Space Conference Speaker

Maryann Benny Fernandes is a third-year Ph.D. student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University, advised by Prof. Daniel Scolnic. Her research lies at the intersection of engineering, astronomy, and data science, focusing on planetary defense and protecting the night sky. She studies orbit determination, impact probability, and risk prediction of near-Earth objects using ground-based observations, and investigates the effects of satellite light pollution on detection and tracking, and solar sails as potential deflection methods. She co-leads a Duke Bass Connections project integrating asteroid science with law and policy. Her research is featured in Universe Today and Phys.org. She received the Sigma Xi Top Graduate Student Research Award (2025) and was a finalist for the Schweickart Prize. She is a member of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Solar System Science Collaboration.