Paulo Lozano heads MIT's Space Propulsion Laboratory, where his group develops highly efficient, compact ion thrusters for small spacecraft. His main interests are in plasma physics, space propulsion, ion beam physics, small satellites and nanotechnology. His work on micro-propulsion, which is sponsored by NASA, defense research agencies, the National Science Foundation and other public and private sources, earned a Young Investigator Program Award from the U.S. Air Force and the "Future Mind" award from Quo Science magazine and the Discovery Channel. A recipient of MIT's Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award for his contributions to the research experience of undergraduate students, Lozano teaches space and rocket propulsion, fluid mechanics and plasma physics and was recently named faculty director of MIT Mexico. An associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, he served on the Asteroid Mitigation and NASA Technology Roadmaps panels of the National Research Council. Lozano earned his master's and doctoral degrees in space propulsion at MIT. Twitter: @PauloLozanoMIT