My name is Kate Lampo, and I’m a 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 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. I also 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. Last summer, I was an intern at NASA’s Ames Research Center, where I worked on fluid mechanics simulations in the Advanced Supercomputing Division. 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.