I imagine most people are pretty happy to have 2020 ending today. This was the most difficult year for the world that I can remember in my lifetime. It’s for this reason that I feel selfish when I say 2020 had a lot to offer for me personally. Rather than focus on the difficulties for this year, I wanted to use this post to share some of the highlights. 

January got off to an exciting start because I got to attend AIAA SciTech in Orlando, FL to present a conference paper on 3D-printed, water-cooled rocket nozzles. SpaceX’s Starlink 2 mission launched during my stay as well, and getting to see it while on base at KSC was a major highlight already. The following months involved my finishing my master’s thesis, including a hardcore 2-week crunch leading up to my successful defense the morning of April 15th. 

I graduated grad school a few weeks later, and while I couldn’t walk at a commencement ceremony, I was proud of my accomplishment. 

My job with Textron Aviation was delayed 3 months from June to September, so I spent one more summer in Stillwater doing part-time research work for 2 rocket related projects which were a blast. We even CATO’d an N5800 which was memorable, even if not totally desirable.  

I bought my first car this summer, and in August moved to Wichita with Sam and Kenzie. 

Airfest 26 was a blast, and in September I began my first job as a Process Engineer doing manufacturing engineering on Longitude for Textron Aviation. 

The months since then were pretty quiet; getting into my job has gone well. There hasn’t been too much else to report as a result, especially with the circumstances of the world. It was a slow year for high-power rocketry as well, largely due to most of my rocket budget going to buying motor hardware and parachutes that I could previously borrow from the university rocketry team. I have far more flights planned for 2021 however! 

With that, 2020 has come to an end. I wish those of you reading this all the best for the new year. While it won’t come with its own unique challenges that are beyond our control, we can control our attitude and how we choose to overcome those challenges together.