Suffolk, VA, (January 4, 2025) – The Old Dominion University (ODU) Virginia Institute for Spaceflight & Autonomy (VISA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Thomas E. Alberts as Deputy Director. Dr. Alberts brings a wealth of experience in mechanical and aerospace engineering, with current research primarily focused on Uncrewed Aerial Systems.

“I am excited and honored to join VISA and contribute to its mission of driving innovation in spaceflight and autonomy,” said Dr. Alberts. “I look forward to collaborating with the talented team here to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in these fields and to help shape the future of technology.”

Dr. Alberts is a full professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at ODU, and the Interim Director of the Institute for Autonomous and Connected Systems. He earned a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering with a specialization in dynamics and controls, vibrations, and robotics from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1986, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1983, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1982.

Dr. Alberts has performed funded research and published in several applied research areas including magnetically levitated transportation systems, robotics, smart structures, active noise control, internal combustion engine control, sensor design, spacecraft control, flight control, and active and passive control of flexible structures. He is the author of numerous journal and conference publications, editor of several conference proceedings and holds a U.S. patent related to passive damping. Dr. Alberts is involved in a project to measure big (70 foot +) waves for surfing and was sponsored by Red Bull to test it in Nazare, Portugal. The project is expected to be featured in the third season of the HBO special 100 Foot Wave.

He has served as chair of the ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Division Education and Aerospace panels, and as an Associate Editor of the ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement and Control. He has performed funded research for a variety of agencies, including FTA, FRA, DARPA, ONR, NASA, NSF, The U.S. Air Force, Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), Britain’s SERC, and industry.

“Dr. Alberts’ extensive expertise in aerospace engineering and uncrewed systems, demonstrated leadership and research experience make him an outstanding addition to our team. I am confident that his participation in the organization will enable impactful collaborations and further VISA as a leader in spaceflight and autonomous systems R&D,” said Dr. Yiannis Papelis, Executive Director of VISA.

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About VISA: The Virginia Institute for Spaceflight and Autonomy (VISA) is chartered to grow the entrepreneurial ecosystems for space flight and autonomy. The Institute is the hub to leverage Virginia’s world-class assets in space launch, autonomous systems, modeling and simulation and data science to solve real-world problems. Through industry, academic and governmental agency partnerships, VISA’s vision is to create an environment of research, technology, commercialization, and educational opportunities to grow the spaceflight and autonomous systems industry.