Achira Boonrath is an Aerospace Engineering Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB). Achira received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from UB in 2022 and 2024, respectively. Since the summer of 2020, Achira has been doing research in the UB Space System Dynamics and Control Lab, supervised by Dr. Eleonora M. Botta. His primary research interest is the simulation and modeling of flexible space systems designed for active debris removal. Achira plans to work either as a university professor or industry research scientist.

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Derek Bourabah studied Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB), where he first obtained his Bachelor of Science and his Master of Science degrees in 2019 and 2021, respectively. He received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering in 2024. He is now part of the Blue Origin Lunar Permanence team.

Liam Field is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB). He holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. His main research interests are in the dynamics and control of tethered space systems. For his career, he plans to continue working in space vehicle dynamics and control in the private or public sector.

Haley Parker studied Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB), where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in 2023. Prior to this, she received a Bachelor of Science in Cinema Production at Ithaca College in 2017. She is now an Aerospace Engineer in the Space Mission Analysis Branch at NASA’s Langley Research Center.

Alexa Schultz  graduated with an Aerospace Engineering Bachelors  from the University at Buffalo (UB) in 2024. Alexa pursued research in the UB Space System Dynamics and Control Lab her junior year, and participated in the AIAA student conference in 2023. She was awarded 2nd place for her paper and presentation on “Comparison of Capture Quality Indices for Net Based Debris Capture of the Zenit-2 Rocket” that was published in 2024. Currently Alexa is working on Missiles and Fire Control for Lockheed Martin as a Maintainability Engineer Associate and looks forward to progressing her career into flight test engineering in the future.