Academy Alumni Research for FAA
Kristina Smith stopped by the AMPS (Advanced Mathematical Problem Solving) class on Wednesday to share the research she has been doing at Simpson College to mathematically model safe air space for unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). Smith, a 2015 DMPS graduate and Academy alum, is the only freshman student at Simpson who was selected to participate in the EMERGE program for innovation. Simpson College is partnering with Stanford University to conduct research for the FAA. Chris Draper, also an Academy Alum, is the head of Simpson’s EMERGE program. Draper and Smith are also working with Simpson Physics Professor, Aaron Santos, to create the model and write the computer code to evaluate safety concerns regarding the use of drones in Iowa to distribute fertilizer. Smith will present her findings to the FAA at a technical meeting later this year.
Read the article in the Des Moines Register:
