NEWS: Olin Student Team Wins Award at Annual Draper Research Symposium

May 15, 2023

Earlier this month, a team of six Olin College students presented at the Draper Research Symposium and earned the top spot in the Undergraduate Senior Capstone Student Projects category.

Held at Draper, in Cambridge, this year's event brought together undergraduate and graduate students from ten universities to share their thesis research in addressing and solving some of the most challenging engineering, technological and scientific problems. 

The research was wide-ranging, and the applications were real world: heart valves, hypersonics, snowpack detection and astronaut health were among the areas of research. The research posters as part of the Undergraduate Senior Capstone Student Projects was a new feature this year, with Olin students taking the top spot.

The winning Olin College team presented research on technology for moving spacecraft between orbits and interplanetary destinations. The students are:

  • Braden Oh '23
  • Albert Countryman (Brandeis University '24)
  • Avery Clowes '24
  • Lily Dao '26
  • James Jagielski '25
  • Ben Eisenbraun '25. 

View the team's Capstone poster on page #7

The keynote, by Dr. Dava Newman, Apollo Program Professor of Astronautics Humanity at MIT and Director of the MIT Media Lab, touched on the importance of nurturing student research.

“Empowering the next generation of student scholars allows us to investigate dream projects, including those that will enable humanity to become interplanetary,” said Newman.

Braden Oh '23 shown with mic in hand speaking during Draper Research Symposium in 2023.

Braden Oh '23 and his team presented research on technology for moving spacecraft between orbits and interplanetary destinations, at this year's Draper Research Symposium.

Since 1973, the Draper Scholars Program, formerly known as the Draper Fellow Program, has supported more than 1,300 graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in engineering and the sciences. Draper Scholars are from both civilian and military backgrounds and Draper Scholar alumni excel worldwide in the technical, corporate, government, academic and entrepreneurship sectors. Details about the program, including how to apply, are available at Draper.