Dr. Brandon (“BT”) Cesul is profiled in this issue of AFIT Alumni Highlights.

Dr. Cesul is a Space Systems Engineer and Defense Intelligence Analyst. He received his PhD in Astronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology in 2012. He decided to join the military while finishing his master’s program at a civilian institution. It was during this time when he witnessed 9/11 on his television screen. This inspired him to use his skills to serve the United States. Dr. Cesul is one of the initial technical fellows for KBR, Inc., and is now a Senior Capture Manager for Umbra, a commercial SAR Satellite Company. He is also the owner of his own consulting firm and a partner with Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy.

AFIT gave Dr. Cesul the opportunity to pursue the highest academic degree in an environment that supported research in a national security relevant environment. During this time, he was able to continue serving his country as a civilian intelligence analyst on base. He would not have met his career goals without the flexibility and pragmatism that AFIT provided. Dr. Cesul’s favorite moments at AFIT were meetings with his advisor, Dr. Shankar Mall, going over his research results.

When asked what advice he would give to those entering the military, Dr. Cesul writes, “As an Air Force Civil Servant, I believe this career provided me the opportunity to contribute in real ways to my nation’s defense since I was not able to serve in uniform.” Thank you, Dr. Cesul!