Biography

Jacob Williams currently works as a Simulation and Analysis Engineer in the Engineering and Sciences Contract Group at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.  A member of the On-Orbit GN&C Section, he is engaged in trajectory design and analysis for the CEV program.

Jacob began at UT in August 2000, and was awarded the Engineering Foundation Endowed Graduate Presidential Scholarship for the 2000-2001 school year. In May 2002, Jacob earned a Master of Science degree in Engineering at UT. His masters research involved the testing of an advanced GPS receiver developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A Research Assistant at the UT Center for Space Research, he has conducted hardware testing and data analysis for two CSR-managed spacecraft missions: the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE).  He was a NASA Earth System Science Graduate Student Fellowship recipient for the 2003-2004 academic year. Under this grant, he conducted research on earth science applications of the Global Positioning System, in addition to performing testing and flight validation for the GPS receiver on the TerraSAR-X spacecraft (due to launch in October 2006).

Jacob is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the American Astronautical Society, and the Institute of Navigation. He is also a member of engineering honor societies Tau Beta Pi (served as Recording Secretary of Florida Alpha Chapter) and Sigma Gamma Tau (served as Vice President of UF Chapter).

Before attending UT-Austin, Jacob attended the University of Florida. In May 2000 he graduated with Highest Honors with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. Jacob is originally from Apalachicola, Florida (population 2,334). In his spare time, he enjoys woodworking, skeet shooting, and visiting the homes of historical personages.