About Me

The who, what, when, where, why... and HOW?

See my publications on Google Scholar or ORCID

Who is Daniel?

I work to make the world a better place and advance the frontier of science (especially geoscience) through innovations in aerospace robotics. I strive to make sure people worldwide can:

What has Daniel Been Up To?

I am a Ph.D. Student in the Navigation and Autonomous Vehicles Laboratory at Stanford's Aeronautics & Astronautics Department. I currently research ways to use 3D building models to make urban GNSS-based localization safe and reliable. Hopefully one day (in the not-so-distant future), your smartphones or self-driving cars will include algorithmic components that I am currently researching!

In 2021, I graduated from the California Institute of Technology with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Planetary Science. My academic advisor was Prof. Melany Hunt, my minor advisor was Prof. Bethany Ehlmann, and my senior thesis advisor was Prof. Soon-Jo Chung.

From 2018-2019, I worked at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the Perseverance Rover (currently in Jezero Crater, Mars) and the Europa Lander mission (currently in early development). 

When Did I see Daniel Last?

April 2024 - Stanford AI Laboratories Affiliates Meeting.

October 2023 - Bay Area Robotics Symposium (BARS) at Stanford University.

September 2023 -  Institute of Navigation (ION) GNSS+ Conference in Denver, CO

Where IN this City Am I, Daniel?

Hopefully, my current research can help!

I research ways to improve location services in cities. This research is an interdisciplinary adventure including concepts from global navigation satellite systems, satellite remote sensing, airborne observations, urban planning, special relativity, algorithm development, machine learning, and decision-making under uncertainty.

Merit: See an overview of my research here.

Broader Impacts: I want to make sure that every city dweller can safely get around cities worldwide. No more getting lost in the city and no more lost rideshare drivers. At the same time, I have an eye toward computational efficiency and scalability for worldwide users. Better yet, can we even make use of near-future satellite technologies to help?

Why do you do more than Research?

I am who I am in large part due to my family, friends, mentors, and peers, who have made a diverse and inclusive space for me to learn and grow. I hope and endeavor to further develop a diverse, equitable, and inclusive space for those around me. I feel it necessary and vital to pass this forward and improve upon it, whether in building a more equitable course curriculum or ensuring a more inclusive teaching practice.

At Stanford:

At Caltech:

How can I Follow Daniel's Work?

I am beyond excited that you are interested in following the adventure that I call life. LinkedIn and Google Scholar are the best options! Orcid and Github are also good options.