Massachusetts Institute of Technology, PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics (Current)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Masters in Aeronautics and Astronautics
University of Tulsa, B.S. Physics, B.S. Applied Mathematics, 2022
Education
NASA Kennedy Space Center, Visiting Researcher (Summer 2024) - Utilized chemical diagnostic suite to test and develop an NRP-DBD plasma reactor prototype and contribute to ongoing efforts in developing a plasma catalytic reactor for spacecraft atmospheric revitalization under a NASA Space Act Agreement. (In the fields of Plasma Physics, Space Technology)
MIT Masters Thesis (2022-2024), “Plasma-based CO2 Conversion for Mars ISRU” - Developed a 0D chemical kinetic model that predicts the performance of a plasma CO2 conversion reactor for Mars in-situ resource utilization, where particular emphasis is placed on informing future designs with flight readiness criteria in mind. (In the fields of Plasma Physics, Space Technology)
MARTEMIS — NASA RASC-AL (2023-2024) - Lead System Architect for a large, but demonstrably affordable multi-mission architecture that supports a series of long-duration human missions on the Moon designed as “analogs” to robustly mitigate the risk of human missions to Mars. (In the fields of Systems Engineering, Space Mission Architecture)
PALE RED DOT — NASA RASC-AL (2022-2023) - A two-village, 32-crew mission architecture for 10 years of continuous habitation on Mars with limited resupply, enabled by bioregenerative life-support and food production, and an industrial ecosystem with manufacturing capabilities from local resources. Lanie’s contributions include the evaluation and selection of chemical conversion technologies for life-support and the industrial ecosystem as well as the design of Mars-manufacturable life-support components. Several relevant publications are below. (In the fields of Systems Engineering, Space Mission Architecture)
Senior Thesis (2022) - Determining conditions and allowed values of scattering lengths for having bound states in a universe with arbitrary (fractional) dimensions using a shape-independent regularized pseudopotential for two cold atoms in a harmonic trap. This thesis resulted in a publication listed below. (In the field of atomic, molecular, and optical physics)
CU Boulder Research Experience for Undergraduates (2021) - Investigated electrostatic dust charging, caused by incident, low-density, non-thermal plasma, at variable pressures using plasma diagnostics, in order to simulate dust effects on airless planetary bodies and explore semiconductor manufacturing applications. (In the field of Plasma Physics)
Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge (2019) - Investigated the material properties of perovskite CsSnI3 for solar cell applications. This research resulted in a publication that is listed below. (In the field of condensed matter physics)
Research & Projects
Selected Publications
“Leveraging Economies of Scale and Gains from Specialization for Robust Crewed Mars Architectures.” G. Lordos, M. Hoying, L. McKinney, O. de Weck, and J. A. Hoffman. IEEE Aerospace 2024.
"A Numerical Model for Plasma Reactor Design: Application to CO2 Conversion for Mars In-Situ Resource Utilization." L. McKinney, T. Silva, V. Guerra, and C. Guerra-Garcia. AIAA SCITECH 2024.
"Pale Red Dot: a Large, Robust Architecture for Human Settlements on Mars." V. M. O'Leary, G. Lordos, M. Hoying, Y. AlSadah, L. Arias, I. Arzuaga Garcia, H Azzouz, J. Beilstein, W. L. Chan, E. Eyre, D. Gleason, M. Ikinci, D. Krishnan, Y. Lin, E. Martin, L. McKinney, D. Miller, C. O'Neill, O. Orozco, P. Patel, E. Romero, F. Sepulveda, D. Villegas, A. N. Webb, K. Latyshev, C. Gentgen, A. Lordos, O. De Weck and J. A. Hoffman. AIAA ASCEND 2023.
“MARTEMIS: Mars Architecture Research using Taguchi Experiments on the Moon with International Solidarity.” L. McKinney, P.B. Patel, M. Johnson, et al. International Astronautical Congress 2024, IAC–24–B3.8.10x84235.
