معرفی
Bhanu Kumar is a James Van Loo Postdoctoral Fellow and Assistant Professor (fixed-term) in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on applying dynamical systems theory and symplectic geometry to celestial mechanics and space mission design. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Georgia Institute of Technology (2022) and dual B.S. degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mathematics (2015), as well as an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering (2021). Prior to his current position, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Heidelberg University and an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Education:
- B.S. Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Tech (2015)
- B.S. Applied Mathematics, Georgia Tech (2015)
- M.S. Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Tech (2021)
- Ph.D. Mathematics, Georgia Tech (2022)
Research Interests: Bhanu’s work centers on leveraging geometric structures (e.g., periodic orbits, invariant tori) to design efficient space missions. His current projects include tour design in multi-moon systems and cislunar space using mean motion resonances. He develops computational methods for analyzing resonance-induced dynamics and transfers between celestial bodies.
Selected Awards:
- NSF Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
- NASA NSTRF Fellowship
Advising and Collaborations: Bhanu has collaborated with researchers at JPL and Heidelberg University on projects funded by AFOSR and NASA. His work bridges theoretical mathematics with practical applications in astrodynamics, emphasizing computational tools for mission design.
Labs and Teams: Active in the Mission Design and Navigation (MDNav) Section at JPL and the Geometry + Dynamics research group at Heidelberg University.
