Jolie Breaux Frketic

Adelaide Wilson Fellowship

Jolie is currently researching the integration of robotics into 3D printing in order to use 3D printing to create working composite parts. Using robotics will lead to improving the speed of printing as well as the size of the object to be printed. She is also working on integrating triboluminescent sensors into composites for structural health monitoring.  

Chelsea Armbrister

Corning Endowed Graduate Fellowship

Chelsea work will focus on developing and modeling of the nano particulate foams for various nano devices as well as determining a consolidation metric for fiber reinforced polymers containing particulate foams. A secondary emphasis will be placed on the multifunctional aspects of Fiber reinforced polymers with nano particulate foams and their large scale applications.

Rebekah Downes

Cytec Engineered Materials Doctoral Fellow for Advanced Composite Studies

Rebekah is currently developing ways to make super-strong lightweight materials by manipulating carbon nanotubes in new and unique ways. Carbon nanotubes are on the cutting edge of materials science, with the potential to significantly improve the performance of current technology used in applications such as combat armor, sports gear and even, theoretically, the creation of space elevators.

Joshua DeGraff

McKnight Doctoral Fellowship

Joshua's research involves developing a thin, lightweight and flexible nanocomposite actuator. He is specifically interested in designing a lean manufacturing process flow and applying complex statistical algorithms to ensure process repeatability. The new composite actuator design is a promising alternative to recent designs, as it requires a minimal amount of energy to operate.

Jin Yan

Zonta Amelia Earhart Fellowship

Jin's research involves 3D sensing using wire-shaped hybrid photovoltaic sensors as a tool in triboluminescence-based aerospace-related structural health monitoring systems.