Biography
Drew Parkinson is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the College of Computing and Informatics at Drexel University. He spent 18 years working with NASA, including 12 years as a NASA civil servant. His career began with the Space Shuttle program and continued at NASA Wallops Flight Facility and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, where he focused on developing safety-critical ground software in support of launch and flight activities. Over the course of his career, he also managed software development groups and led projects that brought together government agencies, academic institutions, and research partners. Before joining Drexel in 2025, Drew served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where he primarily taught Assembly and Computer Architecture. He earned a B.S. in Computer Engineering and an M.S. in Computer Science from Capitol Technology University. Drew’s academic and professional interests include low-level and embedded development, spaceflight ground systems, and effective approaches to software project management. Outside of his professional interests, he is an avid collector of vintage electronics, arcade machines, and classic video game consoles, with a particular focus on preserving the original experiences these technologies offered.
Research Interests
Embedded Development, Agile Project Management, Spacecraft Ground Systems Design
Academic Distinctions
- MS, Computer Science, Capitol Technology University, 2020
- BS, Computer Engineering, Capitol Technology University, 2006