About Me

I’m a Postdoctoral Associate in the Strategic Space Sensing Group at the University of Maryland, Department of Aerospace Engineering. My research interests include near-Earth asteroid detection, space-based telescopes, small satellites, and interstellar objects.

I received my B.A. in Physics from the University of Chicago in 2020, my M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT in 2022, and my PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT in 2026. My doctoral dissertation was titled “NEOs from GEO: A Planetary Defense Mission Concept for Follow-Up Observations of Near-Earth Objects from Geostationary Orbit”.

My extracurricular interests include disability accessibility, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and STEM education outreach! I also enjoy skiing, hiking, rock climbing, reading, learning American Sign Language (ASL), and painting.

Please feel free to email me at sophiakv {at} mit {dot} edu, I’m happy to connect!