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Faculty Research Summaries
Emeriti and Associated
Professors
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Professor Alonso's research has focused on
the computational simulation of unsteady aeroelastic flows using
a combination of efficient implicit dual-time stepping algorithms
and distributed memory parallel computing platforms. Using these
techniques, the turnaround for the simulation of unsteady aeroelastic
flows can fit comfortably within the preliminary design phase.
He is also interested in the application of high-fidelity computational
methods to aircraft design and in the development of multidisciplinary
analysis and design procedures that address manufacturing constraints.
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Durand 257 723-4825
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Professor Cantwell's research interests are
in the area of turbulent flow. Recent work has centered in three
areas: the direct numerical simulation of turbulent shear flows,
theoretical studies of the fine scale structure of turbulence,
and experimental measurements of turbulent structure in flames.
Experimental studies include the development of particle-tracking
methods for measuring velocity fields in unsteady flames and
variable density jets. Research in turbulence simulation includes
the development of spectral methods for simulating vortex rings,
the development of topological methods for interpreting complex
fields of data, and simulations of high Reynolds number compressible
and incompressible wakes. Theoretical studies include predictions
of the asymptotic behavior of drifting vortex pairs and vortex
rings and use of group theoretical methods to study the nonlinear
dynamics of turbulent fine- scale motions.
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Durand 385 723-3466
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Professor Chang's primary research interest
is in the area of advanced fiber-reinforced composite materials
with applications that range from aircraft and spacecraft structures
to bio-engineering medical devices. His specialties include
damage tolerance, failure analysis, and fracture mechanics for
composite materials, and advanced numerical methods for structural
analysis. Most of his work involves both analysis and experiments.
His recent research topics include: damage in composites under
static or impact loading; damage tolerance of notched composites;
compression failure and delamination growth; bolted composite
joints; and design of composite hip prosthesis. He is presently
also involved in smart-structure design on developing technologies
for health-monitoring of composite structures and actively controlling
the response of the structures.
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Prof. Cutler's research involves development
of enabling technologies and instruments for space systems.
His current interests include robust computing infrastructure,
global ground station networks, and ionospheric monitoring from
low Earth orbit. His primary responsibility is teaching AA236--Spacecraft
Design where students have launched nine satellites in the last
ten years.
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Durand 260 723-2853
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Professor Enge's research focuses on the design
of navigation systems that satisfy stringent requirements with
respect to accuracy, integrity (truthfulness), time availability,
and continuity. To provide high integrity, these navigation
systems must detect and flag any faults (or natural conditions)
that may cause large position errors. To simultaneously provide
high time availability, the system must automatically compensate
for any such faults. These days, such navigation systems are
usually based on the Global Positioning System (GPS) with substantive
augmentation. Applications of current interest include the landing
of airplanes and harbor navigation.
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Durand 363 498-7077
Professor Hubbard's research interests include the study of
both human and robotic exploration of space with a particular
focus on national policy. In this area, Prof. Hubbard has an ongoing
engagement with robotic Mars missions, both as a member of National
Academy of Science review groups and as a frequent consultant
to NASA projects. He is engaged in the field of astrobiology through
identification of techniques that may serve to detect the "fingerprints
of life," either through in situ experiments or the examination
of returned samples. He also advocates the understanding of regional
climate change and its economic impact, including the use of space-borne
sensors to collect relevant data. Prof. Hubbard is an expert on
the emerging entrepreneurial space industry and conducts research
that examines proposed business cases.
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Professor Jameson's research focuses on the
numerical solution of partial differential equations with applications
to subsonic, transonic, and supersonic flow past complex configurations,
as well as aerodynamic shape optimization. A profile of Prof.
Jameson, written on the occasion of his election as a foreign
associate of the National Academy of Engineers, can be found
in the Stanford
News.
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Durand 254 723-2994
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Professor Kroo's research involves work in
three general areas: multidisciplinary optimization and aircraft
synthesis, unconventional aircraft, and low-speed aerodynamics.
Current research in the field of aircraft synthesis, sponsored
by NASA and industry, includes the development of a new computational
architecture for aircraft design, and its integration with numerical
optimization. Studies of unconventional configurations employ
rapid turnaround analysis methods in the design of efficient
subsonic and supersonic commercial aircraft. Recent research
has included investigation of configurations such as joined
wings, oblique wings, and tailless aircraft. Nonlinear low-speed
aerodynamics studies have focused on vortex wake roll-up, refined
computation of induced drag, the design of wing tips, and the
aerodynamics of maneuvering aircraft.
