Dr. Anastasia Muliana, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University, has been awarded a grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Muliana, who is also a researcher in the Mechanical Engineering Division of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), received this grant for the winning research proposal that she submitted as part of the Air Force’s Young Investigator Research Program. Her proposal for research was to develop a framework that integrates coupled thermal, electrical and mechanical responses of the constituents of composites to the overall responses of smart composites, with application to morphing structures. She also plans to investigate long-term responses of these smart composites. The proposed framework will enhance understanding of the multifunctional performance of smart structures under extreme environments and can support design optimization of intelligent aerospace vehicles, which can significantly reduce development cost and time. Muliana came to Texas A&M in 2004. She received her master¿s degree and Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a member of the American Society of Composites and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. She has authored numerous publications and in 2005 received the CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation. Muliana’s grant will be administered by TEES, the engineering research agency of the State of Texas and a member of The Texas A&M University System.
