Clarkson University Researchers Awarded at American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Conference

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Clarkson University researchers received several awards at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) SciTech Forum 2026, billed as the premier aerospace research and development event of the year.

Clarkson Researchers Part of Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) Prize Winning Team

A research team featuring Clarkson University faculty and students has received the 2026 Integrated Computational Materials Engineering Prize from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, recognizing five years of collaborative research in advanced composite structures.

The award honors a multi-institutional, Office of Naval Research-funded project conducted under the leadership of Marcias Martinez, professor and chair of Clarkson University's Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department. The research advanced the modeling, testing and performance prediction of adhesively bonded composite and metallic joints critical to naval and aerospace applications.

Clarkson researchers played a central role across experimental, computational and analytical efforts. Todd Mull Jr., a doctoral candidate in Clarkson's Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, led non-destructive evaluation activities. John Erdman, a master's student, conducted extensive experimental testing at Clarkson's HolSIP Laboratory. Numerous graduate and undergraduate students from the HolSIP Laboratory contributed throughout the project, supporting testing, data analysis and model validation.

The project benefited from close collaboration with national laboratories and academic partners. Daniel Hart of the NAVSEA Warfare Centers provided technical leadership, while Stephanie TerMaath from the University of Tennessee led multi-scale integration efforts for the adhesively bonded joint program.

Additional contributors included Kinan Bezem, who advanced peridynamics modeling; Corey Hart, who led machine learning and sensitivity analysis; Hiren Balsara, who conducted composite structural analysis and extensive finite element studies; Nilanjan Mitra, who contributed atomic-scale modeling; and Dr. Marcus Stanfield of Southwest Research Institute, who supported uncertainty quantification.

The research brought together Clarkson University, the University of Tennessee, NAVSEA Warfare Centers, Johns Hopkins University and Southwest Research Institute, reflecting a deeply integrated approach to materials engineering.

The team also acknowledged the support of Office of Naval Research program managers Jessica Dibelka and Paul Hess.

The AIAA ICME Prize recognizes outstanding achievement in integrated computational materials engineering and highlights Clarkson University's leadership in advancing interdisciplinary, mission-driven research.

Clarkson Professor Named AIAA Associate Fellow

Prof. Ajit Achuthan of Clarkson University has been elected to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Class of 2026 Associate Fellows, a distinction recognizing professionals who have made significant contributions to aeronautics and astronautics. Prof. Achuthan was honored for advancing the fundamental understanding of microstructure-property relationships in additively manufactured aerospace alloys and translating those insights into design tools for next-generation aerospace components.

Clarkson Professor Recognized for work on Award Winning Paper

Clarkson University faculty member Mishal Thapa has earned national recognition for his work in aerospace engineering.

Thapa, an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, helped lead an award-winning research paper that received the 2026 AIAA Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) Student Paper Award.

The paper was written by University of Alabama graduate student Jafar Siddique. Thapa and University of Alabama professor Sameer B. Mulani served as co-advisers on the project. The research looks at better ways to predict how advanced materials used in aircraft and spacecraft wear down over time.

The award includes a $500 cash prize and is sponsored by the AIAA Non-Deterministic Approaches Technical Committee.