News Story

Morcos Awarded UMD Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowship

Ph.D. Student Michael Morcos

Department of Aerospace Engineering Ph.D. student Michael Morcos received a 2026-27 University of Maryland (UMD) Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowship. These competitive awards go to outstanding graduate students in the latter stages of completing their dissertations, providing full support for one semester.

As a graduate research assistant in the Extended Reality Flight Simulation and Control Laboratory­—part of the Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center of Excellence—Morcos is researching flight simulation and control, human–machine interaction, and pilot perception augmentation for advanced aviation systems to improve pilot performance and situational awareness in challenging flight environments.

“My research focuses on improving pilot situational awareness by augmenting human perception using additional sensory cues such as tactile (haptic) and auditory feedback,” explains Morcos. “These cues are not typically used in piloting but can help pilots better understand aircraft motion and surrounding conditions, especially when visual information is limited.”

This approach is particularly important for vertical flight vehicles, such as helicopters and emerging VTOL aircraft, manned or unmanned, that often operate in degraded visual environments like fog, smoke, or night operations.

“As part of this work, I design and implement flight control algorithms and evaluate them using standardized pilot tasks commonly used in rotorcraft testing,” said Morcos. “The experiments are conducted using advanced flight simulation environments that allow us to measure pilot performance and workload.”

This fellowship will allow me to dedicate uninterrupted time to completing my dissertation during the final stage of my Ph.D., helping to strengthen the quality and impact of my research.

Michael Morcos, aerospace engineering Ph.D. student

He says their preliminary results indicate that these additional sensory cues can significantly improve pilot situational awareness and restore mission performance to levels similar to operations in clear visual conditions.

“Ultimately, this work aims to make aviation safer by helping pilots operate more effectively in challenging environments,” says Morcos. “This fellowship will allow me to dedicate uninterrupted time to completing my dissertation during the final stage of my Ph.D., helping to strengthen the quality and impact of my research."

Morcos earned his M.S. in aerospace engineering from UMD in May 2025, specializing in helicopter flight dynamics, pilot modeling, and handling qualities. Prior to Maryland, he received his B.S. in aerospace engineering from Cairo University in Egypt.

"Receiving the Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowship is a tremendous honor, says Morcos. “Knowing how competitive the fellowship is across the Graduate School makes this recognition especially meaningful.”

Throughout his doctoral studies, working under the advisement of Dr. Umberto Saetti, Morcos has presented his research at several international aerospace conferences and contributed to multiple peer-reviewed publications. In addition to his research activities, he works as a teaching assistant and serves on the Vertical Flight Society Student Council and participates in student activities through the Coptic Orthodox Church Association.

Published March 23, 2026