UW Faculty Profile

Kristi Morgansen is Chair of the Aero & Astro Department and Co-Director of the UW Space Policy and Research Center. Her research interests focus on nonlinear systems where sensing and actuation are integrated, stability in switched systems with delay, and incorporation of operational constraints such as communication delays in control of multi-vehicle systems.

John’s interests lie at the intersection of control theory and aeroelasticity, and his current research project is the investigation of limit cycle oscillations caused by control-surface freeplay in aeroelastic systems. He received his Master’s degree in aeronautics & astronautics at the UW in 2020 while studying multivariable stability margins and active flutter suppression. He is currently jointly advised by Professor Kristi Morgansen and also Professor Eli Livne in the Active Aeroelastic Structures Lab. When not doing research, he can be found running, playing soccer, or reading.

Josh Cheng is a master’s student in the Aeronautics & Astronautics department (Class of ’25). His interests are in spaceflight, particularly for satellite GNC and applications of computer vision. His hobbies include cooking, reading, and ultimate (frisbee).

Ena focuses on the theory and implementation of optimization as it pertains to sensor selection and placement. She completed both her B.S. and her M.S. in structural engineering at the University of California, San Diego, with a focus in earthquake engineering and design. Her current research focuses on optimal sensor placement for highly flexible systems applicable to wind tunnel models and commercial aircraft. Outside of her academic life, Ena enjoys spending time outdoors biking and hiking, and appreciates spending as much time with her family and her pets as possible.

Carey Whitehair studies the application of nonlinear controls to bio-inspired autonomous vehicles, for use in environmental sampling. She is exploring systems with coupling between motion and measurements, with the goal of using empirical methods for optimal sensor placement in the context of path-planning, to maximize observability and robustness. She completed a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of South Florida and an M.S. in mechanical Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University. Her hobbies include running, drawing and eating breakfast.