Faculty

Ares J. Rosakis

Theodore von Karman Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering; Otis Booth Leadership Chair, Division of Engineering and Applied Science

Degrees and Appointments

B.Sc., University of Oxford, 1978; Sc.M., Brown University, 1980; Ph.D., 1982. Assistant Professor of Aeronautics and Applied Mechanics, Caltech, 1982-88; Associate Professor, 1988-93; Professor, 1993-2000; Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering, 2000-04; von Karman Professor, 2004-. Professor, 2009-. Director, Graduate Aeronautical Laboratories, 2004-08. Director, Graduate Aerospace Laboratories, 2008-09; Chair, 2009-13; Otis Booth Leadership Chair, 2013-.

Research Overview

Professor Rosakis focuses on solid mechanics, dynamic mechanical properties, ballistic impact, hypervelocity impact of micrometeorites on spacecraft, dynamic fracture and fragmentation, adiabatic shear banding, earthquake fault mechanics, mechanics of metallic glasses, restoration of ancient stone monuments, and mechanics of thin films.

Space-Related Research

Reliability of space materials and structures, spacecraft shielding against micrometeoroid impact; the mechanics of sample return (avoiding inter-planetary and planetary contamination); microelectronics and MEMS in space; optical properties of space telescope mirrors.

List of Research Areas

solid mechanics, dynamic mechanical properties, ballistic impact, hypervelocity impact of micrometeorites on spacecraft, dynamic fracture and fragmentation, adiabatic shear banding, earthquake fault mechanics, mechanics of metallic glasses, restoration of ancient stone monuments, mechanics of thin films

Research Centers

Predictive Science Academic Alliance Program, Information Science and Technology