In early September, a research presentation developed by undergraduates Kevin Lieb and Ryan Lotz (and recorded by Dr. Darren Hartl) will be given virtually to the smart materials and adaptive structures communities regarding the design, fabrication, and testing of a shape memory alloy-driven “flow modification system,” all performed at the MAESTRO Laboratory in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University.
Pedro Leal helps produce NASA University Leadership Initiative student overview video
To help in the promotion of the various student successes stemming from the multiple University Leadership Initiative (ULI) sites, NASA worked with researchers across the US to produce short videos highlighting their work. MAESTRO Ph.D. student Pedro Leal was a natural candidate to be featured given the wide range of work he has performed in support of this project. His summary, in collaboration with that of Maddie Hetlage, has been recently shared by NASA.
Morphing drones: Hartl and team develop enabling fluid-structure interaction method
A team from Texas A&M developed a novel fluid-structure interaction algorithm to aid the Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory create a morphing drone | Image: Getty Images
Researchers in the Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory are working to develop a drone with the ability to morph while in flight to better fit its mission — for example, shortening and lengthening the wing for efficiency and speed. To begin their work, they turned to the expertise of researchers at Texas A&M University for assistance with the complex analysis and design stage. (Original Story) (Also shared on foxnews.com here).
Retro Rocket VR Flight Simulator team advised by Hartl completes capstone design
The team of Aerospace Engineering Senior Design Capstone students reviewed in a previous post has completed their project. Their work has been summarized in a comprehensive video published this week. Work will continue in the fall as the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering team efforts are combined into a single software/hardware final project.
MAESTRO Master Students becomes NSF Graduate Fellow
Hannah Stroud is a second year Master of Science student advised by Drs. Hartl and Shryock. Her masters work focuses on FEA modeling of knitted shape memory alloy structures. She proposed augmenting this work to the NSF GRFP: Through methods of non-linear substructuring in FEA, efficient analyses of functional, patterned fabrics can be performed. Hannah also highlighted her department involvement and commitment to STEM outreach with initiatives such as the Pitch Up! Competition, Camp SOAR activities, and demonstration development for the Physics and Engineering Festival.
Brent Bielefeldt successfully completes his studies as a Ph.D. student
Brent Bielefeldt completes a final review of his dissertation document with Dr. Hartl just prior to his defense.
On March 2, 2020, Brent Bielefeldt became Dr. Hartl’s second advisee to complete all necessary requirements for his doctoral degree in Aerospace Engineering. The contributions of his dissertation, entitled “Multiobjective Topology Optimization for Preliminary Design Using Graph Theory and L-System Languages,” have already been adopted by the Air Force Research Laboratory, where he is now working as a prestigious National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow.
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William Scholten becomes Hartl’s first independently advised Ph.D. graduate
On February 20, 2020, Will Scholten successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation entitled “A Novel Uncoupled Method for Static Aeroelastic Analysis Towards MorphingStructures Design,” making him the first Ph.D. student to be independently advised by Hartl to successfully complete his degree requirements and graduate.
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MAESTRO Undergraduates place at Boeing Innovation Challenge
Mitchell Mu and Brady Allen were part of a team representing the brightest that Texas A&M Aerospace has to offer that went to Seattle to compete in the Boeing Innovation Challenge, where they placed 3rd. Huge congrats to them! To read more about their innovating, visit: https://engineering.tamu.edu/news/2020/01/texas-am-teams-excel-at-2019-boeing-innovation-challenge.html
Senior design team advised by Hartl completes successful design review
Senior Aerospace Engineering students embrace the 50’s as they work to repurpose a vintage space structure into a VR flight simulator.
Earlier this fall, Dr. Hartl teamed with Jim Mabe of Boeing and Eric Schulte, a local business owner, to initiate a project to convert a vintage 1950’s carnival ride rocket car into a virtual reality (VR) flight simulator for K-12 STEM outreach. The Aerospace Engineering senior capstone design team sponsored by Hartl to develop and deploy this experience has recently completed their critical design review and will move forward with the project.
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Dr. Hartl featured on NASA morphing supersonic aircraft podcast
NASA put out a call for a university-led initiative to return to commercial supersonic flight, a challenge Texas A&M University answered. Dr. Darren Hartl, assistant professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, shares how the research team is developing adaptive materials to reduce the noise of planes traveling faster than the speed of sound.
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