Director Vanderbilt Aerospace Design Laboratory
Amrutur V. Anilkumar
Mark Dalton Faculty Director of Experiential Learning in Aerospace Engineering
- Professor of the Practice of Aerospace Engineering
- Professor of the Practice of Mechanical Engineering
- Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics
Professor Anilkumar is a Space Scientist, Aerospace Engineer, and Educator. His research interests are in the areas of aero-propulsion, energy conversion, and microgravity materials processing.
He has been a scientific investigator of microgravity fluid physics and materials processing transport phenomena on experiments conducted on Space Shuttle Flights and on the International Space Station. In 2007, Dr. Anilkumar founded the Vanderbilt Aerospace Design Laboratory which is at the forefront of the design of novel, rocket-flyable, payload systems that highlight major challenges in space exploration and energy conversion. Dr. William Emfinger collaborates with Dr. Anilkumar on flight-based projects, bringing in a EE & CS perspective to the Missions.
VADL Adjunct Faculty
Dr. William Emfinger
PhD: Electrical Engineering
- Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Systems Engineer Backbone Labs
Dr. William Emfinger's interests are in Integrated software and systems engineering for complex, real-time cyber-physical systems, with applications in both spacecraft and complex rehabilitation systems; model-based engineering tool-suites for decreasing barrier-to-entry for complex, reliable, and distributed system development, analysis, deployment, and management.
VADL Laboratory Manager
Mark Thelen
Mark is a Mechanical Engineer with an extensive work experience in the Automotive and Aerospace arena.