Dr. David Powell

Biography

David Powell is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University, with an extensive background in mechanical engineering and aeronautics. He earned his B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1960 and both his M.S. and Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University in 1966 and 1970, respectively. Powell has held various engineering roles throughout his career at renowned companies such as Outboard Marine Corp. and Lockheed, where he specialized in systems control and aerospace guidance. He joined the Stanford faculty in 1971, where he contributed to research fields such as spacecraft pointing, flight control systems, and GPS-based attitude determination systems. Over the years, he has authored and co-authored around 100 papers and several leading control textbooks. Since becoming Emeritus in 1998, he continues to engage in research and has been involved in professional organizations including AIAA and ASME, holding fellow statuses. His consultancy roles have seen him working with companies like Seagull Technology and Pratt & Whitney.

Research Interests

Courses