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.
Postdocs
Andrea De Vittori is a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue University, specialising in Cislunar Space Situational Awareness (SSA), with a focus on state estimation for space object tracking, maneuver characterization and detection, conjunction assessment, and sensor fusion. He earned his PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a thesis on enhanced collision avoidance strategies in the near-Earth environment. He also holds a Master’s degree in Space Engineering and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, both from Politecnico di Milano, graduating Cum Laude. Andrea previously served as an Assistant Professor at Politecnico di Milano, contributing to SPACE IT UP! (SPOKE 1), where he was involved in the initial phases of developing technologies for very low-altitude Earth observation. His research portfolio includes postdoctoral work on terrestrial and cislunar SSA, a visiting researcher role at the University of Colorado Boulder addressing low-velocity encounters between space debris and operational satellites, and extensive contributions to collision avoidance manoeuvre design, low-thrust trajectory optimisation, and AI-based space object detection.
Ph.D. Students
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.
Drew Siciliano graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering in 2024, and received an M.S. in 2025. As an undergraduate, he completed an internship as a Modeling & Simulation Analyst at Booz Allen Hamilton. Drew’s research focuses on nonlinear estimation and multi-object tracking, with current work emphasizing applications for tracking and cataloging space debris.
Amy Danjul is a Ph.D. student from Dallas, TX. She graduated from Rice University in Spring 2025 with a B.S. in Computer Science and a B.A. in Mathematics. She has previously interned at the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory as a modeling and simulation systems engineer, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory as an undersea operations analyst, the MIT Lincoln Laboratory as a missile defense systems analyst, and Northrop Grumman as an R&D tracking intern. During her undergrad, Amy served as a team lead and officer of the Rice Eclipse rocketry team, and as the team captain of Rice Ballroom dance team. In her free time, she enjoys exploring local coffee shops, going on nature walks, and making soup from scratch.
Ben Schneiderheinze is a PhD student at Purdue University studying Aeronautics and Astronautics with a focus on Astrodynamics and Space Applications. He graduated from Saint Louis University in Spring 2025 with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and Mathematics. During his undergrad he contributed work to multiple cube satellite missions through the University Nanosatellite Program in the roles of Chief Engineer and Attitude Determination and Control Lead.
M.S. Students
Eric Mesina is a Master’s student majoring in Aeronautics and Astronautics and specializing in Astrodynamics and Space Applications. Before graduating from Purdue University in Fall 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Eric completed Guidance, Navigation, and Control internships at Reliable Robotics and The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. Eric enjoys running, tennis, and playing bass. After completing his degree, he hopes to enter the aerospace industry.
Aditya Desai is a Master’s student at Purdue University’s dept of Aeronautics and Astronautics, specializing in Astrodynamics and Space Applications. He completed his bachelor’s degree and certificate in Entrepreneurship & Innovation in Spring 2024, and has previously worked at MIT’s Lincoln Labs and with Prof. Alexey Shashurin’s research group. Outside of school, Aditya enjoys ice hockey, basketball, and (trying to learn) guitar.
Kaylee Spencer graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering in 2025 with a specialization in Astrodynamics and Space Applications. Kaylee has completed systems engineering internships at Arcfield where she developed a simulation model and conducted a trade study for a missile defense scenario. She is now pursuing an M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Jacob Wolf graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical engineering in May 2025 where he specialized in autonomy and control. Jacob has completed internships at Northrop Grumman where he worked on guidance, navigation, and control, and Collins Aerospace where he worked on communication systems.
Roy Hosek is a Master’s student in Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University, specializing in Astrodynamics and Space Applications. He earned bachelor’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics from North Carolina State University in May 2025. At NCSU, he worked in research labs on nanoscale ferroelectrics and microscopic twinning in composites and was the teaching assistant for the junior and senior structural mechanics courses. He also completed internships at the Air Force Research Laboratory, where he worked on spacecraft trajectory propagation and Lambert’s problem in cislunar three-body dynamics, and at General Dynamics Mission Systems, where he completed projects in underwater acoustics, passive sensing, and probabilistic target modeling. His research interests include astrodynamics and applications of differential geometry in physics and engineering.
Sponsors and Partners
