The Sensing, Controls, and Probabilistic Estimation (SCOPE) Group at Purdue University is advancing research in state estimation and tracking, information-driven autonomy, and space applications. Our goal is to enable the next generation of intelligent sensors and vehicles through a combination of estimation, control, and information theory.
The SCOPE Group is always looking for talented and driven students from a diverse set of backgrounds. Interested students should email Prof. LeGrand at klegrand@purdue.edu and include a CV and short summary of why they want to join the group.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Lili Wang is a Gilbreth Postdoctoral Fellow at Purdue University under the advisement of Prof. Keith LeGrand and Prof. Shreyas Sundaram. Prior to that, she was a Postdoctoral Associate at University of California, Irvine. She received the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Yale University in 2020 under the supervision of Prof. A. Stephen Morse where she did research in the area of distributed computation and estimation. She received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Control from Zhejiang University, China where she worked on multi-agent systems.
Her research interests include the topics of cooperative multi-agent systems, distributed computation and estimation, and distributed control.
PhD Students
John Iannamorelli graduated from Purdue University in 2022 with a degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering with a specialization in Astrodynamics and Space Applications. In his undergraduate career, he conducted research in the field of Computational Particle Mechanics under Prof. Marcial Gonzalez in an effort to characterize the explosive tendencies of energetic materials under compaction. John is currently a Ph.D. student in the school of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue where his research focus is on Astrodynamics and Space Applications.
Simone Semeraro graduated from the Politecnico di Milano with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering in 2021. He then obtained a M.S. from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor in Aerospace Engineering with a specialization in Space Systems, whilst pursuing the Certificate for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. During his master’s he worked as a Graduate Student Research Assistant under Dr. Ilya Kolmanovsky on studies that focused on developing and applying new reference governor strategies for control problems. Simone is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Astrodynamics and Space Applications in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University.
Disip Chaturvedi is a Ph.D. student from Indore, India. He holds an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder focusing on astrodynamics and satellite navigation. Prior to that, in 2020, he graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India with a bachelor’s in Material Science and a master’s in Aerospace Engineering, specializing in dynamics and control. For his doctoral studies, he is investigating information-driven control with applications to multi-sensor and multi-object tracking. He is primarily interested in developing smarter guidance, navigation, and control algorithms with applications to space debris assessment and avoidance.
M.S. Students
Aneesh Khilnani is a master’s student in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, specializing in Astrodynamics and Space Applications. He completed his undergraduate education at Purdue University in Spring 2022 with degrees in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering and Applied Mathematics. As an undergraduate, Aneesh completed internships at ATA Engineering, NASA Langley Research Center, and The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; these work experiences were concentrated in structural dynamics, flight dynamics, and controls. Additionally, he was a researcher for the Automation and Optimization Laboratory under Prof. Ran Dai, where he developed an assessed the attitude dynamics of a quadcopter simulating a fuel-optimal powered descent on Mars. After completion of his MSAAE degree, Aneesh hopes to continue towards the Ph.D. program.
Max Low is a master’s student in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, specializing in Astrodynamics and Space Applications. As an undergraduate, Max interned with The Aerospace Corporation, Sandia National Laboratories, and Cummins Inc.; he developed a passion for utilizing real world data for object tracking, geospatial analysis, and predictive modeling. He currently serves as a graduate teaching assistant for The Data Mine. After obtaining his master’s, Max plans to pursue an astrodynamics position with a Federally Funded Research and Development Center. Max enjoys rock climbing, mountain biking, and the great outdoors.
Tim Goulet is an AAE master’s student and 2nd Lieutenant in the US Space Force. He graduated from the US Air Force Academy in Spring 2023 with a B.S. in Astronautical Engineering and Applied Mathematics. As an undergraduate, Tim published research with NASA Johnson Space Center on applications of linear covariance analysis in trajectory optimization for the Artemis missions. He will work with Draper Labs for his graduate research, and after completion of his master’s Tim will return to normal military duty.