Scott Blender

Hi everyone! I am a second-year Ph.D. student in Aerospace Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, supervised by Dr. Sandeep Singh. My research synthesizes machine learning, controls, and optimization to address spacecraft autonomy and the design of space-based cislunar satellite constellations.

I have completed coursework in orbital mechanics, controls, machine learning, numerical computing, parallel and scientific computing in C++, and numerical design optimization. Additionally, I have done internships at Wells Fargo, Amtrak, and PPL. At Wells Fargo, I developed neural networks to classify on-the-run US treasuries. At Amtrak, I wrote a Python script to automate superelevation adjustments based on year-to-year changes in track geometry and to produce key visualizations and metrics for force-based sensor measurements. Lastly, at PPL, I developed a Power BI dashboard to classify transmission process risk quantitatively, enabling managers to assess project status on a simplified platform.