Christopher Arauzo Receives Isakowitz Aerospace Fellowship

Feb. 13, 2024 - Mechanical engineering senior Christopher Arauzo has been given the prestigious Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship for 2024. Only 31 university students were chosen in the nation for this program, which seeks to inspire the next generation of commercial spaceflight leaders. 

As part of the fellowship, Arauzo will receive a paid aerothermal engineering internship with ABL Space Systems, a one-on-one mentorship with a space industry leader and the opportunity to attend a summit with top industry leaders.

At UCI, Arauzo has been the chief mechanical and aerospace engineer with the Spacecraft Thermal Management System project, a member of the UCI Rocket Project’s liquid propulsion team and a mentor for MAES: Latinos in Science and Engineering.

That’s in addition to his thermal engineering internships which include stints at Millenium Space Systems, Vast Space and Boeing. To students interested in internships, Arauzo offers this tip: “Get engaged with a research project or senior design project as soon as possible. Don’t be afraid to apply as a freshman as people like those who can stay on and become a leader.”

He started as early as high school when he helped fix a broken heat exchanger as an intern at the Marathon Refinery Corporation, an experience that inspired his current career path. "Thermal engineering fascinates me because it's relevant enough to our everyday lives whether it's air conditioning or cooking, but also contains interesting problems regarding heat transfer, thermodynamics, and fluid mechanics,” said Arauzo. “Mastering this topic could drive innovation in aerospace, energy production, and electronics cooling.” 

Arauzo is the third UCI student to be chosen as a Matthew Isakowitz Fellow since the program began seven years ago.  Alessandro Verniani ’21, B.S., a fellow in 2022, is now a spacecraft operations engineer working on what he describes as "a ton of exciting stuff" at Rocket Lab. “I still treasure the friendships and connections I made at UCI,” Verniani says. “I’m grateful for the mentorship and opportunities I received as a first-generation college student.”

Also a first-gen student, Amy Huynh ’21, B.S., was as a fellow in 2020 and went on to become an operations system engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She is now finishing her dual master’s at MIT in the Technology and Policy Program and aeronautics and astronautics.

As for Arauzo, he plans to get a master’s degree and then work in NewSpace where he looks forward to solving thermal challenges.  “There are so many technological challenges to explore when designing spacecraft,” he said. “Whether it's rockets or satellites, they won't function properly without the right materials or thermal management systems!”

- Natalie Tso