Next year, Olivia Wood will graduate and go to work for SpaceX. As a student-engineer, she is already part of a team launching record-setting rockets.

For Olivia Wood (’25), a mechanical engineering major focused on propulsion, her path to Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University and her home-away-from-home at the Rocket Development Lab (RDL) wasn’t always set. “I originally wanted to be a forensic scientist,” she shares. But engineering caught her attention, and a quick online search led her to Embry‑Riddle. “I didn’t know anything about engineering, but when I found out about Embry‑Riddle, I thought, ‘Is this place real?’ It felt like a chance I couldn’t pass up.”

Although Olivia was reluctant to leave her Washington State home, attending Embry‑Riddle’s Prescott Campus opened unexpected opportunities. After switching from the Aerospace Engineering track to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a propulsion focus, she found her passion in rockets—especially in making them explode—according to plan. “I like things that explode or make loud noises,” she says with a laugh. “So, propulsion was the perfect fit.”

Leading the Charge at the Rocket Development Lab

Now in her final year, Olivia plays a leading role at the Rocket Development Lab, the largest student organization on the Prescott campus, with more than five hundred students from every discipline involved. As the director of liquid flight vehicles and team lead for the Deneb-2 rocket project, Olivia oversees key aspects of rocket design and testing. “I’m also the flight representative on our technical board. My focus is on ensuring our designs are flight-ready and that we’re teaching students along the way.”

The Deneb-2 project aims to break the world record for amateur rocket altitude by reaching 100,000 feet. Building on lessons from Deneb-1, which reached 47,000 feet, Olivia’s team has refined the design and is preparing for launch by the end of the semester. “We’ve been ironing out all the parameters,” she explains, “and thanks to the support we’ve received from donors and companies, we’re confident Deneb-2 will reach its goal.”

Camaraderie and Real-World Challenges

One of the highlights of Olivia’s experience at Embry‑Riddle is the strong camaraderie that defines the small campus. “The aerospace engineering students in the Design/Build/Fly competitions are some of our biggest supporters,” she notes. “It’s a close-knit environment where everyone’s rooting for each other.” The rivalry between mechanical and aerospace engineering students adds to the fun. “We’re always trying to convince each other to change majors,” she jokes.

Olivia values the real-world experience the RDL provides. “All the parts for our rockets are made in-house,” she says. “From tanks to feed systems, everything is student-made.” Olivia’s love for hands-on engineering is summed up in her favorite description of propulsion work: “It’s controlled combustion, and if you lose control, you’ll find out really quickly.” The access to the lab’s rocket test complex allows Olivia and her team to tackle real engineering problems head-on.

During one of Deneb-2’s static fire tests, the team encountered a combustion chamber burn-through. “It’s an engineering problem we’d never seen before,” she recalls. “Thanks to funding, we could focus on solving it instead of worrying about how to afford replacement parts.”

This level of involvement—designing, building and troubleshooting rockets—has set Olivia up for success in her post-graduation plans. “I’ve learned more through these experiences than I ever expected,” she notes. 

This is what makes Embry‑Riddle unique. We get to work directly with faculty who have industry experience and alumni connections at top aerospace companies. I wouldn't have had these opportunities anywhere else.

Adventures in Namibia: Engineering Meets Conservation

Olivia’s Embry‑Riddle experience has taken her from the roar of rockets to the trumpeting of elephants. As part of a donor-funded wildlife conservation project in Namibia, she worked with a team to design a system that would help deter elephants from trampling crops—a major issue that leads to poaching. “The idea was to create something that could keep the elephants away from farmland without harming them,” she explains. “We ended up using ground vibrations, which the elephants could sense and avoid.”

Olivia recalls her time in the field. “It was incredible to see elephants up close in their natural habitat,” she says. “But what made it even more meaningful was seeing the potential of engineering to create solutions that help both people and wildlife.” The project combined her technical skills with her love for problem-solving, expanding her previous experiences. “It was a real eye-opener—being able to apply what I’ve learned in a completely different context,” she adds.

Olivia Wood and engine.
Olivia Wood is wrapping up her final year in Mechanical Engineering at Embry‑Riddle.
Olivia Wood and her team in Nambia
Olivia Wood and the team she worked with on conservation in Africa.

From Designing Spacesuits to SpaceX

Before securing her first full-time job at SpaceX, Olivia interned with ILC Dover, where she worked on designing space suits. “It was incredible to work on something so tangible for human spaceflight,” she reflects. “That’s when I realized how broad the field of engineering can be.”

Through her work at the RDL, Olivia met Embry‑Riddle graduates who were already working in top aerospace companies, including SpaceX. Those connections helped her land a coveted internship at SpaceX, where she spent a summer working on launch operations engineering. “It was an unforgettable experience, and the Embry‑Riddle network really made a difference in getting my foot in the door,” she says.

Afterburn

Olivia has secured her next big leap—a full-time position at SpaceX, starting right after graduation. “I’ll be working in launch operations engineering, focusing on launch strategy, organizing launch manifests, and managing deadlines,” she explains. Her new role is a perfect fit, building on the skills she honed at the RDL and during her internships.

Whether she’s spearheading a record-breaking rocket project, designing space suits, or working to protect elephants in Namibia, Olivia approaches every challenge with determination and enthusiasm. As she prepares to embark on her new journey at SpaceX, there’s no doubt that she’ll continue reaching new heights—possibly as an astronaut.

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