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Two University of Maryland (UMD) aerospace engineering students took top spots for their technical presentations at this year’s Mid-Atlantic American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Young Professionals, Students, and Educators (YPSE) Conference. Hosted at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU APL), more than 15 UMD students participated in the annual event which brings together students, educators, and young professionals from around the Mid-Atlantic region to share their work and make connections within the broader aerospace industry.
 Senior Amelia “Mia” Skeers took the top spot for Best Presentation in the Undergraduate Category with her paper, “Automating Near-Earth Object (NEO) Pre-Discovery.” The presentation discusses her project to develop an automated system for detecting Near-Earth objects in archived observatory images.
“The work demonstrates that pre-discovery can be streamlined to support future NEO detection and planetary-defense efforts,” explained Skeers.
Advised by Assistant Professor Tam Nguyen, her work is part of a collaboration with JHU APL. Beyond research, Skeers is an active member in the department’s Women in Aeronautics and Astronautics organization, where she serves as a co-chair. After graduation, she aims to pursue her Ph.D. in aerospace engineering with an emphasis on astrodynamics and planetary defense.
 In the Best Presentation in the Graduate Category, master’s student Jacob Mayonado took the top spot with his presentation, “Lift Augmentation using Pulsed Jets."
“The work I presented utilized the miniature pulse combustors that my lab has been studying to investigate how effective pulse combustion is at delaying flow separation for short take off and landing (STOL) capabilities,” explained Mayonado. He also added that it was an opportunity to dry run his research delivery in preparation for AIAA’s SciTech 2026 Conference—the organization’s largest annual conference—where he will present in January.
Advised by Professor Alison Flatau, Mayonado is also a member of the department’s Terrapin Rocketry Team, where he is currently the solid propulsion mentor after previously serving as the solid propulsion lead.
The AIAA YPSE conference awarded the 15-to-20-minute technical presentations based on the overall quality of each presenter’s ability to convey the impact of their work, demonstrate their knowledge of the chosen technical area, as well as their methodologies, communication, and organization.
Event photos by Ed Whitman, courtesy of The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
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December 9, 2025
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