Dr. S.N. Balakrishnan, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, has been named Curators’ Professor of aerospace engineering.

Balakrishnan’s new title will be conferred during Missouri S&T commencement ceremonies Dec. 18. The University of Missouri Board of Curators approved the designation at a recent meeting. The professorship is awarded to outstanding scholars with established reputations in their fields of study.

Balakrishnan is internationally known for his work in developing missile guidance algorithms and intelligent control. His research interests include stability and control of aerospace and mechanical systems, cognition and bio-inspired techniques for decision and control, and large-scale optimization. Balakrishnan’s research in intelligent control has been sponsored by the National Science Foundation continuously for more than 17 years. His aircraft and space research work has been sponsored by NASA (Langley, Houston, Ames, Marshall and Goddard).

Balakrishnan’s research in missile guidance and control has been supported by grants from the Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Naval Surface Warfare Center, the Air Force, and the Missile Defense Agency. He has given keynote addresses and invited lectures in several countries. Balakrishnan has published numerous journal articles with his students, and many of his students have won top awards at national and international conferences. He is affiliated with a number of professional organizations, including the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Balakrishnan earned his Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1983.