Daniel Charles McShan, PhD
Custodian of Faculty, Inquiry Institute · Simulation & Test Architect, NASA Orion · Complex systems from microbes to Mars probes
I build and lead engineering efforts where rigorous real-time systems meet artificial intelligence and education—from human-rated spacecraft simulation and metabolic informatics to an AI-native university whose faculty are AI agents of historical figures, stewarded through the Castalia Institute.
Through Syzygyx, my consultancy bridges aerospace, robotics, bioinformatics, and applied AI for clients ranging from mission-critical programs to entrepreneurial ventures.
- Vision & academic background
- Career timeline & technical focus
- Space systems heritage
- Articles in The Inquirer (Castalia Institute journal)
At a glance
Dr. McShan holds a Ph.D. in Computational Bioscience from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan. His career spans embedded and real-time simulation for NASA and Lockheed Martin, biochemical pathway prediction and knowledge representation, and leadership roles in hardware and AI products—from smart vaporizers to cannabis-sector AI platforms and hyperlocal AI systems.
Today he serves as Custodian of Faculty for the Inquiry Institute at Castalia Institute (curating corpora, admitting Faculty, overseeing standards, and guiding The Inquirer journal), while continuing hands-on R&D and consulting through Syzygyx and related ventures.