We strive to
Welcome qualified and motivated people from all nationalities, backgrounds, and identities
Provide everyone with a supportive and collaborative environment for professional and personal development
Keep a growth mindset: success is the result of sustained effort, embracing challenges, persisting through failure, and seeking feedback
Broaden participation in aerospace engineering by being mindful of our blind spots, paying our opportunities forward, and lifting others as we climb
Every group member is expected to
Share our values
Have a strong work ethic
Have an interest in computational research
Be proficient in coding in at least one programming language
Have an interest in topics related to structural dynamics and aeroelasticity
Some tools and resources used in our group are listed here.
Undergraduate researchers are expected to
Have completed at least one full academic year as an AE major
Commit to at least two consecutive semesters of research (can be across different academic years)
Dedicate 3 to 9 hours a week (on average) to the assigned research tasks (consistent with the number of academic credits)
Graduate researchers are expected to
Have earned a BS or MS in AE or ME by the time of joining
Master theory and application of UG dynamics, structures, and aerodynamics
Dedicate 20 hours a week (on average) to the assigned research tasks
Dedicate 20 additional hours a week (on average) to academics and degree progression (classes, homework, etc.)
Postdoctoral researchers are expected to
Have earned a PhD in AE or ME by the time of joining
Be experts in structural dynamics, aeroelasticity, and related topics
Dedicate 40 hours a week (on average) to the assigned research tasks
Play an active role in mentoring graduate and undergraduate group members
Visiting researchers are expected to
Meet the expectations for their appropriate career stage as listed above
Secure funding from their home institution or other external sponsors to support their visit
Be responsible for the logistics of the visit (e.g., securing visas, finding housing, and transportation)
Work ethic and honesty
I expect group members to take their education and research VERY seriously. While some people are natural self-starters, everyone can excel if they put sustained effort. I know that difficulties are inherent to growth, and I am always willing to work with mentees to find solutions. However, I do not tolerate dishonesty or lack of work ethic in members of our group (e.g., lying or omitting the truth about academic or research progress).
Work hours and locations
I don't enforce work hours or locations because if one does not have a strong work ethic, requiring them to spend preset hours in the lab will not help. However, I expect group members to make the most out of the flexibility granted by being self-driven, professional, and respectful of the time and financial resources I devote to them. Everyone is expected to attend planned meetings and give me at least a one-day notice if we need to reschedule, unless there are exceptional circumstances. I also expect group members to respond to non-urgent requests within a business day. I expect faster responses if we are close to a deadline, but we will agree on this upfront.
Group meetings
We hold weekly or biweekly group meetings. Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are expected to attend regularly.
Individual meetings and communications
I meet with everyone weekly or biweekly (depending on career stage and project timeline). I am also available on Teams for quick questions or chats.
Weekly updates
Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers must provide me with a weekly update on what they did, which tasks are pending, and which topics we need to discuss. While most of these updates focus on research, they should also include any other items that require my input, such as course planning, preparing for tests, applying for fellowships or awards, and other career-building topics. These updates should be given in a Word document in our Teams channel, unless we have agreed otherwise.
Undergraduate students should also provide me or their primary mentor with a semi-regular weekly update, which can be done verbally during our meetings or via Teams. However, they are encouraged and welcome to adopt the same format as graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
Visiting students should provide me with a weekly update according to the format above that applies to their career stage.
Publishing
While we should not chase papers, I encourage group members to publish regularly. First, writing is thinking. Second, sharing our findings with the scientific community is the primary way we 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 one secure their next position, and effective communication skills are critical for ANY career path. For these reasons, graduate students should plan one publication per year after their first year. I also encourage UG students to get involved with publishing, particularly if they are interested in graduate research.
Funding
I don't expect mentees to bring funding, and being fully funded does not guarantee acceptance into the group if there is no fit. That said, I expect that group members will take initiative in applying for opportunities they are eligible for, such as awards, fellowships, and travel grants. Securing resources is a key component of many (if not all) career paths. Therefore, I consider this an important aspect of academic and research training, and I am willing to put a lot of time into supporting application processes.
