Ava Berios is a Physics and Engineering major at Loyola University Chicago with a minor in Mathematics and a focus on optical instrumentation. Her participation in the L’SPACE Mission Concept Academy as a Project Manager inspired her to pursue a mentorship role for other students through the LEAP program, where she hopes to motivate students to excel in the MCA.

Through her experience in the MCA, she developed a strong foundation in systems engineering principles and collaborative problem-solving. Managing a team through a rigorous mission design cycle gave her firsthand insight into how technical documentation and effective group dynamics intersect. She is excited to support the next cohort through LEAP and inspire students the same way her mentor inspired her.

In her free time, Ava enjoys building models and researching dinosaurs. She has a strong passion for optics and astrophysics and spends much of her time researching topics and events to teach other students and foster similar curiosities. As a research fellow for the Center for Space Nuclear Research, she looks forward to further developing her career in optical design and instrumentation by contributing to advanced mission concepts and space exploration technology that support the next generation of space science missions.