Kelsey has an extensive background in materials research & development, focusing on ceramic processing and materials characterization. She’s excited to expand Canopy’s materials testing capabilities and aid the development of next-generation AM ceramics and thermal protection systems.

Before Canopy, Kelsey was a research scientist at Pioneer Astronautics, where she focused on developing transparent, durable dust-repellent coatings for space. As a lead scientist, she refined and optimized solution-based thin film processing techniques and led materials testing efforts.

Before the aerospace industry, Kelsey was a research chemist in an analytical testing group at Johns Manville, using various characterization techniques to assess both organic and inorganic materials. In this role, she contributed to the development of new methods to enhance internal R&D capabilities and supported manufacturing operations through improved quality control testing.

She also gained experience from the Electronic, Optical, and Nano Materials group at Sandia National Laboratories, refining both thin film deposition and powder-based processing techniques to optimize the electrical and structural properties of a variety of electro-ceramic materials.

Kelsey earned a Master of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Virginia, where her research focused primarily on the use of laser-based optical thermometry techniques to assess nanoscale thermal properties of oxide thin films. Prior to UVA, she completed Bachelor of Science degrees in both Physics and Materials Engineering from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.