Career goals
I don't expect group members to stay in academia (I didn't want to be a Professor when I was a graduate student). While I can provide first-hand advice on pursuing a faculty career, I will do my best to support mentees interested in other careers (and those who don't know what they want to do next yet).
General instructions
Please reach out via email (not social media!)
Mention who you are and what you are looking for (PhD position, UG research, etc.)
If you are inquiring about a research opportunity
Describe your background and attach your CV
Describe your interests in structural dynamics and 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 generally reply within 1-2 weeks.
Before sending me an email, please note
I do not distance-advise UG, MS, or PhD students at other institutions (I only advise students affiliated with GT)
I cannot direct-admit graduate students to my group (all students must apply to one of our programs to be admitted to GT)
I do not tolerate emails with insincere rhetoric, hyperbolic language, copy-pasted words from this website, or stretched claims of fit
I will likely not reply if
The email gets my name, institution, or research area wrong
The email mentions background and interests that have nothing to do with my research area
We talked recently, and I have already said that I cannot offer an opportunity in the foreseeable future
The email addresses me inappropriately ("Hey Cristina", "Dear Madam", "Dear Sir", or other unprofessional salutations)
The email only mentions an interest in being funded, but does not provide any details about specific background and interests
The email sounds like it was generated using ChatGPT or other similar artificial intelligence tools (yes, it is easy to recognize the tone)
Additional information
Additional information about the GT AE programs can be found below:
Some useful tips for emailing a potential advisor can be found below:
Undergraduate researchers
Please inquire about opportunities at least one semester in advance. Generally, students who have joined the group in the Spring and Fall semesters have reached out in the early Fall and late Spring, respectively. I do not take on students during the Summer aside from openings under the Georgia Tech SURE program. Applications for this program are due in February, and students are encouraged to reach out early if interested in working with our group through this funded mechanism. See also here.
Graduate researchers
If you plan to apply for our MS or PhD programs, please reach out before the relevant application deadline. Generally, I evaluate applications for Spring and Fall admission in October (for Spring) and December (for Fall), respectively, and I issue any funding offers in November (for Spring) and by April (for Fall), respectively. It is unlikely I will be able to consider an applicant for a funded position for the next cycle if I have not reached out during these timeframes.
If you are a GT AE graduate student, feel free to reach out to inquire about openings at any time. However, please understand that I may not be able to offer a funded opportunity on short notice. For instance, I will generally not be able to fund MS students admitted for Fall who reach out during the Summer, as I will have already hired.
If you are a GT graduate student in another major, please know that I cannot be the main advisor of non-AE students, as I do not hold joint or courtesy appointments in other Schools. This means I will not be able to fund you. However, I am open to discussing potential co-advising arrangements with a faculty member in your major.
I am generally open to considering self-funded students (e.g., by fellowships) at any time, provided that our expectations and research interests align.
Postdoctoral researchers
I do not currently have funded openings for postdoctoral researchers. However, I am open to considering prospective postdocs funded by or planning to apply for fellowships. You are also welcome to reach out to discuss potential future funded opportunities.
Visiting researchers
I evaluate inquiries for visiting research positions on a rolling basis. Visiting researchers are expected to have funding support for their visit.
Prerequisite skills
Programming experience in any language (required)
Experience with version control using Git (preferred)
Prerequisite courses
AE 3530 System Dynamics and Vibration (preferred, may be required for some projects)
AE 4220 Structural Dynamics and Aeroelasticity (preferred)
Funding
Undergraduate research opportunities are generally for academic credit, except for potential Summer opportunities under the SURE program
I am happy to work with interested students to help them apply for salary awards under the PURA program or for relevant scholarships
How undergraduate research works in my group
I will propose 1-2 research topics based on ongoing efforts in the group. 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 on a need basis, typically every 2 or 3 weeks for 15-20 minutes. Most meetings revolve around research, but I also use some time to provide academic and career advice. In addition to meetings, I regularly interact with UG students via a Teams channel and the chat. Some UG students may be paired with a graduate student as their primary mentor, depending on the project.
