FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
AEROSPACE EXPERIMENTAL ASSOCIATION
Leadership
Diego Salvatierra
president
Diego Alejandro Salvatierra founded the Aerospace Experimental Association along with Jake Pearman in October 2019. Currently, he is enrolled in the Computer Engineering program at Florida Atlantic University and is a flight student at the Lynn College of Aeronautics where he is pursuing his commercial pilot’s license. Diego aims to work in the avionics research, development, and testing field with the ultimate goal of becoming an astronaut.
During high school, Diego was a Navy JROTC cadet, an FC Boca Predators soccer player, and a member of the We Dine Together club before becoming a club officer in his senior year at Boca Raton Community High School. Throughout his Junior and Senior years, Diego started and operated his own mobile car and boat detailing business. He spent his days knocking on doors, disturbing flyers, and detailing boats and cars. During his last year at Boca High, Diego was dual-enrolled in the Lynn University College of Aeronautics where he later attained his private pilot's license at the age of 18.
After graduating from High School and receiving the Florida Academic Scholars award, Diego enrolled at Florida Atlantic University and continued studying at Lynn University. Meanwhile, Diego also worked as a dockhand at Two Georges and an aircraft detailer at various airports in South Florida with Corporate Jet Care.
At the moment, Diego works at Aries Aviation Corp. He enjoys flying, fishing, reading, trap shooting, and is a big racing fan.
Stefano ciccolella
Vice-President
Stefano Vito Ciccolella is the Vice President of the Aerospace Experimental Association. He is currently enrolled as a junior in the Mechanical Engineering Program at Florida Atlantic University. Stefano aims to further his education by pursuing a Master’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering in hopes of working at NASA.
Stefano recently emigrated from Montreal, Canada to South Florida. In Montreal, Stefano played ice hockey for seven years as a goaltender. For four of these years, he held the Assistant Captain position. He also earned the title of Team MVP twice in his final years playing prior to moving. During this time playing hockey and living in Montreal, Stefano became fluent in the French Language. From growing up in an Italian family, he also learned Italian.
Stefano started high school in Montreal and graduated from Saint John Paul II Academy in Boca Raton, FL. In high school, he dual-enrolled at St. Thomas University in Miami. In his junior year of high school, Stefano attended a business leadership conference at Yale University in which he learned entrepreneurial and speech skills. In his senior year, he was a part of the Young Entrepreneurial Club where he designed his own business. Despite moving countries during his high school career, he prospered under the circumstances and joined honors societies, clubs, and the lacrosse team.
In Stefano’s first year at Florida Atlantic University, he joined the Kappa Sigma organization. Shortly after being initiated he ran and was elected for leadership roles. Stefano was New Member Educator, Social Chair, and Brotherhood chair. He is now Vice President of the organization and hopes to stay active during the rest of his college career.
Stefano currently works at Blu Sleep Products in Pompano Beach, FL as a marketing associate, assists in developing the website and manages stock. In his spare time, Stefano enjoys playing ice hockey, reading, and exploring space with his telescope
Holden Gibler
treasurer
Holden Lee Gibler holds the Treasurer position of the Aerospace Experimental Association. He is currently a junior pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Florida Atlantic University. Holden aims to launch his career as an engineer in a defense contractor specializing in aviation and unmanned aerial systems.
Prior to attending college, Holden frequently moved from state to state, attending San Marcos High School in San Marcos, California and graduating from Allen D. Nease High School in St. Augustine, Florida. During his time in high school, he was an active member in his varsity and club swim teams and was a member of San Marcos’s robotics club. Holden also dual-enrolled in his local community college before attending Florida Atlantic University.
In Holden’s first two years of college, Holden worked as a robotics counselor at StemHQ Tech Garage and later as Competition Director, where he helped facilitate and direct local robotics competitions in South Florida, as well as work with existing FRC and MATE robotics teams. He helped bring afterschool and summer STEM education to underprivileged communities through elementary programming classes and robotics competitions to numerous community centers around Delray and West Palm Beach. Holden is also a member of the Kappa Sigma organization, where he currently sits on the executive board and helps run the day to day affairs.
In Fall 2019, Holden entered Palm Beach Tech’s annual themed Hackathon, focused on disaster relief and smart cities. Holden worked on call flows and functions as well as pitched and presented the team’s product to a board of judges, where the team was awarded first place and a cash prize.
Holden is currently a full-time student, focusing primarily on furthering his career development and opportunities. In his free time, he enjoys freediving, consumer electronics, reptile keeping, range shooting, coaching League of Legends, rock music, and carpentry.