People
James Braun (Principal Investigator)
James Braun is an assistant professor in the school of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NC State University. He received his PhD from Purdue in 2019, performed a Research Master at the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics in 2015 and has a Master’s degree from the KU Leuven in Belgium (2014). Prior to joining NC State, he was an assistant research professor at Purdue University. He did a postdoc at Purdue and was an ORISE fellow working with the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
In his free time, James enjoys snowboarding, traveling, and learning new languages.
Students:
Jack Grunenwald
Jack completed his BS and MS in Aerospace Engineering at Purdue University. Jack enjoys biking, trying new foods, and baking baguettes.
Frank Rice
PhD Candidate
Frank earned his BS in Aerospace Engineering in at NC State University in 2024. He enjoys backpacking, fishing and working on watches.
Sai Kiran Chikatimarla
Master’s Student
Sai completed his BE in Mechanical Engineering at Osmania University, India. Sai enjoys sports, board games, and traveling.
Shyanne Large
Master’s Student
Shyanne obtained her BS in Aerospace Engineering from NC State University in May 2024. She enjoys playing rugby, crafting, and any hands-on projects.
Eduardo Leite de Moraes
Master’s Student
Eduardo studied Aerospace Engineering at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in the same field at NC State. Eduardo enjoys working on electronics projects and model aircraft.
Will Stigliano
Master’s Student
Will completed his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio Northern University. He enjoys chess, hockey, and traveling.
Liam Stumbar
Master’s Student
Liam completed his BS in Aerospace Engineering at NC State University. Liam enjoys music, guitar, camping, and cooking.
Riley Bramwell
Undergraduate Student
Riley is pursuing his BS in Aerospace Engineering and will graduate in spring 2024. He enjoys cooking, fishing, and watching football.
Edward Hurley
Undergraduate Student
Edward is pursuing their BS in aerospace engineering, will be graduating in the spring of 2024, and is waiting to hear back about their PhD application to NC State. They enjoy tinkering, brain teasers, and reading.
Maddie McDaniel
Undergraduate Student
Maddie is pursuing her BS in Aerospace Engineering and will graduate in spring 2026. She enjoys reading, playing soccer, and traveling.
Sebastian Perna
Undergraduate Student
Sebastian is pursuing his BS in Aerospace Engineering and will graduate in spring 2024. He enjoys traveling, hiking, watching combat sports and playing soccer.
Hadie Sabbah
Undergraduate Student
Hadie is pursuing his BS in aerospace engineering and will be graduating in the spring of 2024. Hadie enjoys boxing, chess, and building things.
Lauren Wilkie
Undergraduate Student
Lauren is pursuing her BS in Aerospace Engineering and will graduate in spring 2026. She enjoys traveling, hiking, and film photography.