I do not have funded openings for Spring 2026. I will have a clearer picture of openings for Fall 2026 in the new year.
Eligible students are encouraged to apply for relevant graduate fellowships (see the Mentoring page).
Please note
Prospective graduate students must go through the regular application process for a GT AE graduate program to be considered by our group
I can only offer a limited number of funded positions (Graduate Research Assistantships) per year, depending on the availability of funds
The Graduate Program Chair coordinates the assignment of funded teaching positions (Graduate Teaching Assistantships)
Prerequisite skills
Programming experience in any language (required)
Experience with version control using Git (preferred)
UG research or other technical experiences (preferred)
Prerequisite courses
Dynamics, structures, and aerodynamics (required)
Structural dynamics (preferred) and aeroelasticity (preferred)
Funding
Funded opportunities are generally for PhD students, though funding for MS students may occasionally be available
I am happy to advise seriously interested students on fellowship applications (see the Mentoring page), it my bandwidth allows
Prospective students
You should apply for the GT AE MS or PhD program, with "Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics" as your primary area of interest.
If you apply for our MS program, please indicate whether you are interested in completing an MS Thesis.
See the additional guidance on the typical timeline for reaching out earlier on this page.
You can find information about applying here (MS AE) and here (PhD AE).
Current students
If you are a GT AE graduate student, I assume you are in the MS or MS DL program (as GT AE does not admit PhD students without an advising offer). Therefore, I assume you may be interested in a graduate research opportunity connected to AE 8900 or an MS Thesis. These opportunities are not necessarily associated with a funded position.
I currently only offer AE 8900 projects for graduate students in my group. This is because, in my experience, a single semester of research is not typically enough to have a meaningful learning experience. Therefore, if you are interested in conducting AE 8900 with our group, you should plan to familiarize yourself with our research for at least one full semester before AE 8900. You should also plan to take one of the courses I teach at the undergraduate or graduate level, unless you already have a background in structural dynamics and aeroelasticity. As you get exposed to our group in that initial semester, we can scope a suitable AE 8900 project.
If you are interested in an MS Thesis, please send me an email following the guidelines and timeline discussed earlier. MS Thesis projects require a commitment of at least three semesters (potentially skipping Summer, if you plan to go on an internship) and are assigned on a rolling basis until we reach maximum capacity. This means that I may not be able to accommodate your request depending on your anticipated timeline to graduate and the number of requests we have received.
How graduate research works in my group
For MS and PhD students funded by one of my projects, the research scope will be defined upfront. While I am happy to leave students the freedom to pursue their ideas, this will be possible only after we have met the project deadlines and deliverables. For students with fellowships or other sources of funding (e.g., from employers), I am flexible regarding the research scope, as long as it remains within my area of expertise and contributes to the overall efforts of the group.
We will make multi-year and short-term plans. This will help us maintain a clear view of the big picture while taking steps toward completing the work. I regularly meet with graduate students, typically every week or biweekly, for as much time as we need (and my schedule allows). These meetings revolve around research, academics, and career-building topics. In addition to meetings, I regularly interact with students via a dedicated Teams channel and the chat.
Most graduate students in my group complete at least one internship during their degrees. I am actively involved in the process of identifying internships that augment the work done during the academic year and align with long-term career goals.
I do not anticipate having funded openings for postdoctoral researchers in 2026.
Eligible graduating students or postdocs are encouraged to apply for relevant postdoctoral fellowships (see the Mentoring page).
Prerequisite skills
Advanced coding experience in at least one scientific computing language (required)
Expertise in structural dynamics, aeroelasticity, and supporting subjects (required)
How postdoc research works in my group
Postdoc research will work as for graduate students. The main difference will be in the project's complexity and the expected level of independence.
Visiting researchers are expected to have their funding support and commit to in-person visits. I do not accommodate virtual visits.
Prerequisites
See the above prerequisites for your career stage.
How research as a visiting scholar works in my group
See the above guidance for your career stage.
Note for international visitors
We cannot help resolve issues or delays associated with securing visas to enter the U.S..
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.
We cannot currently accommodate high-school researchers.