Associate Professor
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Department of Materials Sci. and Engineering (Affiliated)
Faculty Aspiring Leadership Program Fellow (’24-‘25)
University Professorship for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence (’24-‘27)
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843
Education
2009, Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering; 2004, BS in Aerospace Engineering
Awards
- McElmurry Teaching Excellence Award selected by Aerospace Engineering senior class, 2023
- McElmurry Teaching Excellence Award selected by Aerospace Engineering senior class, 2022
- Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching–College Level presented by the Texas A&M Association of Former Students, 2020
- TEES Young Faculty Award presented by Dean of the Texas A&M University College of Engineering, 2019
- Ephrahim Garcia Best Paper Award presented by ASME Adaptive Structures and Material Systems Branch, 2018
- Dean of Engineering Excellence Award presented by Dean of the Texas A&M University College of Engineering, 2018
- Gary Anderson Early Achievement Award, presented by ASME Aerospace Division, 2016
- Outstanding Young Aerospace Engineer Award, presented by Texas A&M University Department of Aerospace Engineering, 2015
- The Computer and Graphics SMI 2013 Best Paper Award (Honorable Mention), presented by Computer and Graphics, 2013
- Distinguished Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Doctoral Research presented by Texas A&M University Association of Former Students, 2010
- 2008 Best Paper Award, presented at ASME-SMASIS Conference, 2008
- William Sweet Smith Prize presented for best aerospace paper, Journal of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, 2007
- NSF Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Fellowship, 2007–2009
- National Defense Science and Engineering Grant (NDSEG) Fellowship, 2004 – 2007
- Outstanding Senior Award presented by Sigma Gamma Tau to the regional senior of the year (1 of 6 nationwide), 2004
Experience
Dr. Hartl has held joint appointments at the Air Force Research Laboratory as a contracted Research Scientist in the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate and as a Visiting Researcher in the Aerospace Systems Directorate. His work has bridged the topics of advanced multifunctional material systems and their integration into aerospace platforms using genotype–phenotype topological approaches. He has spent five years as TEES Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M and has recently accepted a traditional tenure-track Assistant Professor appointment. His team works on projects ranging from self-folding origami-based structures to self-regulating morphing radiators for spacecraft to advanced actuators for avian-inspired aircraft. Darren has over 15 years of experience working with Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) and morphing structures. His efforts have included both experimental and theoretical studies and he has worked collaboratively with both governmental and industrial sponsors considering medical, oil exploration, aeronautical, and space-related applications. In his previous appointment as Assistant Director of the Aerospace Vehicle Systems Institute, he has also served the world’s major airframe and propulsion companies in collaboration with governmental agencies to develop novel joint research and development programs benefitting from a common industry voice, including the first ever effort to establish aerospace standards toward the flight certification of shape memory alloys.