Sometimes people joke that “it’s not rocket science” when referring to a non-technical matter. For one of mechanical engineering’s junior faculty members, her summer research experience with the U.S. Air Force Research Lab was in fact rocket science. Sarah Bentil, William March Scholar in Mechanical Engineering and assistant professor of mechanical engineering (ME), spent 12 …Continue reading “Advancing rocket science with the U.S. Air Force Research Lab”
Despite being an alumnus from a public university on the east side of the state, one of industrial engineering’s newest faculty members has picked the right school for where to continue his career. Brendan Devine joined Iowa State University’s industrial and manufacturing systems engineering department as an assistant teaching professor beginning in fall 2020. Though …Continue reading “A Hawkeye back home in Cyclone country”
Even though the Cyclones and Hawkeyes often duke it out on the field, court and mat, researchers from the two universities have come together to collaborate on a Department of Defense-funded project. The project, titled “3D-Printed, Hierarchical Polymer-Bonded Energetic Composites with Electromagnetically Switchable Porosity,” is being led by principal investigator (PI) Xuan “Sean” Song, assistant …Continue reading “Iowa State U, U of Iowa team up on energetic materials research project”
Associate Professor Simon Laflamme and his team are creating real-time decision making capabilities for high-rate dynamic systems. These systems include advanced weaponry, blast mitigation systems and hypersonic vehicles.
A 1999 article in Visions magazine, produced by the Iowa State University Alumni Association, informed many aspects of the reporting in this four-part series Even though he was the fourth generation from his family to attend Iowa State, Ian Liggett did so because he liked the university, not because he wanted to be carry on …Continue reading “Liggett Family Legacy – Part IV: Ian Liggett”
Andrew Thelen, a PhD student in aerospace Engineering, began a Pathways Internship this fall at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, just east of Dayton, Ohio. The AFRL leads the discovery, development, and integration of warfighting technologies for the U.S. air, space, and cyberspace forces. Andrew earned a B.S. in aerospace …Continue reading “AerE graduate student begins Pathways Internship at Air Force Research Laboratory”
Iowa State University (ISU) and Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW) explore the fastest methods of detecting damage to next-generation systems In January, researchers at Iowa State University and the Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate began collaboration to develop the fastest methods of conducting high-rate state estimation for complex systems, including aircraft, spacecraft …Continue reading “Iowa State, Air Force Research Laboratory develop real-time structural health monitoring technology”
Mechanical engineering assistant professors Soumik Sarkar and Travis Sippel are recent recipients of the Air Force Office of Science Research‘s (AFOSR) Young Investigator Program (YIP) award. Sarkar was awarded for his research proposal entitled “A Neural-Symbolic approach to Real-time Decision-making in Complex Aerospace Systems” while Sippel’s proposal is “Microwave Enhancement of Composite Solid Propellant Flames.” Matthew Panthani, an …Continue reading “Two ME professors receive Air Force research awards”
Professor Emeritus Richard Pletcher passed away September 12, 2015 at the age of 80. Dr. Richard (Dick) Pletcher was born in 1935 in Elkhart, Indiana. He graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering in 1957. He married Carol Robbins on June 9, 1957 in Elkhart, and from there the couple left …Continue reading “Professor Emeritus Richard Pletcher passes away”
Aerospace engineering lecturer reinvents flight simulator program When Robert Martin began his career in the U.S. Air Force, he never imagined he would land an opportunity to teach others about flying in a university setting. Martin served for 26 years in the Air Force and Iowa Air National Guard, flying F15 Eagles and F16 Fighting …Continue reading “Robert Martin: Teaching students to fly after 26 years in Air Force”
