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Holding a deep-rooted interest in innovation and the fields of engineering and aerospace, Aerospace Engineering senior Ryan Mangra (’26) knew that he wanted to attend a university that prioritized STEM discovery and community.

“I chose Embry‑Riddle for its unique campus culture, seeing that it provided a sense of acceptance, camaraderie and family,” he said. “I found the size of the student population to be the largest driver in this atmosphere alongside the approachable nature of many professors who prioritize student success rather than purely focusing on their research.”

Ryan has also helped build this welcoming community through his interest in comedic video content creation, which he began while a student at Embry‑Riddle's Daytona Beach, Florida, campus.

“One of the most important things I have learned from this experience is that you never truly know how much you impact the people around you,” he shared. “I’ve had a few first-year students come to me and say the videos my team and I make were one of the main reasons they were excited to choose Embry‑Riddle. Being able to give back to the Embry‑Riddle community has been one of my greatest accomplishments, and I look forward to spreading that joy for years to come.” 

Blending Comedy with Engineering

After looking into a few engineering clubs on campus, Ryan decided he wanted to take a different approach to student involvement, forming an off-campus group called the Smooth Brain Club (SBC), which combines his love for spreading joy with his interest in engineering.

“During my time at Embry‑Riddle, SBC has managed the ‘Lloyd’ brand, producing comedic content and activities surrounding a small Radio-Controlled F-16 with its own odd personality,” he said. “SBC is also currently in the process of developing a small-scale 3D printed UAV, aimed at developing the aeronautical and structural design skills of the team.”

Throughout the years, SBC has provided Ryan with a tight-knit community and helped him develop key skills.

“The club has enhanced my understanding of concepts in many areas of my degree program and life, such as group dynamics, leadership, systems integration, project engineering and engineering design,” he said.

Marketing for Research

Drawing on his skills and experience with content creation, Ryan identified a gap in the amount of awareness brought to research projects, especially those that could have significant impacts on the scientific and technological communities.

“I realized that a key issue with research is creating awareness about its significance and possible applications,” he said. “I was able to take my experience and resources from my other content creation efforts and apply them to the unique activities in the Mach Flow Lab.”

“Specifically, I worked with the head of the Mach Flow Lab, Dr. Singh, to design a new logo for the group, creating a vibrant yet refined look for the lab. I have also continued to work with Dr. Singh on video content concepts to help communicate the team’s mission and activities to a wider audience on social media.”

Through Ryan’s experience communicating diverse topics to unique audiences, he has learned the importance of building brand awareness and authenticity.

“Many times, engineers can get so fixated on the technical aspects of a product that they forget a product’s success also lies in its ability to serve a customer,” he explained. “Working in a communications role onboard a research team has helped me realize research is only truly effective if it is clearly communicated, and I hope future undergraduate students will join groups such as the Mach Flow Lab to learn this as well.”

Defense Innovation

In Ryan’s Aerospace Engineering Preliminary Design Course, he and a group of five other students were tasked with designing a stratospheric uncrewed aircraft capable of stratospheric station keeping, or hovering in place, for up to a week.

At the end of the semester, Ryan and other students opted to continue developing the project into a prototype, funded by the Defense Innovation Unit's Defense Innovation Summer Fellowship - Commercialization Pathway (DIU DISF-C).

“Through the funding of the DIU DISF-C program, two prototypes for key subsystems onboard the aircraft were selected to be developed during the summer fellowship,” he said.

“Primarily, I worked on the Helmsman Starlink UAV. My main role was as the integration engineer, where I managed product integration and team management to ensure resources were being used efficiently, economically and effectively to have the aircraft ready for demonstration. Additionally, I worked in the technical areas of assembling the testing aircraft, integrating power subsystems for components and flying the aircraft.”

Through the fellowship, Ryan learned the importance of teamwork, management skills and planning.

“Accounting for the different work styles of each member and the technical complexity of each subsystem prototype development, I was able to talk with the team and devise a Gantt Chart that planned for each subsystem to be completed before the end of the summer,” he said.

“I look back at this experience as a very impactful moment in my life and a testament to my resilience for challenges yet to come.”

Continuing to the Future

At Embry‑Riddle, Ryan has felt true connections and a place where he can foster development in both his personal and professional goals.

“Ultimately, my academic success is not only just mine but also the result of the dedication and support of all the friends, teachers and family who have helped me make it this far,” he shared. “I firmly believe this support network is the most important thing that has led to my success.”

After graduation, Ryan plans to stay at Embry‑Riddle to pursue a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering and will continue posting on the SBC account, bringing joy to other students and aviation enthusiasts.

“My best advice for current students, and especially future students, is to form a good support network,” he said. “Your intelligence, work ethic and study habits will help define your success, but they are only effective tools if you have the right people around you to help sharpen those skills and push you to apply them.”