What is your role within the George H.W. Bush Combat development Complex
I am a graduate researcher in the Hypervelocity Impact Laboratory and BCDC’s Materials for Extreme Environments.
What is your role within the George H.W. Bush Combat development Complex
I am a PhD student in the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M, and a SMART Fellowship recipient.
Previous education?
BS in aerospace engineering with a concentration in aeronautics and a minor in mathematics from Mississippi State University.
Where are you from?
Kingwood, Texas.
What is a project or accomplishment you’re proud of?
I’m proud to play a role in the development of protective materials and structures that we rely on to protect the troops and assets of the United States.
When do you graduate and what is your next step?
I graduate in May of 2023, from there I will work for the Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineering Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, MS, where I will research, through modeling and experimentation, the effects of impacts and explosions on buildings, vehicles, and other structures.
“Working with the great minds associated with BCDC is a unique opportunity. As a PhD student, being on the cutting edge of Hypervelocity impact experimentation and modeling is a unique chance to have a lasting impact national security and defense.”
What are your goals within BCDC?
I want to use the time that I am affiliated with BCDC to develop experimental techniques that will help validate models and give insight to material systems that are used in combat.
How did you get to BCDC?
I began a PhD in mechanical engineering in 2019 at Texas A&M where my advisor, Dr. Thomas Lacy, and my affiliation with the Hypervelocity Impact Lab drew the connection to BCDC.
How long have you been at A&M? At BCDC?
I have been at A&M since the fall of 2019 when I started my PhD in mechanical engineering.
Why are you interested in Materials for Extreme Environments?
I have been interested in protecting people and assets from impact threats since my internship with the Army Engineering Research and Development Center in 2019. Since then, I have focused on mitigation of penetration and damage from impacts into the materials that make protective structures in the United States and overseas.