Join Us

We strive to

• Welcome people from all nationalities, backgrounds, and identities

• Provide everyone with a supportive environment for developing professionally and personally 

• Keep a growth mindset: success is the result of sustained effort, embracing challenges, persisting through failure, and seeking feedback

• Build a collaborative environment where everyone shares knowledge

• Broaden participation in engineering by recognizing our privileges and using them to lift others

If these values resonate with you, please continue reading.

Everyone

• Share our values

• Have a strong work ethic

• Be interested in theoretical and computational research

• Be interested in topics related to aeroelasticity and structural dynamics  

Some tools and resources used in our group are listed here.  

Undergraduate researchers

• We welcome U.G. students who have no prior exposure to our research area as long as they are highly motivated to learn 

• Having taken AE 3530 System Dynamics and Vibration may be required for some projects

• Having taken AE 4220 Structural Dynamics and Aeroelasticity would be an asset

U.G. students in our group are usually seniors (due to the nature of our research) but we are open to considering motivated and qualified students at earlier career stages.

 Graduate researchers

• Mastery of undergraduate dynamics, structures, and aerodynamics 

• Exposure to aeroelasticity or structural dynamics (or both) would be an asset 

• Exposure to finite element and aeroelastic analysis using commercial software such as Nastran would be an asset

My approach to mentoring is described below. However, I recognize that each person needs a different mentoring approach to reach their maximum potential and I try to adapt to individual needs within the boundaries of my mentoring philosophy and values.

Work ethic

I expect students to take their education and research very seriously. While some students are natural self-starters, I strongly believe everyone can excel if they are willing to put sustained effort toward their academic and research goals. I completely understand that students can face difficulties in their path and am always willing to listen and work together to find solutions. However, I do not tolerate any form of dishonesty or lack of work ethic and transparency in my students. 

Work hours and locations

I don't enforce working hours or locations but I expect students to be self-motivated and professional regarding academic and research commitments. I expect students to attend planned meetings, giving enough notice in case we need to reschedule. I expect students to respond to non-urgent emails or Teams requests within one business day unless we agree differently. If we are approaching a deadline, I expect a faster response, but we will have an upfront communication about these occasions.

Group meetings

In Spring 2024, we are holding weekly group meetings that revolve around research updates and occasionally professional development topics. Long-term group members pursuing a Ph.D. or M.S. degree are expected to attend these meetings. Shorter-term group members are very welcome but not expected to attend.

Individual meetings

I meet with everyone weekly or biweekly (depending on career stage and project timeline). I am always happy to find additional time in my schedule when we need more frequent interactions. I am also more or less always available on Teams for quick questions or chats. 

Publishing

While students should not chase papers, I encourage them to publish. First, writing is thinking. Second, sharing our discoveries with the community is a way to advance our field. Third, publishing allows us to collect feedback, which leads to new and higher-quality ideas. Finally, attending conferences and publishing papers can help students secure their next position, and the ability to communicate complex information is critical for any post-graduation career. For these reasons, I recommend that Ph.D. and M.S. students plan one publication per year after their first year, and encourage undergraduate students to get involved with publishing if they have time and interest in developing scientific writing skills. I am aware that not all students will have published before joining the group and will guide them through the process.

Funding

I don't expect students to bring funding and bringing funding does not guarantee acceptance into the group if there is no fit. This said, I encourage students to identify and apply for funding opportunities they are eligible for, such as fellowships, travel grants, and student awards, among others. This both helps our group finances and builds people's CVs. I'm willing to put a lot of time into supporting students in their applications and point out relevant opportunities I am aware of.

Career goals

I don't expect my students to stay in academia (I didn't want to be a Professor when I was a student). While I can provide first-hand advice on how to pursue a faculty career, I will do my best to support students interested in any other career path.

General instructions 

• Please reach out via email (not social media!)

• Mention who you are and what you are looking for (Ph.D. position, undergraduate research, etc.)

• If you are inquiring about a research opportunity 

  • Describe your background and attach your CV (unless I know you well already)

  • Describe your interests in structural dynamics and/or aeroelasticity

  • Mention your tentative start date and time commitment

  • Mention if you are looking for a funded position

If you follow the instructions above, I will reply within 1-2 weeks unless it is a particularly busy time. 

