Rishik Keshari

Rishik is a PhD candidate in aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, specializing in high-velocity space debris impacts in low Earth orbit and the use of smart materials for impact mitigation. With an interdisciplinary background spanning aerospace engineering, civil engineering, and computer science, his research applies computational and structural methods to real-world space safety challenges. Alongside his research, he has extensive teaching and mentorship experience, including guiding undergraduate students in aerospace structures, mentoring engineering teams in simulation and design, and contributing to science education initiatives at the school level.