Jeremy W. Hopwood
Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering
Mississippi State University
Welcome
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Mississippi State University, where I direct the Performance-Assured Control and Estimation (PACE) Lab. Our research focuses on dynamics, control, and state estimation for nonlinear systems with a particular focus on aerospace vehicles. We focus on systems operating in uncertain environments and regimes where linear approximations fail. A central theme in our work is leveraging the mathematical structure of a dynamical system to obtain tractable solutions to hard engineering problems.
Research
The mission of the PACE Lab is to advance autonomy through provably-effective control and estimation strategies for nonlinear systems operating in uncertain environments.
Our work focuses on:
- Nonlinear observers with deterministic and stochastic stability guarantees
- System identification of UAVs across large operating envelopes
- Wind and disturbance estimation for safe flight in turbulence
- Robust and nonlinear control of aircraft in off-nominal conditions
Future work the PACE Lab will expand these foundations by advancing stochastic extensions of nonlinear control and observer design, developing new methods for mitigating modeling errors and disturbance rejection, and strengthening aerospace-focused modeling and estimation techniques to ensure safety and autonomy in uncertain environments.
Teaching
At Mississippi State, I teach courses in flight dynamics & control, including advanced topics in nonlinear control & estimation theory. My teaching philosophy emphasizes linking fundamental principles with hands-on applications, preparing students to innovate in both industry and research.
Publications
A complete list of my publications is available here. Selected topics include:
- Nonlinear observer theory
- Wind estimation for aircraft maneuvering in turbulence
- System identification techniques for next-generation aircraft
The PACE Lab
The Performance-Assured Control and Estimation (PACE) Lab is growing!
We aim to create a collaborative environment where students combine theory and application to advance autonomy. If you are interested in joining as a graduate student, please check the Research and Publication pages and reach out.