Julian Louis Ruocco

Pennsylvania State University

Aug 2023 – present

Aerospace Engineering BS, ELD Minor, Space Systems Engineering Cert.

• 3.6 GPA
• Deans List
• Student Space Programs Laboratory
• AIAA

Genesis AEC

Apr 2023 – Jul 2023

Intern at Genesis AEC

• Developed Autocad Skills, reviewing and updating markups for Senior Engineers designing process utilities schematics for pharmaceutical production facilities.
• Learned about the roles and responsibilities of engineers in large, client-focused organizations and the foundational aspects of project management and ownership.
• Participated in staff meetings to get an understanding of how work-teams collaborate and manage critical projects.

Student Space Programs Laboratory.

August 2025 - Present

Laboratory Lead

• Collaborate with other leaders in the club to plan meetings, do student outreach, run the student training program, and coordinate with our faculty advisor.
Lead and organize a team of 20 student engineers for NASA's LunaRecycle Challenge (Phase 2), setting weekly deliverables and directing project development.
• Create a high-level SolidWorks schematic for a microwave plastic pyrolysis system designed for operation on the lunar surface.
• Fabricate a proof-of-concept system capable of performing microwave plastic pyrolysis.

Jan 2025 - May 2025

Sub Team Lead of Reserach

• Directed the research team for NASA's LunaRecycle Challenge (Phase 1), authoring key proposal sections on system design, concept of operations, and future planning.
• Performed adjustments to prevent microwave leakage and reduce reflected microwaves.
• Created a MATLAB model for heat transfer within the system to gauge system temperature over time.

Aug 2023 - December 2024

Member

• Created internal payload with Arduino. Developed schematic in KiCad, utilizing several sensors and a TEENSY 4.1 micro controller. Assembled and tested system on site. Completed mission plan of detecting pollutants in atmosphere and gathering telemetry data. Learned Systems Engineering principles and attended meetings learning fundaments in STK and Astronautics.

<

Microwave Systems Research

May 2025 – August 2025

Undergraduate Researcher

• Conducted a comprehensive literature review on microwave plastic pyrolysis systems to inform the development of a novel technical proposal.
• Created SolidWorks schematic of a microwave plastic pyrolysis system.
• Developed a comprehensive technical proposal for a microwave plastic pyrolysis system aimed at maximizing methane (CH4) generation. The proposal detailed subsystem architecture, end-to-end process workflows, novel catalyst selections, and complete KiCad schematics for integrated sensor monitoring.
• Supported a graduate student by collecting data for plasma torch regolith processing tests.
• The report, schematic, and presentation can be viewed in the projects section.

Languages and Design Software