Rachel is a senior undergraduate double majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering at UC Davis. She has conducted research in organic semiconductors, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) wildfire detection, and now ECLSS systems. In addition to her research, she has held internships including telemetry development at NASA Langley Research Center and pressurized rover design through the Mars Institute. She serves as Propellant Feed Lead for UC Davis’s liquid rocketry team and is a volunteer mentor through her local flight club, where she earned her private pilot license as a Ray Aviation Scholar. Through this combination of research, internships, and leadership, she has developed a strong interest in pursuing human spaceflight systems and EVA-focused research in her future graduate studies. In her free time, Rachel volunteers as a pilot for the EAA Young Eagles Program, expanding access and representation in aviation and STEM.
In the HRVIP Lab, Rachel works on the ZeoDe (Zeolite Degradation) project, which focuses on experimental testing of zeolite-based carbon dioxide removal systems used in space habitats. Her work supports the development and testing of packed-bed adsorption systems to better understand performance, degradation, and operational reliability in Environmental Control and Life Support Systems for future human spaceflight missions.