My name is Kate Lampo, and I’m a rising fourth-year undergraduate student at Columbia University studying mechanical engineering. My interests lie at the intersection of aerospace and robotics, and I’m interested in developing robotic systems that enable the scientific exploration of our solar system.
Right now, I’m an intern at NASA’s Ames Research Center, where I’m working in the Advanced Supercomputing Division. My summer project is focused on simulating rotor blade performance for the Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s moon Titan.
I’m also currently Co-President of Columbia’s largest engineering club, the Columbia Space Initiative, where I’m working in a team of undergraduates to develop 6U cube satellite scheduled for launch in 2027. During the school year, I do research in Columbia’s Robotic Manipulation and Mobility Lab, where I recently worked on developing a robotic end effector and controller for a dexterous bimanual teleoperation station.
Previously, I’ve been a two-time intern for Lockheed Martin Space, a Summer Scholar at Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute, and a research assistant in Columbia’s astronomy department. Outside of my work, I’m passionate about STEM outreach and educational equity, and I spend my free time volunteering in NYC middle schools, giving campus tours, and enjoying good coffee around the city.