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Durand 261 723-4432
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Professor Lall's research focuses on the modeling
and analysis of complex interconnected systems. Recent research
topics include the development of robust control technologies
for distributed systems where multiple units interact to coordinate
global behavior, such as in formation flight. Another area of
his research is model reduction, the construction of simplified
models for complex physical systems for simulation, analysis,
and control design.
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Durand 359A 723-7721
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Professor Lele's research combines numerical
simulations with analytical modeling to study fundamental unsteady
flow phemonema, turbulence, flow instabilities, and flow-generated
sound. Recent projects include shock-turbulence interaction,
exploitation of flow instabilities for enhanced mixing
and for reducing the vortex-wake hazard from an airplane, new
approaches for active noise control, and the development of
high-fidelity prediction methods for engineering applications.
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Durand 387B 723-4627
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Professor MacCormack develops numerical procedures
for solving the equations governing viscous compressible flow.
Recent efforts have been directed at developing implicit procedures
for three dimensional flow and for hypersonic flows containing
regions of chemical and thermal non-equilibrium. Current research
efforts are also directed at developing procedures for solution
to the Burnett equations for describing the details of the flow
within hypersonic shock waves and Maxwell's equations for radar
cross-section prediction.
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Durand 265 723-3343
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Professor Rock's research interests include
the application of advanced control and modeling techniques
for robotic and vehicle systems (aerospace and underwater).
He directs the Aerospace Robotics Laboratory in which students
are involved in experimental programs designed to extend the
state-of-the-art in robotic control. Areas of emphasis include
planning and navigation techniques (GPS and vision-based) for
autonomous vehicles; aerodynamic modeling and control for aggresive
flight systems; underwater remotely-operated vehicle control;
precision end-point control of manipulators in the presence
of flexibility and uncertainty; and cooperative control of multiple
manipulators and multiple robots. Dr. Rock teaches several courses
in dynamics and control.
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Durand 367 723-4135
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Professor Springer's research focuses on the
manufacture and design of parts and structures made of fiber-reinforced
composite materials and the applications of such materials in
aerospace structures, biomedical devices, sporting equipment,
and infrastructures.
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Durand 264 723-5164
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Professor Tomlin's research focuses on the
design, verification, and simulation of hybrid systems - systems
that combine continous time dynamics with discrete event dynamics
- and geometric nonlinear control. Current areas of research
include: Air Traffic Control automation (a joint project with
NASA Ames); flight management system design; and the design
and control of a team of unmanned aerial vehicles, focusing
on issues of formation flying, distributed control, and reliable
control over communication links.
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Emeriti and
Associated Professors
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Durand 183A 723-2849
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Professor Bryson develops mathematical models
for analyzing and simulating the dynamic motions of spacecraft,
aircraft, helicopters, and robots. These include effects of
flexibility that produce flutter in aircraft and servoelastic
instabilities in spacecraft and robots. Professor Bryson also
develops theory and algorithms for synthesizing optimal flight
paths, automatic control systems, estimators for navigation
and control, and for identifying dynamic models from test data.
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Durand 356 723-3601
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Professor Cannon's current research is focused
on free-flying space robotic systems, precision control of flexible
manipulators, and multi-arm cooperating manipulation systems.
He established Stanford's program in guidance and control and
is co-founder of the Stanford Orbiting Gyro Test of General
Relativity project that is engineering a gyro test of General
Relativity in a satellite (accuracy < .001 arcsecond per
year). His personal engineering accomplishments include a 31
knot hydrofoil sailboat, the E7 jet fighter automatic control
system, and gyro and stable platform developments for the Navaho
and Minuteman missiles, and the Nautilis and Skate submarines
(first polar journeys).
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Durand 387A 723-7969
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Professor Christensen's research is concerned
with the mechanics of materials. The behavior of polymers and
polymeric fiber composites are areas of specialization. Of particular
interest is the field of micro-mechanics that focuses on materials'
functionality at intermediate-length scales between atomic and
the usual macro scale. Applicable techniques involve the methods
of homogenization for all types of composite materials. The
intended outcomes of his research are useful means of characterizing
the yielding, damage accumulation, and failure behavior of modern
materials.
