Celebrating 75 Years Through Alumni Stories

As we celebrate 75 years of Aerospace Engineering at Maryland, that also means celebrating our amazing alumni! We would love to hear your memories, learn what you've been up to, and share your story.

SHARE YOUR STORY & PHOTOS Visit the 75th Anniversary Webpage

Clockwise: Graduation Spring 2006, Ashley Korzun, W. Ethan Eagle (paper in hand to make paper airplanes to throw at ceremony), Jacob King and Eugene "Gene" Cook; Eagle, Ashley Korzun (now Dr.), Julie, and Sam Trepp at the AIAA cook-out (spring 2006); 'unknown' students posed a cardboard cool-aid man in a hole punched in the brick wall at Campus Drive and Rte 1; and Aero Honors ceremony for honor's grads.

W. Ethan Eagle

Alumnus W. Ethan Eagle ('06, M.S. '07) went on to complete his Ph.D. at Michigan where he worked on pathbreaking research in infrared diagnostics and laser-based diagnostics while at Sandia National Labs. He then took a tenure track role in combustion at Wayne State University before leaving in 2018 to pursue design and innovation.

He later returned to UMD as a lecturer as he developed a consulting business for invention and innovation. In addition, he helped President Pines's "Engineering for Us All (e4usa)" initiative, building one of eight units for the inaugural curriculum, and creating the workshop design for the 2018 symposium at the Hotel which outlined the goals for the e4usa effort.

He left UMD in 2022 to work for a small consulting business, and has been full time in the organizational innovation space, with a specific focus on militaries, and their dominant client is the United States Air Force.

Reflecting on his time at Maryland, Eagle remembers Professor Chris Cadous and the 311H course where they built a rocket engine and lab testing the results, calling it "Epic."

"As a grad student TA, we helped to resolve 'moving shock waves' in the same class," says Eagle. "[There was] great student directed inquiry, and it definitely left a lasting impact on my thinking as a student and eventual professor."

Alumnus Sarvesh Sethi

Sarvesh Sethi ('14)

“Dr. Robert Sanner and Professor Mary Bowden went beyond in terms of what I would describe notable,” says alumnus Sarvesh Sethi (’14). “They made me fall in love with aerospace engineering, controls, aerodynamics, and RC flying. So much of what I do today is based on what I learnt that time because it was the love and purpose for the subject that they created which made me want to learn more of it!”

Sethi went on to receive his M.Sc. in finance and management and currently works as director of Dots and Hawks, Inc. supplying American, Swiss and Indian enterprise drones, provides drone services, tech integration, and converts hang-gliders to drones. I am also authorized for nationwide BVLOS drone operations in Canada.

During his time at UMD he was recognized with an academic scholarship and was vice president of the Experimental Flying Club which was started (and still continues) during my time to design, build and fly hang gliders.

“If it wasn’t for UMD, my love for aerospace and flying might not have been the same.”

Joshua Elvander

Alumnus Joshua Elvander ('94), Senior Vice President of Engineering at MagLev Aero, was an undergraduate assistant in UMD's Space Systems Laboratory where his scuba certification enabled him to participate in lab eperiments. "That was a lot of fun."

During his career, Elvander has been the program manager of underwater searches for notable missing aircraft such as Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra, and Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370.

"I was VP-Engineering at Terrafugia when we became the first flying car to receive an FAA certification (there is a model at the Smithsonian, and more importantly it was a clue on Jeopardy recently)," he says. "I was the VP-Hardware at an autonomous flight company (Merlin Labs), and now am SVP-Engineering at an electric aviation company."

Elvander enjoyed so many of his classes, particularly Dr. Lewis, Dr. Donaldson, Dr. Akin, Professor Winkelman, Dr. Anderson, Dr. Barlow, and especially Dr. Korkegi, but he does reflect, "I really wish I'd paid more attention in my math courses."

Mike White (’80, M.S. ’81)

“Many professors helped shape my perspective and career,” says alumnus Mike White (’80, M.S. ’81). White previously led the Air and Missile Defense Sector at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL) and after 37 years there, he became the inaugural Principal Director for Hypersonics in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering working with Dr. Mike Griffin.

“Dr. [John] Anderson was a tremendous influence as my advisor,” says White. “Instructors from JHU/APL like Griffin, Rivello, Billig, and Waltrup were not only great professors with real world expertise, but they also became my mentors when I graduated and went to work at APL.”

“Connections made at UMD shaped my entire career. The academic challenge and foundation was only eclipsed by the life-long friends and colleagues.”

Marc Bensimon ('66)

Retired alumnus, and Silver Spring native, Marc Bensimon ('66) led an impressive career contributing to a number of space-related projects. Among his many roles, he worked as a Flight Dynamics analyst for sounding rockets at the GSFC, publishing several AIAA papers (1966 to 1975), was an initial developer of the Space Shuttle OFT pallet concept (1975), Program Manager for the Hubble Space Telescope (1982-83), Program Manager for the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (1984), and Deputy Program Manager for the Space Station Freedom Program (1989 to 1993).

His favorite UMD memory? "Visits to Pax River Test Station as part of our propulsion courses."