Ben Eichholz is a Ph.D. student in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UC Davis and a member of the BXS Lab. His research focuses on building communication and decision-support systems to help astronauts operate more independently as missions move farther from Earth. He’s particularly interested in improving performance, decision-making, and safety in high-stress environments. At UC Davis, Ben has also worked with Professor Robinson’s HRVIP Lab. Before coming to Davis, he earned his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from North Dakota State University, where he worked on a mix of projects ranging from cardiovascular fluid dynamics to CubeSats and 3D printing efforts supported by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His contributions have resulted in several publications across these research areas. He’s also spent time in industry as a mechanical engineer working for various aerospace and robotics companies. Outside the lab, you’ll usually find him up in the mountains around Lake Tahoe year-round, enjoying a variety of outdoor hobbies.