A Missouri S&T professor will spend the summer as an Air Force Summer Faculty Fellow and support the United States military’s research initiatives.

“The military researchers at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base are doing remarkable work that aligns well with my research areas,” says Dr. Arezoo Emdadi, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering. “I look forward to working with them and supporting the Air Force’s mission, while also enhancing my expertise and developing strong academic partnerships.” 
 
Over the course of the 10-week fellowship at the Ohio Air Force Base, Emdadi will work to develop an AI-based model to explore the mechanical properties of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) that can be used in temperatures reaching thousands of degrees Celsius.  
 
“CMCs are high-performance materials with intricate multi-scale structures, which makes their mechanical behaviors and damage properties difficult to characterize and predict,” she says. “This study will greatly expand our knowledge of CMCs, enabling the customization of their design with enhanced characteristics. These materials could play a key role in the United States’ development of hypersonic vehicles, which must withstand exceptionally demanding conditions.” 
 
Emdadi has been a member of the S&T faculty since 2020, having first come to S&T in 2015 to earn a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering. She later served as a postdoctoral fellow.  
 
Before joining S&T, she earned a Ph.D. in structural engineering at the University of Tehran, served in industry and academic roles in Iran, and was a postdoctoral fellow in Hong Kong. She also earned a master’s degree in structural engineering from the University of Tehran, as well as a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. 
 
For more information about S&T’s materials science and engineering programs, visit mse.mst.edu. 

About Missouri S&T

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.