The 2025 Ph.D. Hooding and Awards Ceremony honors 150 new graduates and Haotian Hang, winner of this year’s best Ph.D. thesis

PhD student Ulubilge Ulusoy researches optimal collaboration between humans and AI during maintenance operations in deep space habitats.

Graduating astronautical engineering student Paige Kaufman launched the Space Spiels podcast and now she’s on her way to the NASA Johnson Space Center.

Kaitlyn Dobler, a graduating master’s student in astronautical engineering, applies the discipline she has learned as a swimmer to project such as researching the atmosphere of Venus.

Graduating mechanical engineering student PJ Morgan’s involvement with USC Formula Electric led to a prestigious internship at SpaceX.

Mike Gruntman was interviewed about SpaceX’s Fram2 mission which overcame challenges such as increased radiation exposure and the lack of Earth’s rotational boost.

Garrett Reisman was interviewed by CNN, NBC, and ABC about the SpaceX launch.

A report on a research project conducted by Professor Joseph Wang (USC) and Professor Chen Cui (University of Virginia)

Garrett Reisman was interviewed about the potential for Jared Isaacman to lead NASA.

This profile story details the history of RPL, includes mention alumni space startups as well as SERC as part of the USC Viterbi space ecosystem.