Rocket Scientist, Sr. Vice President
University of Southern California

Dr. Sengupta is an aerospace engineer, rocket scientist, pilot, and veteran of the space program. She worked for NASA for 16 years where her engineering projects included her Ph.D. research on developing the ion propulsion system for the Dawn Mission (currently in the main asteroid belt), the supersonic parachute that landed the Curiosity rover on Mars, and the Cold Atom Laboratory an atomic physics facility now on board the International Space Station.

After leaving NASA she led the development of the hyperloop as senior vice president of engineering systems at Virgin Hyperloop, a technology that can enable ground-based travel in excess of airline speed.

Her current engineering adventure is designing electrified autonomous VTOL air taxis for urban aerial transport, as Chief Product Officer and Vice President of Business Development at Airspace Experience Technologies. As an engineering savvy executive and pilot, she is now leading the mobility solutions for smart cities by eliminating congestion and reducing the carbon footprint of air travel.

Dr. Sengupta received her MS and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California, where she is also a Research Associate Professor of Astronautics and Space Technology specializing in interplanetary entry system and green transportation technology.

In her spare time, she is an avid pilot, motorcyclist, scuba diver, snowboarder, hiker, long-distance runner, and Sci-Fi fan.