Prof. Carmen Guerra-Garcia, the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Associate Professor in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, has been elected to the Class of 2027 Associate Fellows of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
The grade of Associate Fellow recognizes individuals “who have accomplished or been in charge of important engineering or scientific work, or who have done original work of outstanding merit, or who have otherwise made outstanding contributions to the arts, sciences, or technology of aeronautics or astronautics.” Only 17% of AIAA members are ever selected for this grade.
Prof. Guerra-Garcia, who was granted tenure earlier this year, directs the Aerospace Plasma Group at AeroAstro. Her research lies at the intersection of aerospace engineering, low-temperature plasma technologies, and gas discharge physics, with a focus on two major challenges in aviation: reducing emissions and ensuring the safety of next-generation aircraft. Her work spans three interconnected areas: advancing the fundamental science of electrical discharges in flowing gases and nonuniform media, applying that science to plasma-assisted combustion and chemical conversion, and developing physics-based approaches to lightning protection.
