MIT AEROASTRO
Three from MIT Aeronautics and Astronautics named 2024 Matthew Isakowitz Fellows
Left to right: Ryann Hee, Ruth Davis, and Jacob Rodriguez
By Rachel Ornitz
The Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program (MIFP) has selected three AeroAstro students for its highly competitive fellowship program. Ryann Hee, Ruth Davis, and Jacob Rodriguez are among the class of 2024.
The program awards exceptional college juniors, seniors, and graduate students pursuing aerospace careers with paid internships at cutting-edge commercial space companies. Fellows also receive one-on-one mentorship from accomplished members of the space community, including astronauts, engineers, entrepreneurs, executives, investors, and others. Additionally, the program features a memorable summit during which the Fellows learn about space start-ups, network with top industry leaders, and develop entrepreneurial skills.
About this year’s Fellows:
Ruth Davis
Ruth Davis is a first-year graduate student in the Space Propulsion Laboratory (SPL). She previously attended Howard University, where she was a Karsh STEM Scholar and received her SB in mechanical engineering. She conducted undergraduate research on the use of cryogenics for thermal cycling materials for space applications and on fundamental electrospray propulsion principles. Her current work involves studying the principles of electrospray propulsion and preparing for a flight demonstration of a staged electrospray thruster propulsion system. “I am excited to join the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship community and very eager to connect with peers and mentors with a similar passion for commercial space,” says Davis. “Learning directly from individuals making strides toward a greater human presence in space will help me solidify my career goals within the industry.” Her internship will be hosted by The Aerospace Corporation.
Ryann Hee
Ryann Hee is an Aeronautics and Astronautics graduate student in the Human Systems Lab (HSL). She was selected as a Draper Scholar and is a former Cal-Bridge Scholar. Her research projects have included design space exploration for miniaturized technologies, virtual reality applications in zero gravity, and navigation for autonomous underwater vehicles. She is a member of MIT’s First Nations Launch rocket team and an EMT with MIT EMS. Prior to attending graduate school, Ryann received her SB. in Physics and Astronomy from CSU Sacramento. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, soccer, and card games. Her internship will be held at Voyager Space.
Jacob Rodriguez ‘24
Jacob Rodriguez is a senior majoring in Aerospace Engineering with a concentration in Robotics and Autonomous Systems, and minoring in Education Equity. From Orange County, California, Jacob is a first-generation, low-income student whose resilience and ambition have shaped his journey to aerospace. He has held internships at NASA Goddard Space Center and with NASA JPL, where he worked on the Psyche spacecraft, the Europa Ocean World Lander Autonomy Testbed, and projects developing high-speed offroad autonomous vehicles for the Moon. He is deputy director of the MIT WORMS Project, which won Best Paper at NASA’s Big Idea Challenge in 2022. Jacob is a member of the executive committee for TEDxMIT and a long-time Teaching Assistant for the MITES Saturdays program, mentoring area middle and high school students in robotics and aerospace engineering. Jacob will intern at Astrolab this summer.