B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering (2019) – University of Turkish Aeronautical Association
M.S. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (2022) – Istanbul Technical University
Sefa is currently a PhD student in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University. He began his academic journey at the University of Turkish Aeronautical Association, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 2019. He then earned his Master’s degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University in 2022, where his research focused on the multi-objective optimization of thin-walled beams. At Texas A&M, Sefa’s research centers on the design optimization of shape memory alloy (SMA) structures and actuators within the M²AESTRO Lab. His primary work focuses on topology optimization of SMA superelastic structures and actuators using bidirectional evolutionary structural optimization (BESO). He proposed a path-dependent transformation energy criterion—inspired by the actuation work and fatigue life frameworks of Wheeler et al. and Chemisky et al.—that maximizes actuation energy density by integrating the conjugate stress–transformation strain response over the full thermo-mechanical loading history. He has also developed a multi-objective optimization framework for SMA spring actuators under compressive loading, systematically comparing the actuation performance of wave, machined, coil, and Belleville spring geometries using a finite-element-based NSGA-II approach. He is currently extending his BESO framework by training neural networks to predict the transformation energy parameter, aiming to accelerate the topology optimization process. His research contributes to advancing the design of high-performance, energy-dense SMA actuator systems for aerospace and multifunctional applications.
Current Research Project:
Previous Research Project:
Publications:
- Oksuz, S. and Hartl, D.J., 2025. Bidirectional Evolutionary Structural Optimization for Enhanced Design of SMA Superelastic Structures and Actuators. XI ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Smart Structures and Materials (SMART 2025), 1–3 July, Linz, Austria.
- Oksuz, S. and Hartl, D.J., 2026. Bidirectional Evolutionary Structural Optimization for Path-Dependent Design of SMA Superelastic Structures and Actuators. ASME 2026 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures, and Intelligent Systems (SMASIS2026), September 13–16, Albuquerque, NM. (Upcoming)
- Oksuz, S. and Hartl, D.J., 2025. Multi-Objective Optimization of Shape Memory Alloy Spring Actuators Under Compressive Loading: A Comparative Study of Wave, Machined, Coil, and Belleville Spring Geometries. Smart Materials and Structures. (Under Review)