Dan Berkenstock

Background

• Ph.D., Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University, 2006-2009, 2019-2024.
  • Dissertation: "Convex Shape Optimization of Aerospace Vehicles"
  • Committee: Juan Alonso, Mykel Kochenderfer, Sanjay Lall, & Mac Schwager
• M.S., Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University, 2006.
• B.S.E., Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2002.
• Physics & Maths Semester. King's College London, London UK, 2001.

Research

• Multidisciplinary Shape Optimization (MDO)
• Convex optimization
• Shape parameterization & deformation
• Radar cross section reduction
• Aerospace entrepreneurship

Bio

Dan Berkenstock is a Ph.D candidate in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford, working in the Aerospace Design Laboratory. Dan received the B.S.E in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as well as the M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University. Dan's research focuses on the application of Convex, Quasiconvex, & Polynomial Optimization methods to the design of aerodynamic shapes. This is accomplished by combining parametric shape definitions with performance indicators and geometric constraints that conform to certain requirements, which enable the rapid identification of global optima, at least to the fidelity of the underlying physics. His research is primarily driven by an interest in extending the classes of such shape descriptors and objective functions that can be shown to conform to these techniques. He has worked previously as a technical scholar at Ames Research Center (Advanced Supercomputing Division) & Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and as a co-operative education student at Johnson Space Center. He also co-founded the satellite imagery provider Skybox Imaging, which was acquired in 2014 by Google.

In addition to his technical research, Dan co-created and teaches the Stanford course AA261: "Building an Aerospace Start-Up from the Ground Up." By combining lectures and case studies on challenges faced by a variety of current aerospace start-up companies, students are able to learn both the science and art of start-ups, with a focus on the regulatory, financial, and risk factors uniquely faced by companies in the aerospace sector. He has also lectured and participated in other Stanford entrepreneurial courses, including Formation of New Ventures (GSB), Hacking for Defense, and the Stanford Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders (ETL) Series. Dan has also been a Director or advisor to a number of venture-backed aerospace startups and non-profits, including: Astranis, Slingshot Aerospace, Impossible Aerospace, SpaceKnow, and the Institute for Security & Technology.