Aerospace student looks to the future with friend and faculty support

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—From undergraduate research to internships, aerospace engineering student Cristian Sanchez continues to reach for the stars with support from his professors and classmates.  

That student and faculty support helped guide him in the right direction, and Sanchez is looking forward to entering the field of aerospace engineering following graduation. 

His road to graduation was filled with opportunities, including being part of the Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MI-LSAMP) program at WMU. This partnership program works to increase the number of underrepresented minority students pursuing degrees in STEM fields. Through MI-LSAMP, Sanchez was awarded funding to do undergraduate research at WMU’s Aerospace Laboratory for Plasma Experiments (ALPE).  

“I learned how to manufacture a product from the ground up; budgeting, drawings, design, assembly, and testing,” says Sanchez. “This experience taught me a lot about how to conduct research and optimally utilize time.” 

Sanchez is especially grateful for the mentorship of Dr. Kristina Lemmer, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, doctoral student Tom Kerber and Dr. Nicholas Taylor, senior research associate for mechanical and aerospace engineering, during his time in ALPE. 

“I had the opportunity to work alongside Tom Kerber designing an electrostatic lens control box for an orthogonal acceleration mass spectrometry time-of-flight system,” says Sanchez. 

With this research and experience-driven learning in his toolbox, Sanchez landed a summer internship in 2024 at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio, where he trained in micromechanics, finite element analysis, statistical analysis software, machine learning and network design. 

Following that internship, NASA GRC offered Sanchez a co-op position to continue his schoolwork while expanding his knowledge in the aerospace industry. 

“One of my favorite moments was connecting with a WMU alum at NASA GRC coordinating a tour of the Electric Propulsion Laboratory,” says Sanchez. “I was able to take my entire team where we had the privilege of seeing a few of the biggest vacuum chambers in the world along with testing of the Hermeus hall effect thruster in real time.”  

This internship not only gave Sanchez real-world experience but also led to his first publication and presentation at a national aerospace conference.   

Sanchez attended the 2025 AIAA SciTech Conference in Orlando, Florida, along with Dr. Peter Gustafson, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, where he presented his paper, “A Convolutional Neural Network for Enhancement of Multi-Scale Localization in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composite Representative Unit Cells,” and created essential connections in the field. 

“The entire experience was amazing from talking with recruiters at the expo to having dinner with my colleagues at NASA, Dr. Gustafson, and other engineers in industry to even sitting in a technical meeting with the AIAA Committee,” says Sanchez.  

As invaluable as these research and internship experiences are, they are only part of what makes Sanchez’s time at WMU so impactful.  

“The best experience I’ve had as an aerospace engineering student is the strong bond formed with fellow students,” says Sanchez. “Those moments of collaboration and camaraderie made my time in the aerospace program truly special.” 

This collaboration and camaraderie among students are consistently supported by the positive influence from WMU professors, including Gustafson.  

“What was unexpected about the aerospace engineering program was the amount talent within the professors,” says Sanchez. “The professors wanted to help students and give opportunities that could potentially be life changing. Dr. Gustafson has not only guided me toward my career path but has also given me the opportunity to gain hands-on experience at one of the world’s leading research facilities.” 

Thanks to student and faculty support to help guide him in the right direction, Sanchez is looking forward to entering the field of aerospace engineering career ready. 

“Now, as I prepare to graduate, I find the field of aerospace fascinating because it is constantly evolving,” says Sanchez. “The future of space exploration holds incredible potential, from interplanetary travel and developing new materials for extreme space environments to the possibility of sending humans to Mars. There is still so much to discover in aerospace.” 

You can follow Sanchez’s career on LinkedIn. 

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.