Vanessa Restrepo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department
Dr. Vanessa Restrepo is an Assistant Professor and ACES Fellow in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M. She received her M.S. in Civil Engineering and her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University, and her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Antioquia (Colombia). Dr. Restrepo is strongly oriented to addressing research in an interdisciplinary manner. She combines principles of solid mechanics, structural analysis, and finite element methods with biology to develop, model, and test bioinspired materials. Her current research focuses on fundamentally investigate synthetic pathways for the development of bio-inspired materials and their practical applications. These proposed materials will translate into a wide variety of applications by incorporating shape-and-color shifting properties (based on shape memory materials combined with structural coloration technics) capable of autonomously changing their surface morphology and color upon the application of external stimuli such as temperature, electricity, and/or strain.
Graduate Students
Manuel Jose Carvajal Loaiza
Ph.D. Student
Manuel Carvajal is a PhD student in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Texas A&M University. Manuel earned his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Antioquia (Colombia), his degree project was in the area of statistical fatigue analysis on small airplanes. Manuel’s main interests include bio-inspired and smart materials. Currently, he is working on morphing surfaces and structural coloration.
Meryem Soltane
M.Sc. Student
Meryem Soltane is a Master student in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Texas A&M University. Her undergraduate education was at Al Akhawayn University (Morocco), where she received a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering. Her research interests include aerodynamics, morphing wings, fluid-structure interaction, Biomimetics and bio-inspired design - Everything that flies.
Maria Isabel Vallejo Ciro
M.Sc. Student
Maria Vallejo is a Master student in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Texas A&M University. Maria achieved a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Antioquia (Colombia), her degree project was in the area of statistical fatigue analysis on small airplanes. Maria’s main interests include bio-inspired and smart materials. At present, she is working on Bio-Inspired Active Hook & Loop Fastener.
Undergraduate Students
Avik Ahuja
B.Sc. Student