WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Drawing on a legacy of research expertise, the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate has welcomed composite materials elasticity expert Dr. Nick Pagano to speak to the next generation of researchers.
Pagano was the first civilian Air Force researcher to achieve the Senior Executive Service-equivalent grade of Senior Scientist, or ST. A world-renowned researcher in theoretical and applied mechanics, much of his work has focused on the fundamental theory of elasticity, particularly relative to composite materials. His enduring research into composite laminates has served as the starting point for researchers in the field, and the solutions he derived during his career serve as the basis for studying the requirements for theories of laminated plates.
Pagano’s contributions to scientific publication include a widely-used textbook on the theory of elasticity. In addition to his many scientific papers and journal articles, he was also an editor and major contributor to a reference book on composite delamination. All of these publications serve as reference materials that continue to guide efforts in this research field today.
“Dr. Pagano’s lecture series will help train the next generation of scientists and engineers in the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate and elsewhere on the fundamental understanding of elasticity theory in materials. he information he is conveying will help them better understand materials behavior and response in the increasingly demanding applications with which the Air Force is involved,” said Dr. Craig Przybyla, Senior Materials Engineer and Research Team Leader for the Composite Performance Research Team.
Pagano’s lecture series began October 27, and will continue for 16 weeks. During this time, Pagano will speak on the 15 governing field equations of elasticity theory and their physical significance. Lectures are currently filled to capacity.