Before sending me an email, please note

• I do not distance-advise U.G., M.S., or Ph.D. students from other institutions (I only advise students at GT)

• I cannot direct-admit a student to my group (all students must apply to one of our programs to be considered)

• I do not tolerate emails with insincere rhetoric, hyperbolic language, copy-pasted words from this website, or stretched claims of fit with my group

I will not reply if

• • We talked recently and I have already said that I cannot offer an opportunity

  • The email addresses me inappropriately ("Hey Cristina", "Dear Madam", "Dear Sir", or other unprofessional salutations)

  • The email could have been sent to any group at any institution (for instance, it does not mention GT or my research area)

  • The email only mentions an interest in being funded but does not provide any details about the student's background and interests 

  • The email gets my research area wrong due to copy-pasting

Additional information

Additional information specific to undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and visiting scholars can be found below.

Additional information about the GT AE programs is below:

• GT AE B.S. program

• GT AE M.S. program

• GT AE Ph.D. program

We can host visiting students from other institutions, but they are expected to have their funding.  

Unfortunately, we may not always be able to accommodate all those who reach out due to a large number of requests.

Resources

• Best practices for emailing a potential advisor

Instructions for undergraduate students

We are accepting 1-2 students for Fall 2024 or Spring 2025 (we are not accepting students for Summer 2024).

Prerequisite courses

• System Dynamics and Vibration (preferred, may be required for some projects)

• Structural Dynamics and Aeroelasticity (preferred)

Prerequisite skills

• Programming experience in any language (required or highly motivated to learn)

Funding

• We can work with interested students to apply for salary awards under the PURA program

• Students who are not supported by a PURA are expected to enroll in undergraduate research for academic credits

How undergraduate research works in my group

I will give you a list of potential topics. You are welcome to pick from the list or propose other topics of your interest and in my area. Once we have agreed on a topic, I will outline the activities for the semester and give you materials to get started. I meet with undergraduate students every other week or every week for 30 min. Most of the meetings revolve around research but I also use time to talk about classes and professional opportunities. 

My approach to working with U.G. students is very hands-on because undergrad was when I found my path within aerospace thanks for working closely with a professor. U.G. students joining our group can expect that I will be very invested in their project as opposed to assigning them to primarily work with a more senior group member. For this reason, however, we are only able to accommodate a limited number of U.G. students in our group.  

Resources

• Best practices for emailing a potential advisor

Scholarship opportunities

• GT AE Database of Student Funding Opportunities

• GT Database of Undergraduate Student Funding Opportunities

• GT President's Undergraduate Research Awards

• AbbVie Immunology Scholarship

• AIAA Foundation Scholarships

• AIAA Diversity Scholarship

• Pathways to Science List of Funding Opportunities

• Vertical Flight Foundation Scholarships

Instructions for graduate students

M.S. and Ph.D. applications for Spring 2025 will be due in October 2024. However, we cannot currently assess whether we will have funded opportunities in our group. 

Please note

• All prospective graduate students must go through the regular application process for our program to be considered for a position

• I can only offer a limited number of GRA positions per year, depending on the availability of funds

• GTA positions are coordinated by the graduate program Chair, not by me

Prerequisite courses

• Dynamics, structures, and aerodynamics (required)

• Structural dynamics (preferred) and aeroelasticity (preferred)

Prerequisite skills

• Coding experience in one language (required)

• Undergraduate research experiences (preferred)

Funding

Most of the funded opportunities are for Ph.D. students, though funding for M.S. students may occasionally be available. 

Prospective students

If you are a prospective graduate student interested in our group, you should apply to the GT AE graduate program listing Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics as your primary research area and me as a faculty member you would like to work with.

I am not able to provide advice on preparing your application. However, you are welcome to send me an email to let me know of your interests and provide information about your background. I will look for your application if it passes our screening, there is a fit, and I have openings in my group. 

You can find information about applying here (M.S.) and here (Ph.D.). 

Current students

If you are a GT AE graduating senior or graduate student interested in our group, please reach out via email to inquire about potential opportunities. 

AE 8900 projects

If you are a current GT AE graduate student interested in conducting your AE 8900 project in our group, you must

• Have taken AE 6230 - Structural Dynamics or AE 4220 - Structural Dynamics and Aeroelasticity (or equivalent classes at other institutions)

• Be comfortable with programming in one language 

I won't accept students who don't meet these requirements because I cannot define a meaningful research project without these pre-requisite skills. 

AE 8900 projects are assigned on a rolling basis until we reach maximum capacity.

