2021), Product Safety Engineer at Virgin Galactic
Courtney Leverenz is a Product Safety and Mission Assurance Engineer at Virgin Galactic where she specializes in system safety and human factors. Serving in this role has allowed her to grow as a ‘Jack of all Trades’. Courtney graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering. While in school, she was an active member in the Illinois Space Society as well as the aerospace department at large. While at school, Courtney received recognition with her selection to the Knights of St Patrick. In her free time, Courtney likes to hike, ski, and build with LEGO.