People
Group Director
Morad Nazari
Morad Nazari is an Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering at University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). He received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from New Mexico State University, following the completion of his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering at Amirkabir University of Technology. Between 2014-2017, he was a postdoctoral researcher at University of Arizona. Prior to joining UNR, he was with the faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona campus.
Graduate Students
Marco Fagetti
Marco Fagetti started his MS-PhD education in January 2022. His research areas include spacecraft guidance, navigation and control, astrodynamics, and rigid-body coupled dynamics.
Herman Gunter V
Herman Gunter V started his MS-PhD education in January 2024. His research areas include rigid body parameter estimation, cislunar astrodynamics, and rigid body coupled dynamics.
Aiden Baker
Joined the research group as a graduate student in August 2026.
Alumni
Brennan McCann (PhD)
2019–2023 · Johns Hopkins University APL
Matthew Wittal (PhD)
2020–2025 · NASA KSC / Astroscale, Japan
Rahil Golakiya (MS)
2021–2023 · NASA JPL / Boeing
Luca D’Eramo — Visiting Graduate Student (MS)
2025–2026 · Leonardo, Turin, Italy
Gennaro Mangiacapra — Visiting Graduate Student (MS)
2019–2020 · Dawn Aerospace, Delft, Netherlands
Wesley Stackhouse (MS)
2019–2020 · Advanced Solutions, Inc.
Wassif Memon (MS)
2018–2019 · United Airlines
Simone Sarzotti — Visiting Graduate Student (MS)
2023–2024 · Thales Alenia Space, Italy
Thomas Whelton (MS)
2025–2026