Starting March 5, Michael Silva joins us from the California Institute of Technology, where he earned a Ph.D. in Aeronautics with a minor in Geology. His doctoral dissertation addressed damage evolution in composite materials and sandwich structures under impulse loading. Michael has researched damage evaluation and detection in sandwich composite panels, designed and manufactured an apparatus for testing, and developed thermal imaging techniques using a high-speed IR camera. He has published his findings in mechanical and engineering journals and presented them at national and international conferences.
Michael has keen night vision: at Caltech’s chapter of Students for the Exploration and Development (SEDS), he taught the principles of amateur astronomy, including the use of manual and automated telescopes, and he led observing and camping trips. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Before attending Caltech, where he also earned an MS in Aeronautics, Michael received his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of California, San Diego.