NC Space Grant Announces New Graduate Research Fellows for the 2026-2027 Year
North Carolina Space Grant is proud to announce 16 graduate research fellows for 2026-2027. These students, representing six different universities, will conduct science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) research to benefit NASA Mission Directorates. Students’ projects will investigate STEM topics such as exoplanet discovery with machine learning, plant and microbial adaptation to spaceflight, and next-generation spacesuit technologies.
“We are excited to announce the latest cohort of Graduate Research Fellows for this award,” said Sandy Canfield, NC Space Grant assistant director. “Their work is leading to new discoveries and solutions that will benefit NASA, industry and humanity at-large.”
NASA focuses three research areas : human spaceflight, research and technology, and science. The work of NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellows supports these Mission Directorates.
Students’ research also aligns with the NC Space Grant Strategic Plan to ensure that NC students become trailblazers in diverse STEM-based research and careers.
Meet the 2026-2027 NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellows!
Sydney Jetton
UNC Chapel Hill
Major: Physics and Astronomy
Project: Tracing Binary Stellar Evolution Through the Chemical Composition of Hot Subdwarfs
Ana Lopez Murillo
UNC Chapel Hill
Major: Physics and Astronomy
Project: A Physics-Anchored AI Model for Predicting Starspot-Induced Variability
Nathan Pfeffer
Wake Forest University
Major: Biology
Project: Reactive Oxygen Species Signaling in Plant Gravitropism and Spaceflight Stress
Lea Jean-Francois
UNC Chapel Hill
Major: Toxicology
Project: Molecular Adaptation of a Synthetic Soil Microbial Consortium to Spaceflight
Simon Wu
North Carolina State University
Major: Physics and Astronomy
Project: The Circumgalactic Medium in 3D: Spatially Resolving Chemical Mixing and Turbulence with Gravitationally Lensed Galaxies
Sarah Teague
UNC Chapel Hill
Major: Physics and Astronomy
Project: Stellar Parameters to Characterize Disk-Star Alignment Through Time
Shennah Preble
North Carolina State University
Major: Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences
Project: Long-Term Analysis of PBL Height and Climate-Driven Atmospheric Variables
Alan Swavely
North Carolina State University
Major: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Project: Novel, Nature-inspired, Gravity-independent Condensing Heat Exchangers for Next-generation Spacesuits
Madyson Barber
UNC Chapel Hill
Major: Physics and Astronomy
Project: Discovering the Youngest Exoplanets with Machine Learning
Gilberto Feliu
UNC Charlotte
Major: Computer Engineering
Project: Autonomous Deorbit Safety Satellite for the ISS Commercial LEO Transition (PPO-Supervised Behaviors and ML Risk Telemetry)
William Bodnar
North Carolina State University
Major: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Project: Near-field Thermophotovoltaics for Extraterrestrial Surface Power Generation
Matthew Spong
North Carolina State University
Major: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Project: Characterizing the Influence of Propeller Slipstream on the Aerodynamic Performance of Blended Wing Bodies
Isabella Borrero
North Carolina State University
Major: Plant and Microbial Biology
Project: Plant Growth Promoting (PGP) Microbes for Space Farming Systems
Gretchen Schulke
Duke University
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Project: Frequency Domain Modeling of Combustion Dynamics for Aerospace Propulsion Applications
Nico Kinkade
Duke University
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Project: Preserving the Structure of Reduced-Order Models for Thermoacoustic Instabilities through Metriplectic Formulations
Benjamin Sykes
Appalachian State University
Major: Physics and Astronomy
Project: Developing a Multi-year Characterization of Regional Cloud Condensation Nuclei Formation in the Southeastern United States
NC Space Grant offers its congratulations to all of these students on their accomplishment.
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