Dr. Hassan A. Gandhi Distinguished Professor and Director of Aerospace Research Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, NC State University

Farhan Gandhi is the Dr. Hassan A. Hassan Distinguished Professor and Director of Aerospace Research in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NC State.  He obtained his PhD in Aerospace Engineering from U of Maryland’s Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center in 1995 and has had a long and distinguished academic career since (at Penn State 1995-2012, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 2012-2023, and NC State 2024-onward). Gandhi is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the Vertical Flight Society (formerly the American Helicopter Society).  He has chaired multiple major technical conferences and technical committees. He is one of the nation’s top experts on VTOL aircraft aeromechanics, advanced VTOL configurations (including multi-rotor eVTOL aircraft for Advanced Air Mobility applications), and his research has been funded by the US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, NASA, DARPA, NY State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Boeing Company, Sikorsky Helicopters, Bell Helicopters, Agusta Westland Helicopters (now Leonardo Helicopters), United Technologies Research Center (now Raytheon), the GE Company, and more.  Gandhi held a Joint Faculty Appointment with the US Army Research Lab, Vehicle Technology Directorate, from 2018-2021.

Over a 30-year academic career, Gandhi has published over 370 technical papers in journals and major conference proceedings, and has advised 31 PhD students to graduation.  On 12 occasions, Gandhi has been a plenary/keynote speaker at major technical conferences and has delivered prestigious named lectures such as the 2022 Royal Aeronautical Society’s Cierva Lecture in vertical lift, and the 2019 AIAA Adaptive Structures Lecture, among others.

Managing Engineer in Thermal Sciences, Exponent

Dr. Richard (Ricky) Hollenbach is a Senior Engineer in Thermal Sciences at Exponent, where he provides technical consulting involving thermal-fluid systems, aeroelasticity, aerodynamics, vibrations, fluid-structure interaction, and turbomachinery. He applies the fundamentals of mechanics, aerospace engineering, physics, and mathematical modeling to investigate performance and failures within thermal and fluid systems.

Dr. Hollenbach is active within the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME), the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. He was recognized as an ASME Early Career Leadership Intern Program to Serve Engineering (ECLIPSE) member as well as a Non-Destructive Testing RISE Leadership Development Program member in 2023. He has reviewed technical articles for Turbo Expo, Global Power and Propulsion Society, and the International Symposium on Unsteady Aerodynamics, Aeroacoustics, and Aeroelasticity of Turbomachines (ISHUAAAT).

Dr. Hollenbach earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering concentrating in Aerodynamics from Duke University, where he also earned his Master of Science (MS) degree in Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Hollenbach was a recipient of two NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellowships.

Director & CEO, Hands On! Children’s Museum
President, North Carolina Science Network

Joseph Knight is a lifelong learner, informal STEM educator, and nonprofit museum executive with 20 years of experience within children’s museums and science centers throughout North Carolina. Knight currently serves as the Director and CEO of Hands On! Children’s Museum, located in Hendersonville. He also serves as the President and Board Chair of the North Carolina Science Network, a state-wide collaborative of over fifty science museums, children’s museums, nature centers, planetariums, and other STEM allied organizations located from the mountains to the coast—serving all 100 North Carolina Counties.

Over the years Knight has served in a variety of leadership and STEM engagement roles at KidSenses Children’s Museum, the Rocky Mount Children’s Museum and Science Center, and the Imagination Station Science Museum in his hometown of Wilson. He is also affiliated with a variety of STEM organizations including Association of Children’s Museums, Association of Science and Technology Centers, Lawrence Hall of Science, NASA Museum Alliance, National Institute for Museum and Library Services, and the Smithsonian Science Research Institute.

Knight is committed to providing quality informal STEM learning opportunities to audiences of all ages and abilities. In 2020, Knight was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Humanitarianism for his efforts to provide world-class informal STEM learning experiences to underserved populations within museum environments throughout North Carolina.

Senior Chief Engineer for Spacecraft Systems, Sierra Space

Jeff Mobley is the Sr. Chief Engineer for Spacecraft Systems at Sierra Space where he provides technical oversight on strategy, proposals, design execution, milestone reviews, and failure resolution. He has 31 years of experience related to design, development, fabrication and testing of electro-mechanical systems, including 26 years in the Space industry. He received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University and in 2021 was inducted into the NCSU Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Hall of Fame. He has previously served on the technical advisory board of the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) Aerospace Gearing Committee as a Space Industry gearing expert.His projects have included mechanisms in support of space programs such as Mars Perseverance Rover, Mars Curiosity Rover, Global Precipitation Measurement, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Solar Dynamics Observatory, Mars Phoenix Lander, the Sierra Space Dream Chaser™ spaceplane, and multiple Defense satellites. These custom designed products perform functions such as antenna pointing, solar array positioning, robotic arm articulation, flight surface control, wing folding, camera pointing, and descent braking. Jeff has authored and presented multiple technical papers for the Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium. He is a co-author on U.S. Patent, #6667564 “Mechanically-Commutated DC Motor”.

