MEMS Seminar: “Naval Flight Dynamics & Control Research”
Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science
Fall 2023 Seminar Series with Brian Holm-Hansen, Program Officer, Flight Dynamics & Control, Office of Naval Research.
Title: "Naval Flight Dynamics & Control Research"
Abstract: The Office of Naval Research (ONR) funds academia, industry and government to advance scientific research and technology for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The Flight Dynamics & Control portfolio invests in research relevant to Navy and Marine Corp unique aspects of aviation, such as operating aircraft from ships. The talk ranges from guidance that drives our research to specific research projects. Our projects range from flight controls to control law synthesis to advanced human/machine dynamics. Finally, we will cover an example case outlining the discovery process from theory to analysis to experimentation.
BIO: Brian Holm-Hansen brings over 20 years of engineering & research experience in controls, test and experimentation in fields ranging from rail transportation to advanced aircraft. Since 2016 he has held the position of Flight Dynamics and Control Program Officer at the Office of Naval Research, where he has built a portfolio of world-renowned investigators to conduct fundamental research in areas ranging from complex multi-body dynamics and control to undiscovered coupling mechanisms in human/machine systems.
Prior to government service, Dr. Holm-Hansen's industrial experience included over a decade developing and flight-testing unique air vehicles at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. The Engineer's Council has honored Dr. Holm-Hansen with three Distinguished Engineering Project Achievement awards for his work on integrated flight and structural control as well as advanced experimental aircraft design and test. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) inducted him as an Associate Fellow for his contributions and service to the field of aeronautics. He served as a Fellow in the White House Leadership Development Program (WHLDP). He received his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from the University of Connecticut and his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, all in Mechanical Engineering.