Jay McMahon

  • Associate Professor
  • Smead Faculty Fellow
  • COLORADO CENTER FOR ASTRODYNAMICS RESEARCH (CCAR)
Jay McMahon
Address

Office location: AERO 461

Focus Area

Astrodynamics & Satellite Navigation Systems (ASN)

Education

  • PhD, Aerospace Engineering Science, University of Colorado Boulder, 2011
  • MS, Astronautical Engineering, University of Southern California, 2006
  • BS, Aerospace Engineering (cum laude) , University of Michigan, 2004

Professional Experience

  • 2021 - Present, Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
  • 2016 - 2021, Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
  • 2013 - 2016, Assistant Research Professor, Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
  • 2011 - 2013, Research Associate, Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
  • 2008 - 2011, Graduate Research Assistant, Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
  • 2004 - 2008, Member Technical Staff, Guidance Analysis Department, The Aerospace Corporation

Awards (selected)

  • AAS Fellow, 2025
  • H. Joseph Smead Faculty Fellow, 2022
  • Outstanding Faculty Graduate Advisor Award, CU Engineering, 2021
  • Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences Outstanding Junior Faculty Award, 2020
  • DARPA YFA Fellow, 2020 - 2021
  • NASA STMD Early Career Faculty fellow, 2018 - 2021
  • NIAC Fellow, 2017 - 2020
  • Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences Outstanding Junior Faculty Award, 2017
  • AIAA Associate Fellow, 2017
  • AIAA-Rocky Mountain Section Young Engineer of the Year, 2017
  • Asteroid 1998 OS14 renamed (46829) McMahon, 2016
  • NASA Earth and Space Sciences Fellowship (NESSF), 2010 - 2011

Research Interests

  • Astrodynamics
  • Autonomous Guidance, Navigation and Control
  • Asteroid and Comet Science
  • Solar System Exploration