Senior Technical Writer, KBR

Michael Rice was born and raised here in North Carolina. He has worked in satellite mission operations for over 20 years. Michael received his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and later earned a M.S. degree in Technology Systems from East Carolina University. He began his career as a Space Systems officer in the U.S. Air Force, working with the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska. After a four-year stint in the military, he became a contractor at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, MD.

Michael has worked with a myriad of different unmanned space programs, including the Relay Mirror Experiment (RME), NASA Small Explorers Program (SMEX), Hubble Space Telescope (HST), Landsat-7, and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), to name a few. He has worked in all phases of the spacecraft mission lifecycle, from pre-launch requirements development, integration and test (I&T), Launch and Early Orbit (LEO), and normal mission operations. Currently, Michael works as a contractor for KBR in their Science & Space Business Development unit, as a senior technical writer.

Aerospace Structural Engineer, Collier Aerospace

Olivia Scott is an Aerospace Structural Engineer for Collier Aerospace. She earned her B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from North Carolina State University and received a NC Space Grant sponsored internship during her collegiate career. Olivia joined the company in 2022 as a NC Space Grant career intern, where she began her structural engineering career focusing on traditional analytical structural analysis and working with the commercial space and military aviation industries. Following the internship, she transitioned into a full-time position in 2023, further deepening her expertise in evaluating and optimizing aerospace structures. With a deep understanding of the industry’s technical challenges and practical applications, Olivia brings valuable insight to projects requiring rigorous evaluation of structural integrity and performance.

Director of STEM Education, Pitt County Schools District

Originating from Eastern North Carolina, Jennifer Stalls has cultivated a career underscored by a steadfast commitment to education and an unwavering passion for science. A graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Jennifer emerged with a profound appreciation for the transformative impact of education. Subsequently, she pursued her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Middle Grades Education at East Carolina University, where her academic trajectory was further enriched by her participation in the North Carolina Space Grant RESTEP to STEM pre-service teacher scholarship where she studied the relationship between science and language.

Serving as a middle school science educator in Pitt and Greene counties, she fostered a profound love for science among her students. In 2015-2016, she was selected for a Kenan Fellowship where she focused on pioneering citizen science initiatives, showcasing a commitment to innovative educational methodologies. Jennifer attained a Doctorate in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, enhancing her knowledge in curriculum development and pedagogical strategies.

STEM Education Expert, RTI International
Consortium Chair, Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC)

Dr. Rebecca Stanley is a STEM education expert at RTI International and serves as consortium chair for the Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC), a cooperative agreement funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. In this role, she leads a network of more than 20 partners focused on strengthening STEM programming, expanding opportunities for learners, and building the nation’s future STEM workforce.

Dr. Stanley’s work spans the design of targeted STEM content; implementation of schoolwide STEM practices; development of cross-sector partnerships; and strategic planning that positions STEM as a lever for school improvement. Drawing on experience as a practitioner, coach, and designer, she supports schools, districts, states, nonprofit organizations, and federal partners to scale high-quality, inquiry-based learning.

Before joining RTI, Dr. Stanley coached new teachers, designed professional learning for STEM-focused schools and Early College High Schools, and taught science across multiple grade levels. She also has experience in curriculum development and work-based learning, and has partnered with educators nationwide to advance equitable access to engaging, rigorous STEM education. Dr. Stanley holds a Ph.D. in Science Education from North Carolina State University, a M.S. in Science Education from East Carolina University, and a B.S. in Biology from UNC Wilmington.

Ph.D. Candidate, Perera Lab at North Carolina State University

Aurora’s dissertation research focuses on plant adaptation to spaceflight.  In support of this research, she received two NC Space Grant fellowships for projects focused on plant response to simulated microgravity and the effects of spaceflight-isolated microbes on plant growth.  As part of her PhD, she has gained several years experience as a teaching assistant for general botany and plant molecular biology lab classes.  Previously, Aurora received a BS in Biology with a focus on Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a MS in Entomology from the University of Tennessee.  Her MS research focused on the community ecology of urban ants and the nesting behavior of the pest ant species Tapinoma sessile. Prior to returning to grad school for her PhD, she worked for a couple years on an organic farm and several more as a research associate in an agricultural entomology lab.  In the latter role, she supported research on pests and beneficial insects associated with North Carolina specialty crops.  

Aurora is an avid supporter of science communication and outreach.  She blogs about entomology and gardening at The Biologists Garden and space biology at Sprouts in Space. She coordinates outreach events for the North Carolina Entomological Society, the Orange County Radio Amateurs, and the NCSU Biology Maker Group.  Her volunteer work as a middle school First Lego League coach is what originally inspired her to pursue space biology.  Upon graduating, she hopes to find work where she can do meaningful research related to plants and microbes, continue formal or informal science teaching, and remain engaged with the space biology community.