In his day job, he works on rockets and propulsion systems to send spacecraft to the distant edges of the solar system and to boost them around in orbit near the Earth. By night, he has founded projects like Project Aether, a program to introduce students to space-related research and a hands-on science and research experience. Ben grew up in Wisconsin, spent five years in Houston, and now calls Michigan home. He also enjoys flying small general aviation aircraft, SCUBA diving in warm places, and playing ice hockey in cold places.