“Conditions for bound states of the pseudopotential with harmonic confinement in arbitrary dimensions.” L. McKinney and B. A. McKinney 2023 Phys. Scr. 98 015404.
“First-principles investigation of stable lead-free halide perovskite materials CsSnClxBryI3−x−y for solar cell applications.” Y. Li, L. McKinney, Y. He, S.-Y Liu, & S. Wang (2023). J. of Phys: Condensed Matter, 35(43), 435501.
“Plasma Chemical Conversion and Resource Generation Beyond Low-Earth Orbit.” L. McKinney, R. Pitts, K. Engeling, & C. Guerra-Garcia. 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2024, IAC–24–D3.IP.18x84293.
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, Plasma Physics - 2022
International Astronautical Conference, Student Presenter Travel Award, NASA O-STEM, 2024
Gaseous Electronics Conference, Student Presenter Travel Award, 2024
Best Conference Paper Award, Track 13, IEEE Aerospace, 2024
1st Place at NASA RASC-AL Competition, PALE RED DOT, 2023
Ralph Veatch Award, University of Tulsa Mathematics Department, 2022
Sigma Pi Sigma, Physics Honor Society Member, 2022
Honors Graduate, University of Tulsa, 2022
University of Tulsa Presidential Scholar, 2018-2022
Outstanding Scholar, TU Panhellenic Council - 2022
Mortar Board, Honor Society Member, 2021
Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge Scholar - 2019, 2020
University of Tulsa Top 10 Freshman, 2019
Phi Eta Sigma, Honor Society Member, 2019
Rising Leader Award, Panhellenic Council, 2019
Awards & Honors
I’ve worked with varied electrical systems, power supplies, tools, and diagnostics to create and measure Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas and Low-pressure Dusty Plasmas including:
High-voltage pulsed power systems
Pulsed power electrical measurements
Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jets
Dielectric Barrier Discharges
Optical Emission Spectroscopy
Mass Spectrometry
Gas Chromatography
Vacuum and high pressure gas systesms
Langmuir, Emissive Probes
Iron Soldering and Spot Welding
MIT Makerworkshop Mentor
Machining (MachineShop Technology Class Graduate, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2021)
Laboratory Skills
Numerical Methods for ordinary and partial differential equations
0D plasma chemical kinetic modeling
Languages: Julia, Python, MATLAB, Java, R, Fortran, C#, Mathematica, Linux
Packages & Programs: ZDPlasKin (Plasma Chemical Kinetics), ChemKin, VASP (Density Functional Theory), LabVIEW, OriginLab
Computational Skills
Charitable Organizations
Tulsa Girls Math Circle, Math Mentor (2018- 2022) - Encouraged and mentored middle-school girls in math and STEM through weekly meetings focused on solving interesting math problems.
Tulsa STEM Alliance (2020-2022) -
Assembled 100 experiment-at-home kits for Tulsa Public School students during the pandemic
Served as SEAPERCH science fair judge for middle school-aged students
Space Week volunteer
Northwest Tulsa Hub, Math Tutor (2020) – Assisted with distance learning outcomes in math by providing tutoring to Tulsa Public Schools students.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Vice President, MIT-Sloan Space Industry Club (2024- current)
Space Resources Workshop Project Leader (2023-current)
Graduate Resident Assistant, MacGregor House (2024- current)
Makerworkshop Machineshop Mentor (2024- current)
University of Tulsa
Physics Department
Society of Women in Physics, Founder & President, (2019-2021)
General Physics 1, Teaching Assistant (2021)
Society of Physics Students, Treasurer (2019-2021)
TU Physics Journal Club Organizer & Presenter (2018-2022)
Student Government Association
Student Body Vice President, Executive Committee (2021-2022)
Secretary, Executive Committee (2019-2020)
Senator, Engineering & Natural Sciences (2018-2019, 2020-2021)
Orientation Leader, University of Tulsa (2019 – 2022)