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Durand 028B 723-3388
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Professor DeBra collaborates with Stanford
physicists on three projects: Gravity Probe-B (GP-B), Space
Test of the Equivalence Principle (STEP), and the vibration
isolation of a gravity-wave antenna. These involve satellite
control of attitude and translation and the development of instruments
of extraordinary precision and accuracy. In GP-B gyroscopes
will be orbited and compared to stars to an accuracy of less
than a milliarcsecond. In STEP the orbital performance promises
improvements of a million in testing the equivalence of inertial
and gravitational mass. Professor DeBra's interests in precision
engineering extend to manufacturing where he has students developing
"quiet hydraulics" capable of controlling diamond turning machines
with enhanced temperature control.
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CIS-X 723-4850
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Professor Hesselink's research encompasses
the photo-refractive effect, optical tomography, optical interconnects,
optical diagnostics, holography, and three-dimensional image
processing and graphics. Currently, Professor Hesselink's research
effort is focused on two main areas: 1) Optical data storage
and signal processing and 2) Interpretation and visualization
of large fluid-flow data sets. In the optics area he is concentrating
on growing and studying the optical properties of ferro-electric
crystals for use in holographic data storage devices having
2-3 orders of magnitude lower latency than current rotating
disk drives. In the image processing area he is focusing on
developing novel software for automated analysis and display
of numerically and experimentally generated datasets.
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Durand 030 725-4105
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Professor Parkinson's research teams are funded
by FAA, NASA, and commercial companies. His groups are recognized
as world leaders in pioneering numerous innovative Global Positioning
System (GPS) applications including the dynamic control of vehicles,
the development and demonstration of the Wide Area Differential
GPS concept for air traffic control, applications suitable for
the blind landing of aircraft, robotic control of land vehicles,
and use of GPS to perform closed-loop control of satellites
in orbit. Professor Parkinson is also breaking new scientific
ground in two other related directions. First, he is the program
manager of the NASA-funded Gravity Probe B program, a test effort
to validate Einstein's General Theory of Relativity using orbiting
gyroscopes. Second, he is managing the development of advanced
technology for that mission, including precision metrology,
control of spacecraft, and estimaton of atmospheric effects.
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Durand 383 723-3425
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Professor Powell's research is concerned with
GPS-based aircraft and ground vehicle navigation. His research
aims at the development of precision navigation for aircraft
instrument landings in poor visibility conditions, the use of
GPS for aircraft surveillance, the use of GPS to augment inertial
instruments for an aircraft attitude reference, the use of pseudolites
to augment GPS for ground vehicle navigation near obstructions,
and automobile navigation using GPS.
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Durand 355A 723-2844
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Professor Steele creates computer implementations
of perturbation methods for the analysis of plates, shells and
the electro-chemo-fluid-elastic interaction occurring in the
inner ear. His present focus is on the development of the "very
large finite element" approach for the analysis of complex plate
and shell structures. His current work is on shell intersections,
regions of reinforcement, part-through cracks, and rotating
discs. Professor Steele is also studying cochlear mechanics
and the role that the fluid-elastic response plays in the transduction
of mechanical sound into neural excitation. Cochlear models
without contrived parameters yield correlations between the
experimental measurements of the basilar membrane displacement,
the electrical field, and the phase of the neural discharge.
In addition, Professor Steele is working on a project in conjunction
with the Life Sciences Branch of the NASA-Ames Research Center
to develop procedures and instrumentation for non-invasive determination
of the mechanical properties of bone and soft tissue.
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Durand 369 725-3305
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Professor Tsai's research interest is in the
development of design methodology and fast prototyping of composite
materials and structures. As an emerging technology, composite
materials offer unique performances for structures that combine
light weight with durability. Keys to the successful utilization
of composite materials are predictability in performance and
cost effective design of anisotropic, laminated structures.
Current emphasis is placed on the understanding of failure modes,
and computer simulation for design and cost estimation.
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Durand 379 723-8651
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Professor Twiggs' main interest is in the development,
launch and operation of small low-cost satellites for space
applications feasibility demonstrations and the space qualification
of new spacecraft components. He is also interested in the development
of low-cost satellite communications for command, control and
data acquisition at remote earth locations, and in the miniaturization
development of space experiments for low-cost spacecraft missions.
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Walter Vincenti
Durand 183A 723-3375
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Professor Vincenti's current research interests
are in the history of technology.
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For further information about graduate programs and
research in the Aero/Astro Department, you may
contact Aero/Astro Student Services.
aa-webmaster * [* add @stanford.edu], May, 2008
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Stanford Junior University.
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