How AE 8900 graduate research works in my group

AE8900 research will work as described for undergraduate students. The difference will be in the complexity of the project.  

How M.S. or Ph.D. research works in my group

Depending on the funding source, students may have a pre-assigned project. If the position is funded by a sponsored project, the research scope will be defined. While I am happy to leave students free to pursue their research directions, this will be possible only as long as the project goals and deadlines are met. If a student brings their funding (e.g., fellowship), I can be flexible regarding research scope and timeline, as long as the research topic is in my area of expertise and interest. We will make a multi-year plan and a shorter-term plan. This will help us keep track of the big picture while making steps toward completing the degree. I meet with graduate students every week for one hour unless we agree to skip. Most of the meetings revolve around research but I often use some time to talk about academics or career-development topics. 

Resources

• Best practices for emailing a potential Ph.D. advisor

• Virtual workshop about applying for and choosing Ph.D. programs

• Best practices for reading scientific papers (e.g., of potential advisors)

• A book about navigating the transition to graduate school

Graduate fellowship opportunities

• GT AE Database of Student Funding Opportunities 

• GT Database of Graduate Student Fellowships

• AbbVie Immunology Scholarship

• AIAA Foundation Fellowships

• AIAA Diversity Scholarship

• Amelia Earhart Fellowship Program

• American Association of University Women Fellowships

• Caltech Database of Fellowships in STEM

• Caltech Database of Fellowships for Women

• Caltech Database of Fellowships for Underrepresented Groups

• DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship

• DOD National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Program

• Ford Predoctoral Fellowship Program

• Ford Dissertation Fellowship Program

• Johns Hopkins Database of Graduate Student Funding Opportunities

• National Academies List of Graduate Student Funding Opportunities

• National Academies List of Graduate Student Funding Opportunities (continues)

• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

• NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship Program

• Pathways to Science List of Funding Opportunities

• Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Grant

• U-M Database of Graduate Student Funding Opportunities 

• Vertical Flight Foundation Scholarships

Instructions for postdoctoral researchers

We are open to considering postdoctoral researchers but we do not currently have funded opportunities.

Prerequisite degrees

• Ph.D. in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering 

Prerequisite skills

• Advanced coding experience in any language (required)

• Expertise in structural dynamics or aeroelasticity (required)

Funding

We are currently unable to offer funded postdoctoral positions. If you are interested in joining our group for a postdoc, please check the opportunities below. 

If you are a recent/soon-to-be Ph.D. graduate interested in our group, please reach out via email to discuss potential future opportunities. 

How postdoc research works in my group

Postdoc research will work as described above for Ph.D. students. The main difference will be in the complexity and length of the research project. 

I will do my best to help postdocs secure their next positions. The academic job search is very fresh in my mind, but I am supportive of postdocs interested in other careers. 

Resources

• Best practices for emailing a potential postdoc advisor

• Best practices for reading scientific papers 

• Virtual workshop about applying for and transitioning to faculty positions

• Best practices for applying for faculty positions in the U.S. and Canada 

• A book about applying for faculty positions in STEM

• Collection of future faculty workshops

• My Twitter thread on resources to apply for faculty positions

Postdoctoral fellowship opportunities

• GT AE Postdoc Fellowship Program

• GT President's Postdoc Program

• American Association of University Women Fellowships

• Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship

• Johns Hopkins Database of Early Career Researchers Funding Opportunities

• NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships

• Pathways to Science List of Funding Opportunities

• Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Grant

• UCSD Database of Postdoctoral Funding Opportunities

• U-M Database of Postdoctoral Funding Opportunities 

Instructions for visiting scholars

We are open to considering motivated and qualified visiting scholars.

Prerequisites

The pre-requisites above for the appropriate career stage will apply.

Funding

Visiting scholars are expected to have their own funding support.

We only host visiting scholars at GT (no virtual visits). If you are interested, you are welcome to reach out via email to discuss potential opportunities. 

How research as a visiting scholar works in my group

Research will work as described for undergraduate and graduate students. The complexity of the research project will vary depending on the visitor's career stage (M.S. student, Ph.D. student, etc.) and the length of the visit. 

Note for international visitors

We are not involved in the paperwork to obtain visas and cannot help resolve visa issues or delays. 

Note for all visitors

GT does not provide on-campus housing for visiting scholars. You are expected to find off-campus housing on your own. 

Instructions for high-school students

We are not accepting high-school researchers at this time.