Projects

My work sits at the intersection of advanced materials, manufacturing systems, and safety-critical engineering. These projects span additive manufacturing, composite manufacturing, subtractive manufacturing processes, and digital manufacturing, with an emphasis on real operating conditions, reliability, and risk-aware design.

Selected Projects

— Materials & Manufacturing— 

Hot Roll-Wrapping Parameter Study (Carbon Fiber/Nylon Composites) — Center for Advanced Technology, RPI (2025)

Process experiments to improve repeatability and bond quality in thermoplastic composite roll-wrapping.

What I did:

• Designed and ran controlled experiments to identify roll-wrapping process parameters.

• Evaluated tackiness/bonding behavior across temperature and process settings.

• Documented results to guide repeatable future trials and process refinement.

Low-Velocity Impact Modeling in Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (Siemens NX) — Intelligent Structural Systems Lab, RPI (2023–2024)

Finite element simulation of impact damage with attention to delamination initiation and growth.

What I did:

• Modeled low-velocity impact response in aerospace-grade carbon fiber laminates using FEM (Siemens NX).

• Focused on predicting delamination initiation and growth mechanisms.

• Presented results at RPI’s Graduate Research Symposium (poster).

Manufacturing Plan: Polypropylene Cylinder Liner — Thermoforming + Welding, RPI (2025)

End-to-end manufacturing plan for a smooth-ID PP liner compatible with downstream composite overwinding. 

What I did:

• Built the full manufacturing plan (process flow, inspection/handling considerations).

• Compared route options and selected a thermoforming-based approach for scalability and prototyping speed.

• Evaluated seam-joining strategies (overlap vs butt) and recommended a welding method to protect the smooth interior surface.

Thermoset Composite Recycling: Compaction of End-of-Life Aircraft Plastics — Aerospace Structures & Materials Laboratory (ASML), WPI (2023)

I worked on making “non-recyclable” aerospace thermosets more manufacturable and circular by experimentally evaluating compaction-based approaches.

What I did:

• Led research on compacting thermosetting plastics from end-of-life aircraft materials to explore more recyclable/reusable form factors.

• Investigated how processing conditions influence consolidation quality and repeatability (strength, integrity, and handling).

• Documented methods and results to support future scale-up and manufacturability discussions for circular aerospace materials.

— Safety & Airworthiness— 

Airport Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment Tool, KNUST (2018)

A risk assessment model + mobile app concept to support hazard identification and hazard quantification in airport operations.

What I did:

• Built a risk assessment framework to score and prioritise operational hazards.

• Designed the workflow for capturing hazards, assigning severity/likelihood, and tracking actions.

• Structured outputs to support safety reporting and decision-making.

Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Impact Model for Aircraft Systems, KNUST (2017)

A mathematical model assessing electromagnetic interference and its potential effects on aircraft systems.

What I did:

• Developed a mathematical approach to evaluate EMI impact on aircraft systems.

• Assessed how interference could influence system behaviour and operational reliability.

• Documented assumptions, methodology, and results in a clear technical format.

News

Service Excellence Award

OGE Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | October 23, 2025 

I’m honored to be recognized with an 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘔𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 for the RPI Office of Graduate Education (OGE) 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 during the Graduate Students' Appreciation Dinner.

This recognition means a lot because it celebrates the quiet, consistent work of building community through leadership, service, and peer support. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help make our campus a more inclusive and supportive place for graduate students.

10th Annual Graduate Research Symposium

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | April 11, 2025 

I had the honor of presenting my work at the 10th Annual Graduate Research Symposium hosted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Her poster, "Finite Element Analysis of Low-Velocity Impact Damage in Carbon Fiber Composites Using Siemens NX," was featured during the Poster Presentation and Networking Reception held in the CBIS Atriums.

My work focuses on modeling and simulating impact-induced delamination in aerospace-grade composite materials. Through finite element methods, I'm investigating the structural response of carbon fiber laminates under low-velocity impact, contributing to broader efforts in damage prediction and structural health monitoring in aerospace systems.

The symposium showcased innovative research from across disciplines, and Elizabeth was grateful for the opportunity to share my findings and engage in insightful conversations with fellow researchers, faculty, and industry guests.