Mechanical Engineering undergraduate, Brett Reeder, was selected nationally for the Sandia National Laboratories Research and Applications of Mechanics of Structure (RAMS). This an incredibly prestigious award for a Ph.D. student, let alone an undergrad. As an intern, Reeder will be partnered with a RAMS staff member as a mentor in providing engineering solutions to national security mission deliverables. He will research, develop, and apply computational capabilities to define mechanical environments and simulate response of complex structural systems subjected to extreme loading conditions.
Reeder says, “Ever since elementary school my heart has been set on mechanical engineering. I’ve been interested in how the world around me works at its most basic level and wanting to use the latest and greatest technology. Last year I got involved in research at the university just by talking with my professors. Before long I found myself working with advanced equipment and investigating challenging problems. I’m incredibly excited to get hands on experience at the RAMS institute this summer, and I think that it will be a major step for my research and education.”
Planning to enroll in the BS/MS program and obtain his degree in 2020, Reeder is a member of the Integrated Multi-Physics Laboratory, advised by mechanical engineering assistant professor Pania Newell. His current research project is to determine how pore size, shape, and distribution impact a material’s behavior. This research involves developing and testing material models with finite element analysis software and experimental verification.
Research in the field of porous media has attracted a lot of attention. Its findings can be applied to many varied fields, including medicine, geoscience, and manufacturing. Designers are able to add pores into a structure to make it permeable to fluids, conserve material, and reduce weight. Porosity can also be controlled to influence the mechanical properties of a design, making it softer or harder in key regions.
Sponsored by Sandia’s Engineering Sciences Center, the Research and Applications of Mechanics of Structures (RAMS) Institute provides students an opportunity to work with outstanding technical staff in providing engineering solutions to national security mission deliverables. Students work in a collaborative environment and participate in frequent technical and team building activities throughout their internship, including career discussions, tours, and invited speakers. Students are assigned to projects and mentors through a process that matches their interests to on-going projects. Depending on interests, some students may also participate in the Nonlinear Mechanics and Dynamics (NOMAD) Research Institute or the Nuclear Weapon (NW) SPRINT design competition in addition to their main project work.
To learn more about Reeder and his research visit the Integrated Multi-Physics Laboratory.