Athena Chan Email and Phone Number

- coordinate aerospace outreach events with local schools, industries, and community centers- organize VFS sponsored field trips to NASA Ames Research Center- manage the design and procuration of promotional materialAWARDS2024 Outstanding Contribution to the VFS Local Chapter

AEROMECHANICS/ROTORCRAFT BRANCH (Jan. 2022 - June 2024)- mechanical lead on the Forward Flight Aero Test project for next generation Mars rotor blades- mechanical engineer for the spin-up test stand used for wind tunnel rotor blade qualification- designed test stand to verify blade retention system for ultra thin ROAMX (Rotorcraft Optimization for the Advancement of Mars EXploration) blades- processed data from JPL's 25 ft space simulator as part of Sample Return Helicopter research- intern mentorNATIONAL FULL-SCALE AERODYNAMIC COMPLEX (NFAC) (June 2024 - Present)- system owner of the Rotor Testing Apparatus, a full-scale rotorcraft test bed; responsible for closing out the motor upgrade that will enable higher RPMs and torque- upkeeps facility readiness through maintenance, improvements, and repairs for the world's largest and second largest wind tunnelsAWARD & DISTINCTIONS-2023 NASA Group Achievement Award: Sample Recovery Helicopter Team-2023 NASA Early Career Achievement Award-2023 NASA Ames Honor Award for Contractor Employee-2023 NASA Group Achievement Award: STMD Early Career ROAMX Team-2023 NASA Group Achievement Award: Summer Aeromechanics Internship program-2023 NASA Group Achievement Award: Side by Side 2 Test Team-2022 NASA Group Achievement Award: Multirotor Test Bed 2 Test Team.

- Signed with agents Laurie Mclean and Karly Dizon

- Graduated Summa cum Laude- President's Scholarship- Honors Student- Rome Engineering Study Abroad program (Spring 2019)

- Designed, built, and operated test rig for medical components- Coded (Processing & Arduino) GUI and operations system for test rig- Wired pneumatic valves to run on industrial Arduinos- Created testing protocols and data collection methods- Assembled a semi-automatic station for conductivity testing- Analyzed data and discovered phenomena that aided with troubleshooting a flow rig calibration issue

- Calculate payload volume estimations for Advanced Mars Helicopter (AMH) and Mars Science Helicopter (MSH) missions- Configure and analyze vehicle stow configurations to maximize lander payload space- Compile various mission mockups based on proposed ideas listed in the published paper “Mars Science Helicopter: Compelling Science Enabled by an Aerial Platform”- Listed contributor to the published paper “Mars Science Helicopter Conceptual Design”

- Work with Ames team to generate concept designs for the Mars Science Helicopter (MSH)- Design and collaborate on packaging with JPL so the MSH fits inside the lander constraints- Use SolidWorks to assemble models and perform FEA structural stress analysis- Operate Prusa and MakerBot for 3D printing prototypes- Research, develop, and test landing gear and arm-locking mechanisms- Wrote the Mars Helicopter Technology Demonstrator chapter for the Ames 10-year report

- Developed lesson plans and engineering projects for 7-8th graders in the CTY program- Provided teacher support in addition to leading class and projects- Lead inter-disciplinary class collaborations with Physics of Sports, Astronomy, and Case