University of Cincinnati
01/14/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/14/2026 13:15
From flight test to national defense
From flight test to national defense
UC aerospace engineering student talks about her internship with Northrop Grumman
2 minute read January 14, 2026 Share on facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print StoryLike
The Ohio Federal Research Network highlighted a University of Cincinnati graduate who is now working for Northrop Grumman.
UC College of Engineering and Applied Science graduate Rebecca Gilligan received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in aerospace engineering through UC's Accelerated Engineering Degree program in which students can earn multiple degrees simultaneously.
UC graduate Rebecca Gilligan. Photo/Provided
At UC, Gilligan worked in the UAV Master Lab under Professor Kelly Cohen.
"Rebecca consistently approached research with an engineer's mindset - focused on validation, robustness and real-world performance," Cohen told the Ohio Federal Research Network.
The network fosters research collaborations between Ohio universities and industry and government partners on projects in technology, aerospace, defense, energy and health.
Gilligan graduated in 2023. Now she has an internship with aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman. She told the Ohio Federal Research Network that her work with autonomous systems at UC prepared her to contribute to research and development in industry.
"The flight test and data analysis experience was incredibly valuable," she said. "A lot of times what you learn in school isn't really applied, and my research experience eased the transition to industry."
Gilligan was a 2023 recipient of UC's Presidential Leadership Medal of Student Excellence.
Like many of her classmates, Gilligan presented her research at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics SciTech conference, the largest aerospace conference in the world. This year's conference is taking place this week in Orlando, Fla.
Her advice to other students: "Attend conferences. Present your work. Build a network."
Read the Ohio Federal Research Network story.
Featured image at top: A drone flies over UC's Uptown campus. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC
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