Alumni Awards 2024

Patrick Binning (AeroEngr MS'94, PhD'97)

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:47:40 +0000

Patrick Binning (AeroEngr MS'94, PhD'97) Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/18/2024 - 10:47

Patrick Binning received his MS and PhD degrees from the Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder; he received his BS in aerospace engineering from the University of Cincinnati.

His graduate work, performed under the direction of Professor George Born through the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research, studied the use of measurements from spaceborne GPS receivers for precise absolute and relative (spacecraft to spacecraft) position and time estimation. He later continued to research and publish on this work while employed by the Naval Research Lab (NRL), culminating in a co-patent [#6085128] for the Orbit/Covariance Estimation And Analysis (OCEAN) determination for satellites.

Binning’s career began as a coop student in 1989 at the Naval Surface Warfare Center researching missiles for anti-satellite uses. After leaving Boulder, he spent eight years at NRL, then in 2002 became a program manager at the National Reconnaissance Office, where he researched new spaceborne applications of intelligence collection.

He was later responsible for program oversight of C4 space programs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon, and initiated and served as Program Manager of the Precision Tracking Space System for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

In 2016, Binning was named Mission Area Executive for National Security Space at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. He and his team have delivered a number of ground-breaking technical missions, including the Spacebased Kill Assessment program for the MDA and the Deep Space Advanced Radar Concept Technology Demonstration for the Space Force.

Binning also serves as the Program Chair of the Space Systems Engineering master’s program at the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering.

In 2020, Binning created the Cislunar Security Conference at APL, which brings subject matter experts from government, industry, and academia together to help the nation navigate this strategically critical new frontier. He also helped spearhead the September 2022 selection of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) by the Space Force to host its Professional Military Education (PME) program. For this initiative, Binning provides classified research opportunities to the Space Force, while his Space Systems Engineering program provides space-based STEM electives. Recently, his APL team was selected as the Technical Consortium lead for the Space Force National Space Test and Training Complex.

Binning’s entire career has been focused on national security through space effects, while finding ways to educate and train the next generation of space engineering leaders for our nation.

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Jen Uchida (AeroEngr BS'05, MS'05)

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:04:57 +0000

Jen Uchida (AeroEngr BS'05, MS'05) Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 03/13/2024 - 09:04

Jen Uchida graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2005 with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in aerospace engineering sciences. Following graduation, she accepted a position with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) as a civilian flight test engineer for the Marine Corps in Patuxent River, MD. There she supported the experimental flight testing of the V-22 Osprey, deploying several new and lifesaving capabilities to the fleet and logging over 100 flight hours of crew time.

Uchida is a graduate of the US Naval Test Pilot School, Class 140. In 2012, she applied to NASA’s astronaut program and was one of the top 50 candidates for selection in 2013.

Following her time with NAVAIR, she spent a winter in Big Sky, MT as a ski instructor before heading to Gulfstream Aerospace to help lead the experimental test efforts for FAA type certification on the new G500 and G600 programs. Uchida moved to Seattle in 2020 to be the Manager of Test and Evaluation at AeroTEC where she directed the work of Flight Test Engineers, Test Pilots, Flight Test Instrumentation Engineers and Software Engineers on various customer projects.

Uchida is now the Senior Test Program Manager for Product Development at Boeing Test and Evaluation. She is responsible for leading the planning and execution for all BCA Product Development test work statements for Lab and Flight Test.

Uchida is the founding president of the Coastal Empire chapter of the Society of Flight Test Engineers. She has also served as Vice President on its international board and in 2022 she was elected President. In addition to the volunteer work she does for SFTE, Uchida is also an executive mentor for the Brooke Owens Fellowship and serves on the External Advisory Board for CU Boulder's Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences.

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Dave Murrow (AeroEngr BS'84)

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 21:15:36 +0000

Dave Murrow (AeroEngr BS'84) Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/12/2024 - 15:15

Dave Murrow retired in 2023, capping a 36-year career serving the space exploration community. In retirement, he sits on NASA’s Planetary Science Advisory committee, works with the Colorado state economic development office, and has established a consulting business, Space Connections.

Murrow’s most recent professional role was as the leader of Lockheed Martin’s Deep Space Exploration Business Development team. He worked with executives, communicators, and program execution teams to develop a multi-mission, 7-year backlog in the DSE market segment. He served in similar roles for the Lockheed Martin Human Spaceflight Advanced Programs team and for the Ball Aerospace Space Science and Exploration team.

At Lockheed Martin, he worked towards an expansive vision of exploration by designing human missions to the Moon, Mars, and asteroids. At Ball, he expanded the company’s NASA footprint through pursuit of NASA science, technology, and human exploration missions.

Murrow joined industry after 13 years with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he began as an orbit determination analyst for the Galileo mission to Jupiter and served as the Cassini Mission Systems Engineer. Beckoned by Mars, he participated in the contract award, flight system development of the twin Mars '98 spacecraft. Adding the Stardust mission to Mars Climate Orbiter and Mars Polar lander, he managed the successful “3-peat” launch campaign between December 1998 and February 1999.

