Our Team — Payton Aerospace Engineering

Why we started

We built what was missing.

Aerospace can feel scary. It sounds like a field you have to already be brilliant to step into, and most students never get the chance to find out that isn't true. At our school, and at most schools around us, there was nothing pointing anyone toward it. No club, no mentors, no first step.

Two of us got that chance anyway. Through UIUC Grainger of Engineering's Illinois Aerospace Institute, we spent a summer building rockets and talking with engineers from companies like Rolls-Royce and SpaceX. Getting that close to people actually doing the work made the field feel possible instead of locked away.

We started this club so the rest of you don't have to get lucky to feel that. We want to put that same access in front of as many students as we can, without anyone needing to already know the right people or the right path to get in.

Founders

Where it started.

Payton Aerospace Engineering was founded by three students who wanted to bring serious aerospace education to Payton, and proved it was possible.

Alexander Ford

Co-Founder

I have loved aviation since I was little. The engineering behind aircraft, how aerodynamic design, power systems, mechanics, and control systems all have to work together to make flight possible, is something I have never stopped finding fascinating. That passion has grown into a deeper interest in aeronautical and astronautical engineering as a whole. At PAE, I spend much of my time building relationships with professors and researchers at top universities, bringing real expertise directly to our members. I also help run our in-person sessions, making sure each meeting gives students something concrete and hands-on to engage with.

Yash Kaushik

Co-Founder

I have always been interested in aerospace engineering because it combines my passion for robotics, computer engineering, and solving complex real-world problems through design and innovation. At PAE, I help run our meetings and organize hands-on projects and challenges that give members real exposure to topics like aircraft design, spacecraft systems, and engineering problem-solving. Getting to build something that brings those fields together, and seeing other students engage with aerospace for the first time, has been one of the most rewarding parts of starting this club.

Siddharth Devarajan

Co-Founder

I've loved aeronautics since I was little, and that early fascination has sharpened into a real passion for systems design, where aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, and flight controls all have to function as one integrated whole. I'm especially drawn to propulsion systems, where the challenge of turning fuel into thrust ties together thermodynamics, aerodynamics, and mechanical design. At PAE, I've been involved in building the connections with professors and researchers that grew into our interview series, Cleared for Takeoff, and help make sure our in-person sessions stay practical and engaging. I plan to study aerospace or mechanical engineering in college.

Board

The people who keep it running.

Our board members handle the day-to-day, planning workshops, coordinating school meetings, and making sure every event runs on time.

Shaan Datta

Treasurer

I have always been interested in engineering because it lets me work hands-on and tackle real-world problems head on. As Treasurer, I handle the financial planning that keeps the club running, making sure resources are in place for workshops, materials, and events throughout the year. Since joining the board, I have helped to plan, organize, and run hands-on projects and challenges, giving others the same kind of experience that drew me to engineering in the first place.

Naihara Rout

Recruitment Lead

I am curious about the laws of the universe and the physics that explain them. I enjoy studying astronomy, astrophysics, and mathematics, and finding connections between theory and computation to understand and better the world around us. At PAE, I focus on recruiting new members and making sure the club stays accessible to any student who wants to get involved, while also helping out with workshops to keep things hands-on and welcoming.

Julian Frasco

Workshop Lead

Aerospace became a recent interest of mine through the rapid development of technology that has made it possible to truly explore the unknown. I find myself drawn to the way engineering and ambition intersect, where the limits of what is possible are constantly being pushed further. As Workshop Lead, I design and organize our in-school workshops, giving members hands-on experience and the initial push they need to become active contributors to the club.

Faculty

Our sponsor.

Every great student organization has a faculty mentor who makes it official. Ours has been with us from the beginning.

Mx. Lee

Faculty Sponsor

Mx. Lee has been a teacher at Walter Payton College Prep since 2017, bringing nearly a decade of experience to their classroom. They teach Computer Science and Calculus, building strong foundations in the subjects that aerospace engineering runs on. They hold a degree in mathematics and have been with us from the start, supporting the club through its founding and making sure it had a real home at Payton.