JACOB RODRIGUEZ
Matthew Isakowitz Fellow, Class of 2024
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics with Autonomous Systems Concentration, Minor in Education Equity
Host Company: Astrolab
Jacob Rodriguez is a senior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), majoring in Aerospace Engineering with a concentration in Robotics and Autonomous Systems, and minoring in Education Equity. From Orange County, California, Jacob is a first-generation, low-income student whose resilience and ambition have shaped his journey to aerospace.
At MIT, Jacob's passion for space exploration and engineering took flight. He engaged in diverse research, from simulating nuclear thermal propulsion systems for Mars missions to improving particle detection accuracy in Dark Matter Axion experiments, to simulating and creating warp field bubbles utilizing nano-manufactured Casimir cavities. His capabilities led him to internships at NASA Goddard Space Center and 4 internships with NASA JPL, where he worked on the Psyche spacecraft, the Europa Ocean World Lander Autonomy Testbed, and projects developing high-speed offroad autonomous vehicles for the Moon. He was also responsible for leading the software and now full development of the MIT WORMS Project, a significant NASA Big Ideas 2022 team working to develop a modular robotic system for lunar surface applications. During these experiences he also worked on the Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor (EELS) project at JPL, enhancing robotic capabilities for space exploration through the development of RL control algorithms and simulations for a 32-degree-of-freedom snake robot.
Jacob's contributions and passions also extend beyond the technical realm. He is a prominent member of the executive committee for TEDxMIT and a long-time Teaching Assistant for the MITES Saturdays program, where he imparts knowledge in robotics and aerospace engineering to under-represented middle and high school students in the Boston/Cambridge area. Similarly, his efforts are not just about achieving personal goals but also about setting a strong example for his siblings and supporting his family. His story is one of overcoming barriers and exemplifying that with perseverance and hard work, the sky is indeed not the limit for students like him.
Taking these experiences, Jacob is now the founder and CEO of the space hardware startup Oligo, where he strives to make space engineering accessible internationally through universal payload interfaces, furthering his vision of giving every child across the globe their own NASA to look up to.