His JPL role followed aerospace engineering degrees at the University of Texas at Austin (MS ’87), and the University of Colorado Boulder (BS ’84, Honors). In Austin, he worked at the University’s Center for Space Research, supporting high precision Earth gravity field development for the Topex mission. In 2003, Murrow inaugurated a graduate semester class in Interplanetary Mission Design in CU Boulder Aerospace. Over the last decade, he has also lectured on Launch Vehicles for CU Boulder’s unique Space Minor program.

A native of Boulder, Colorado, Dave now lives in Highlands Ranch with his wife, and has two grown daughters. He spends his free time traveling, reading, skiing, and hiking in the mountains.

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Todd J. Mosher (AeroEngr MS'95, PhD'00)

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 21:19:31 +0000

Todd J. Mosher (AeroEngr MS'95, PhD'00) Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/11/2024 - 15:19

Todd J. Mosher is a Director at Blue Origin leading a team formulating tomorrow's space missions and systems.

Mosher has over 30 years of experience working in the aerospace industry and serving as a faculty member at three universities. He has directed the design of human spaceflight and robotic spacecraft projects providing technical authority and program management through the full product lifecycle. He is currently a Presidential Leadership Scholar.

Mosher has a PhD and MS in aerospace engineering sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder, an MS in systems engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and a BS in aerospace engineering from San Diego State University.

He has been a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics since 1987 and is serving his second consecutive term on the AIAA Board of Trustees.

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Ryan Slabaugh (AeroEngr BS'15, MS'15)

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 16:43:34 +0000

Ryan Slabaugh (AeroEngr BS'15, MS'15) Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 02/26/2024 - 09:43

Ryan Slabaugh spent his formative years growing up in Littleton, Colorado, where he graduated from Chatfield Senior High. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps directly out of high school, serving as a Naval Aircrew member during Operation Iraqi Freedom, accumulating over 400 direct combat support hours.

Post-military, Slabaugh pursued higher education, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder. He held multiple internships with Lockheed Martin Space before being hired as a software engineer post- graduation. He swiftly advanced to lead a diverse spacecraft flight software team, where he delivered dozens of qualified mission-critical software releases and supported the launch of multiple commercial and national security space vehicles.

Slabaugh's strategic acumen and leadership were instrumental in consolidating multiple flight software baselines into a unified solution. In parallel to working full-time, Slabaugh earned an MBA from Florida State University. He then transitioned to Program Management and led a $150 million software product development team for three years, where he was recognized multiple times as a thought leader with his ability to blend agile execution and program performance management.

After more than ten years with Lockheed Martin Space, in 2024 Slabaugh accepted a position as Executive Director of Software Engineering at The Boeing Company. There, he spearheads the development of next-generation modeling and simulation software products for commercial and defense sectors, overseeing 200 software engineers.

Outside of work, Slabaugh finds balance in his family life, being married to his wife Jenna, and raising two children, Everly and Liam. He attributes his success to a unique blend of military discipline, software engineering leadership, program management, and business acumen, which have empowered him to challenge norms and drive impactful change throughout his career.

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Derek Lerner (AeroEngr BS'04)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 16:34:59 +0000

Derek Lerner (AeroEngr BS'04) Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 02/21/2024 - 09:34

Derek Lerner's impact in aerospace engineering is underscored by his current role as the Senior Director of Enterprise Engineering within the Corporate Chief Technology Office (CTO) at Northrop Grumman Corporation. In this pivotal position, he holds ultimate responsibility for driving engineering and systems engineering capabilities, cultivating talent, and enhancing technical performance across the company.

Before assuming this leadership role, Lerner served as the Director of Systems Engineering Integration and Test (SEIT), overseeing the launch vehicles segment of the company. Here, he not only managed systems engineering and technical domains but also established processes, set strategic direction, and led a team of high-performing launch vehicle rocket systems engineers.

With nearly two decades of professional experience at Northrop Grumman, Orbital ATK, and Orbital Sciences, Lerner has occupied multiple senior engineering and program leadership roles. His academic foundation includes a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder and a master's in systems engineering from Arizona State University.

Lerner's professional passion lies in robust systems engineering, translating strategic plans into tangible outcomes, and ensuring mission success. Throughout his career, he has been supported by exceptional mentors, notably during his time leading the senior design project at the University of Colorado known as MaCH-SR1. He extends special acknowledgment to Dr. Jean Koster, Dr. Kurt Maute, Dr. Penny Axelrad, and Mr. Matt Rhode.

Lerner's successes are anchored in the unwavering love and support of his family. From his parents Linda and Steve to his sister Eve and his children Ariela, David, and Lois, Lerner acknowledges their crucial role in his journey. Above all, his wife Crystal stands as a pillar of strength, providing steadfast support that has been instrumental in his achievements.

