Frederick Elder

• BS, MS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering
• Experience:
  • Adjunct Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Mechanics
  • Registered Professional Engineer in Wisconsin and Kansas
  • Expert witness in several courts, including Dane County Circuit Court and Federal District Court in Madison, Wisconsin
  • President Frederick T. Elder & Associates

Richard S. Pappa

• Education: B.S. (1972), M.S. Mechanical Engineering Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN.
• Mentor for Aaron Olson from Sept 7-Dec 17, 2010.
• Has worked at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) in Hampton, VA for 32 years (28 yrs in the Structural Dynamics Branch/Research Directorate and 4 yrs in the Structural and Thermal Systems Branch/Engineering Directorate).
• Leader of LaRC’s multi-disciplinary Expandable Structures Team.
• Technical interests: Ultra-lightweight and inflatable space structures, structural analysis, loads & dynamics, advanced concepts for space structures.

Fred Best

• Education: BS Engineering Physics (Mechanics) 1978, UW-Madison
• Experience:
  • Technical Director at UW-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center
  • Lead Mechanical Engineering of the Hubble Space Telescope High Speed Photometer and the Diffuse X-ray Spectrometer (STS-54)
  • Instrument developments include: Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer, High-resolution Interferometer Sounder, Scanning HIS, Geostationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer
  • Co-Investigator under a NASA Instrument Incubator Program grant for an upcoming climate benchmark mission called CLARRO

Randy Iliff

• Education:
  • B.S. Engineering / Industrial Design, Michigan State University
  • M.S. Systems Management, Research and Development, University of Southern California
  • Honorary Fellow appointment, UW-Madison Antarctic Astronomy and Astrophysics Research institute
  Experience:
  • McDonnell Douglas Advanced Design Group - hypersonic aircraft and missile systems
  • Helped clients such as Motorola, Honeywell, Qualcomm, and many others to plan, establish, refine, and confidently execute products ranging from single product subsystems to entire product families

Tim Feyereisen

• Education:
  • B.S., Engineering Mechanics (2010)
  • M.S., Engineering Mechanics (May 2011)
• Four year varsity swim team athlete
• Interests: Reading, Politics
• Research: Hibernating Turbulence in Polymer Solutions

Max Salick

• Major:
  • B.S., Engineering Mechanics and Astronautics (2008)
  • M.S., Engineering Mechanics (2010)
  • Ph.D., Materials Science (2013)
• Experience:
  • Several semesters as teaching assistant of engineering design courses
  • Conducting research on bio-mimetic hydrogel materials for regenerative medicine
  • Advisor of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society
  • Leader of Engineers Without Borders – Haiti Irrigation Canal project
  • Guitarist/vocalist of local progressive rock band
• Interests: engineering, teaching, research, live music performance, reading, volunteering, dogs

Ariel Arnson

• Major: Textile and Apparel Design
• Hometown: Delafield, WI
• Interests: Clothes, Shopping, Walking in the woods
• Future: Hopes to open a boutique

Marcus Fritz

• Major: Engineering Mechanics-Astronautics (May 2011)
• Hometown: Rhinelander, WI
• Why I’m Doing X-Hab: I find the field of space development fascinating and would like to be as involved as I can.
• Interests: Swimming, Snowboarding, Tennis, Movies

Michael Lucas

• Major: Engineering Mechanics-Astronautics (May 2011)
• Experience:
  • NASA’s 2010 Microgravity University
  • WSGC High Altitude Instrument Development Program
• Interests:
  • Focuses in thermal and structural analysis
  • Joined Badger X-Loft project to augment real design experience
• Future: Aspirations for Engineering position in Aerospace Corporation or NASA’s JPL facility

Sam Marron

• Major: Engineering Mechanics-Astronautics (December 2010)
• Hometown: Saint Paul, MN
• Future: Graduate Degree in Aerospace Engineering
• Interests: billiards, motorcycles, and soccer

Julie Mason

• Major: Engineering Mechanics-Astronautics / French (May 2012)
• Experience: NASA internship
• Passion: Becoming an Astronaut, Space Advocacy
• Future: Aerospace Engineering, Graduate School

Aaron Olson

• Major: Mechanical Engineering, International Engineering
• Hometown: Madison, WI (Born in Kikwit, DRC)
• Experience: NASA Academy, NASA LARSS Internships, ISAE (French Aerospace Institute)
• Interests: Space Exploration, Entrepreneurship, Sports, Philanthropy
• Future: Graduate School, Work with NASA and the International Space Industry

Nicole Roth

• Major: Finance, Investment and Banking / Economics (May 2011)
• Hometown: Plymouth, MN
• Future: Plans to work in the financial industry after graduation
• Interests: the stock market, rugby, traveling

Peter Sweeney

• Major: Engineering Mechanics-Astronautics (May 2012)
• Hometown: Oshkosh, WI
• Interests: going to his cabin in Eagle River, WI, traveling, and boating
• Future: Plans to work in the space industry after graduation

Jordan Wachs

• Major: Engineering Mechanics-Astronautics / Physics
• Hometown: Eau Claire, WI
• Future: Graduate Studies
• Interests: climbing, hiking, traveling

Steven Wisser

• Major: Engineering Mechanics - Astronautics, Certificate in Business (May 2011)
• Hometown: Bloomington, MN
• Future: Work in Automotive or Aerospace Industry
• Interests: Computer-aided design techniques, new product design

Nathan Wong

• Major: Engineering Mechanics-Astronautics (May 2011)
• Hometown: La Crosse, WI
• Nathan has worked three terms in the space industry and it has become his passion. The Badger X-Loft Project is a perfect culmination to his undergraduate degree.

Will Yu

• Major: Engineering Mechanics-Astronautics (December 2010)
• Hobbies: Frisbee, Soccer, Skydiving
• Future: Aerospace Engineering Graduate School

Anna Turner