Hayden A Burgoyne

Education

California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Ph.D in Space Engineering (2016) and M.S (2012)

• Advisors: Prof. Chiara Daraio (Caltech, ETH Zurich) and Prof. Ravi Ravichandran (GALCIT Caltech)
• Dissertation: “Dynamics of Granular Crystals with Elastic-Plastic Contacts” (link)
• Caltech Aerospace Department Awards: 2016 William F. Ballhaus Award for Most Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation, 2015 Ernest E. Sechler Award for Teaching and Research (link)
• NASA Space Technology Research Fellow 2013-2016 (link)

Harvard University

S.B. in Engineering Sciences — Mechanical and Materials Engineering (2011)

• Awards: Magna Cum Laude **with Highest Honors, John Harvard Scholar

Work and Research Experience

Us Folks

June 2025 to Present. Los Angeles, CA

Us Folks is just me, ideating ways to ensure that representatives—whether they’re HOA managers or Senators—stay aligned with folks like us in the coming age of Artificial Super-Intelligence.

CEO/Founder

• While on sabbatical from TransAstra, I’m doing the 5050 Program, a Founders bootcamp by 50 Years VC, and the Menlo Ventures Fellowship Program.
• I’m currently making demos, doing simulations, doing customer discovery, writing white papers, and applying to Y Combinator.