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Chris Ellerhorst (AeroEngr BS'08)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 16:31:46 +0000

Chris Ellerhorst (AeroEngr BS'08) Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 02/21/2024 - 09:31

Chris Ellerhorst is the vice president of the Kuiper Program at United Launch Alliance (ULA). In this role, he leads a team responsible for integrating finance, technical and operations activities associated with Amazon's Project Kuiper launches.

Ellerhorst previously served as the director, Strategy, Business Development and Sales where he led the capture of more than $10.5B in new business orders. Additionally, he led ULA’s Strategic Advisory Group of senior industry experts, positioning ULA for profitable growth in the space launch market.

Ellerhorst joined ULA from Lockheed Martin Space where he spent 10 years in various positions, culminating in the Strategic Development and Advanced Programs organization supporting the development of the LM long-range strategic plan, leading new business ventures focused on creating new revenue streams, and supporting enterprise Merger and Acquisition portfolio activity.

Additionally, he was the competitive intelligence leader for LM’s Military Space and Civil Space lines of business and developed a strong understanding of the global launch market as a core member of the LM Strategic Business Review team on ULA. Ellerhorst began his career at LM as a systems engineer working on the NASA ORION and GPS III programs. He is a graduate of LM’s Leadership Development program.

Ellerhorst holds a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder and holds both a Masters of Systems Engineering and Masters of Business Administration from the University of Denver.

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Laura Stiles (AeroEngr MS'11, PhD'13)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 16:26:02 +0000

Laura Stiles (AeroEngr MS'11, PhD'13) Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 02/21/2024 - 09:26

Laura Stiles received a BS in Engineering Physics with a concentration in Aerospace Systems from the University of Kansas in 2008. She received an MS and PhD from the University of Colorado Boulder in Aerospace Engineering Sciences in 2011 and 2013, respectively, in the Astrodynamics and Satellite Navigation focus area.

Her dissertation topic was the investigation of electrostatic inflation for deployment of membrane space structures. While in school, Stiles participated in internships at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the Air Force Research Lab, Raytheon Aircraft, built detector hardware for nuclear physics experiments at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and was very active in the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space.

Stiles is currently an aerospace engineer at the private human spaceflight company Blue Origin near Seattle, WA. At Blue Origin, she has worked in mechanical systems design, integrated vehicle test, and launch operations. Her experience in the design realm includes technical and programmatic management of multiple vehicle subsystems on the Crew Capsule - including the capsule parachutes.

In 2018, she joined the senior management team for a newly created organization within Blue Origin: New Shepard Launch Operations. In this role, Stiles built a team from the ground up and led the design of the launch operation (crew, process, procedures) - moving from development & test through human flight certification in 2021.

She had filled multiple launch crew roles, including serving as a Flight Controller for more than a dozen launches. Stiles now holds the role of CrewMember 7 for the New Shepard program, responsible for astronaut training and crewed launch operations. CrewMember 7 represents Blue Origin to the customer astronauts, ensuring operational excellence in mission execution. Additionally, she leads several Technical Evaluation Committees for the Blue Origin Lunar Mission Operations team.

Outside of work, Sties has participated extensively in mentoring and coaching of university level and early career engineers, particularly focusing on supporting women in the field.

She is an avid adventurer and outdoor enthusiast in her free time - hiking, paddling, and competing in triathlons. Stiles is also a skydiving instructor, has competed at the National level, and holds 2 World Records in the large-formation disciple of skydiving.

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Jack Elston (ElCompEngr’03, MS’05, AeroEngr MS’07 PhD’11)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 16:21:17 +0000

Jack Elston (ElCompEngr’03, MS’05, AeroEngr MS’07 PhD’11) Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 02/21/2024 - 09:21

Jack Elston is the CEO and co-founder of Black Swift Technologies (BST). He received his PhD in aerospace engineering sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder based on work that developed a complex meshed network, uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), and control algorithms for in situ sampling of severe convective storms. That research team was the first ever to intercept a tornadic supercell thunderstorm with a UAS, flying over 72 different missions, with ground speeds of over 100 mph, and never losing an aircraft.

Elston also completed a postdoc at CU Boulder working on the development of an automated glider system able to stay aloft for several hours in severe convective storms using cutting edge soaring techniques. As part of this, he also orchestrated one of the first campaigns to study the effect of cooperative UAS operations on forecast models.

By founding BST, Elston has continued aiding studies in extreme environments; BST's aircraft have flown on all seven continents including operations in the arctic, for sampling erupting volcanoes, and surveying wildland fires. Most recently he has worked in remote parts of Alaska to provide critical volcano observations to the USGS, often in freezing conditions with winds exceeding what some crewed aircraft can safely operate in.

During the 2023 hurricane season, Elston flew on board the NOAA P3 hurricane hunter into the eye of multiple hurricanes to release and pilot an all weather tube-launched UAS. He continues to be involved with several cutting edge UAS projects including machine vision for low altitude flights and GPS-denied environments as well as a NASA project aimed to design an uncrewed glider that will explore the upper atmosphere of Venus.

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