Fully Funded PhD Positions in Trustworthy Aerospace Autonomy at Oklahoma State University–Tulsa
Spring 2027 PhD openings in trustworthy aerospace autonomy at Oklahoma State University–Tulsa.
Boris Benedikter (Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering) is recruiting multiple fully funded PhD students to join a new research group in the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Oklahoma State University.
The group works at the intersection of
optimal control
,
machine learning
, and
autonomous aerospace systems
. Research themes include optimal and uncertainty-aware guidance and control, trajectory optimization, model predictive control, stochastic optimal control, covariance control, chance-constrained planning, risk-aware guidance, reinforcement-learning-enhanced MPC, physics-informed neural networks, imitation learning, safe learning, transfer/meta-learning, formal verification, runtime assurance, and experimental validation on real hardware.
Planned experimental platforms include autonomous UAVs, indoor motion-capture and outdoor flight testing, hardware-in-the-loop validation, and a spacecraft test platform for studying rendezvous, proximity operations, docking, formation flight, and on-orbit servicing. Students may contribute across theory, algorithms, simulation, hardware, and flight/experimental validation.
The positions are based at
OSU-Tulsa
in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and are intended for students with strong quantitative and technical preparation. Relevant backgrounds include aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical/computer engineering, robotics, computer science, applied mathematics, controls, optimization, and related fields. An M.S. is preferred but not required. Strong bachelor’s-level applicants with relevant research or technical experience are also encouraged.
Funding is fully covered through graduate teaching and/or research assistantships, with a
$2,300/month stipend before taxes
,
full tuition waiver
, and subsidized graduate-assistant health insurance.
Interested applicants should first submit the interest form with a CV/resumé and short cover letter. If there is a good fit, the professor will arrange an informal research conversation and then help guide the applicant through the formal OSU PhD application. International students should plan ahead for English-proficiency documentation and contact the professor a few weeks before the formal deadline.
Formal OSU application deadline for international students: October 1, 2026.
Spring 2027 positions start in January 2027.
