NASA’s senior technical executive for space electrical/power systems has come to UCF, bringing unparalleled expertise and a powerful vision for the engineers and researchers of SpaceU. The college’s first-ever professor of practice, three-time Knight Christopher Iannello ’94 ’99MS ’01PhD, has joined the UCF Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering with a bold mission: to advance space exploration and, in the process, position UCF at the vanguard of space electrical systems.
Iannello, a Melbourne native, first knew he wanted to become an engineer in high school. His dad worked at nearby Patrick Air Force Base in logistics supply, while his mom owned a residential construction business. He says although his parents didn’t finish college, they worked hard to send their sons to a university and were very hands-on.
“We fixed and repaired far more than we bought new, and I worked both at home and in my parents’ businesses,” he says. “By 10th grade, I knew I wanted to be an engineer.”
What he didn’t know was that he would eventually become NASA’s longest-tenured fellow for electrical and power systems, thanks to a serendipitous happenstance at Publix. Iannello bagged groceries in high school, back when the standard uniform was a collared white shirt and tie. A group of his classmates headed to NASA for interviews stopped by so friends could wish them good luck. One student had dropped out unexpectedly, leaving an unclaimed seat in the car.
“I wondered if NASA would even let me interview in his place,” he says. “I didn’t have a suit, but I figured my work uniform was close enough. I filled out the paper application, promised to send transcripts, and during the interview I made the panel laugh. To my surprise, I got the job over my peers!”
This unlikely scenario that Iannello calls a “fluke” was the start of a storied 36-year career with NASA. Working for the space agency paid for much of his undergraduate education, and he was also offered the NASA Graduate Fellowship. He chose to pursue his graduate education at UCF to work with his advisor, Pegasus Professor Issa Batarseh, and his research group, where he also served as both a graduate teaching assistant and graduate research assistant for three years while he pursued his graduate degrees.
“To this day, former students from that time approach me at space forums, and their words of thanks make teaching the next generation some of my proudest accomplishments,” he says.
Iannello has several fond memories from his time at NASA, but the standout moments occurred when he and his team were able to salvage a mission. Resolving issues like battery charge and discharge unit failures at the International Space Station; Artemis I power flight anomalies; shuttle engine cut-off sensor anomalies; the Europa Clipper solar array regulation refinements and its metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, or MOSFET, radiation hardness issues; and Orion digital motor control latent damage are just a few of the instances where he’s had the opportunity to make a meaningful impact for the space agency.
“Another highlight was collaborating with commercial space partners,” he says. “I had a seat at the table during the design of Crew Dragon and the electrical system redesign of Falcon 9. I also consulted with commercial partners on their design weaknesses and redesigns to address them.”
He adds that throughout his career, he’s had the privilege of working with specialists worldwide, including in Spain, Italy, France, Japan, Russia and the U.S., sharing his expertise on the design and system operation for NASA.
Iannello says the chance to return to UCF was the next logical step for him to continue to make a meaningful impact on space exploration.
“Academia has an opportunity to capture state-of-the-practice knowledge: salvage the niche expertise of departing specialists and train the next generation with that knowledge,” he says. “Academia can also stand up critical test capabilities NASA may no longer be able to sustain under budget pressure. In many ways, academia can now assume a large fraction of the ‘keeper of the state of the practice’ role NASA has always maintained.”
He says although UCF was founded to support the burgeoning space industry and that it has played a pivotal role in educating the workforce at the Kennedy Space Center, the university’s greatest contributions to the space sector still lie ahead. Iannello says he has come to his new role at a pivotal time, as the space program continues to face budget deficits and as UCF is poised to become a national leader in science and engineering.
“With a president who is an electrical engineer and a university emphasis on advancing strategic thrusts — space among them — the timing was perfect,” he says. “The choice to join UCF began to feel like divine inspiration.”
Iannello has hit the ground running at UCF, joining colleagues at the department on their plans to develop a space electronics center of excellence at the university, which will focus on testing and developing electronic parts and applications for crewed and robotic space missions.
He’s also shared his vision to advance space exploration through innovation and workforce development, starting with creating the nation’s foremost space curriculum. Other goals include collaborating with commercial space partners and exploring conventionally funded research avenues, as well as positioning the university as an innovator in key areas, including radiation effects characterization, microelectronics and power semiconductor forensic failure analysis, and instrument development.
“I look forward to teaching and building new capabilities at UCF that grow the space sector workforce and foster innovation so effectively that UCF leads all other higher-education institutions in national recognition and contributions to space.”
Written by Bel Huston | Oct. 7, 2025