Jeffrey Jebakumar: From Dubai to Capitol Tech’s Space Flight Operations Training Center and Beyond
Working on a space telescope mission or contributing to a lunar mission isn’t just a career goal for Jeffrey Jebakumar—it’s his dream. A native of Dubai, UAE, Jeffrey made a life-changing decision to move halfway across the world and pursue that dream at Capitol Technology University in Laurel, Maryland.
Jeffrey chose Capitol Tech for his education “because of the wealth of industry experience and its affordability,” he said.
His journey at Capitol Tech has been shaped by taking advantage of opportunities to gain hands-on experience. One of those key moments came through the Ground Systems Engineering (AE-250) course that introduced him to one of Capitol’s most unique learning environments—the Space Flight Operations Training Center (SFOTC). There, he began developing the foundational knowledge and technical skills he’ll need to support real-world space missions.
In February 2025, Jeffrey gained even more space engineering experience by completing the highly competitive Astro Scholars program— an intensive, week-long interactive school hosted by the Space Telescope Science Institute, The Johns Hopkins University, and NASA. The program is designed to challenge and inspire students in the fields of astrophysics, space research, and computational science.
“My research partner and I had so much fun just from learning astronomical concepts, the math behind them, and the professors’ encouragement,” he said.
Through interactive lectures, immersive activities, and a collaborative research project investigating the relationship between young star formations and gas density in galaxies, Jeffrey dove deep into the cosmos. He also enhanced his programming skills, working with Python to process and analyze real astronomical data.
Professor Jeff Volosin, Chair of the Astronautical and Space Engineering and Uncrewed and Autonomous Systems programs at Capitol Tech, has been an influential mentor to Jeffrey, playing a key role in his involvement with the Astro Scholars program.
“Professor Volosin supported me in and out of the classroom—writing my recommendation for the Astro Scholars program, connecting me with alumni and professionals, encouraging me to restart the rocketry club, and always being there for academic or career guidance,” Jeffrey said.
The support Jeffrey received at Capitol Tech didn’t just help him qualify for and complete the Astro Scholars program—he returned to campus with renewed confidence and a fresh perspective that he now brings to classroom discussions and peer collaboration.
“I would say that the professors can be available to you due to the smaller class sizes, so take advantage of it and establish that good relationship with them,” he says. “Feel free to ask them for any help, whether it's academic or career-related, and they are more than happy to help you out.”
With his sights set toward a successful career focused on space, Jeffrey continues to make the most of every opportunity at Capitol Tech. From our SFOTC and beyond, he’s well on his way.