AE Seminar
Nature, Mathematics, and Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Aviation
featuring
Grace Gu
UC Berkeley
Thursday, Oct 31
3:30 - 4:30 PM
College of Computing 102
About the Seminar:
The growing demand for sustainability in materials design and manufacturing is reshaping the aviation field, pushing for breakthroughs that reduce environmental impact while enhancing performance and efficiency. In this talk, I will present our research at the intersection of bioinspired design, mathematical tiling, and artificial intelligence (AI) to address key sustainability challenges. First, I will discuss a novel aerodynamic design inspired by the serrated feathers of owls and the wing geometry of cicadas. This design led to the creation of a three-dimensional sinusoidal serration propeller, improving flight efficiency and reducing noise, which contributes to quieter and more efficient aerospace systems. Next, I will explore the development of high-performance composite structures based on aperiodic monotiles. These unique shapes, which tessellate without translational symmetry, have demonstrated superior strength, stiffness, and toughness compared to conventional honeycomb and square patterns. This increased durability extends the lifespan of structures, promoting sustainability in composite design. Lastly, I will introduce an AI-driven monitoring and process optimization system for additive manufacturing designed for use in challenging and extreme environments. By employing real-time imaging and deep learning, this system can detect, classify, and correct for defects such as over-extrusion and delamination during the printing process, increasing component quality and minimizing material waste. Together, these innovations in bioinspired design, mathematical tiling, and AI-driven manufacturing can transform a wide range of applications, paving the way to create more resilient structures, design more sustainable materials, and develop greener manufacturing technologies along the way.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Grace X. Gu is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. She received her PhD and MS in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her current research focuses on creating new materials with superior properties for mechanical, biological, and aerospace applications using multiphysics modeling and artificial intelligence, as well as developing intelligent additive manufacturing technologies to realize complex material designs. Gu is the recipient of several awards and honors and has given dozens of invited lectures and seminars, including a talk at TEDxBerkeley. Gu actively serves on the advisory/editorial boards for several journals and has co-organized symposiums at various conferences and workshops.