About
About
I am Andrew J. Rollins, an aerospace engineering and applied mathematics student at the Illinois Institute of Technology and a U.S. Navy Reserve Midshipman preparing to commission as a Surface Warfare Officer (Nuclear). My work is grounded in fluid dynamics, controls, and applied mathematical analysis, with research interests in spacecraft control dynamics, autonomous mission systems, and propulsion-relevant fluid behavior for space exploration and astronautical applications.
I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering with research focused on space controls and fluid dynamics, alongside dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mathematics. My broader technical trajectory is oriented toward nuclear operations, space systems engineering, autonomous platforms, and mission-critical engineering problems at the intersection of national security, maritime operations, and human space exploration.
In parallel with my academic work, I serve as a Midshipman in Naval ROTC, preparing to commission as an officer in the United States Navy. This experience has developed my ability to operate in structured, high-accountability environments and to lead within teams focused on performance, discipline, and mission execution.
I have held leadership roles within both academic and extracurricular organizations, emphasizing organization, accountability, and execution. Additionally, I am the founder of Rollins Engineering Solutions (RES), a non-proft initiative designed to provide structured, project-based engineering experience to students through collaborative, research-driven work. Through RES, I have worked to build systems for project management, technical development, and professional growth across a distributed team.
My current research examines the dynamics and control of unmanned underwater vehicles, with an emphasis on how surrounding fluid-field behavior influences vehicle response, stability, and controller performance. Paper I of my thesis collection develops the foundation for this work by modeling a one-dimensional UUV system and studying the interaction between vehicle motion, drag forces, buoyancy, thrust input, and control behavior. This research serves as an entry point into a broader investigation of fluid-aware autonomous control, where propulsion-relevant flow effects and nonlinear vehicle dynamics are incorporated into the design and optimization of controllers for unmanned systems. The project is intended to bridge fluid dynamics, controls theory, simulation, and defense-relevant autonomy, with future applications extending toward maritime robotics, autonomous mission systems, and space systems engineering.
My professional intent is to develop into a technically rigorous naval officer, space systems engineer, and researcher capable of contributing to complex engineering problems at the intersection of national security, autonomous systems, and human space exploration. In the near term, I am preparing to commission as a Surface Warfare Officer (Nuclear), where I intend to build operational expertise in high-consequence engineering systems, shipboard leadership, and naval nuclear operations. Academically, I aim to continue developing my foundation in fluid dynamics, controls, applied mathematics, and space systems engineering through research on unmanned underwater vehicles, fluid-aware control, and autonomous mission systems. Long term, I intend to transition this operational and technical experience toward Navy space operations, SPACECOM service, NASA mission systems engineering, and doctoral research in aerospace, astronautics, or space systems engineering, with the goal of contributing to future exploration architectures and supporting astronautical endeavors.