Global Team

Prof. Steve TSAI’s global team is a collaborative network where each one brings his knowledge and skill to improve the theory, the data and the tools for the design of high performance composites.

The Global Team idea was initiated at WPAFB Materials lab Dayton,OH and expanded through the years with Stanford University Composites Design Group at the Astronautics and Aeronautics Department and Think Composites in USA, Japan, Europe etc… and many other organizations.

Meet the members of the Team by clicking on the grey/black dots below.

  • Professor Stephen W. Tsai is Emeritus Faculty at Stanford University, in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He retired from USAF where he spent most of his career as a pioneer in the field of mechanics of composite materials. His name is associated with many universally used failure criteria and more recently with the trace of elastic matrix which carries his name (Tsai Modulus). He also wrote an impressive number of books which have been the bible for many composite engineers in the world. Professor Tsai's research interest is in the development of design methodology of composite materials and structures. As an emerging technology, composite materials offer unique performances for structures that combine light weight with durability. Keys to the successful utilization of composite materials are predictability in performance and x²cost-effective design of anisotropic, laminated structures. Current emphasis is placed on the understanding of failure modes, and computer simulation for design and cost estimation.

Stephen W. TSAI

Professor Stephen W. Tsai is Emeritus Faculty at Stanford University, in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

He retired from USAF where he spent most of his career as a pioneer in the field of mechanics of composite materials. His name is associated with many universally used failure criteria and more recently with the trace of elastic matrix which carries his name (Tsai Modulus). He also wrote an impressive number of books which have been the bible for many composite engineers in the world.

Professor Tsai’s research interest is in the development of design methodology of composite materials and structures. As an emerging technology, composite materials offer unique performances for structures that combine light weight with durability. Keys to the successful utilization of composite materials are predictability in performance and x²cost-effective design of anisotropic, laminated structures. Current emphasis is placed on the understanding of failure modes, and computer simulation for design and cost estimation.

Thierry MASSARD

Engineer in mechanics and Eng Dr from Ecole Centrale Paris in physics, he spent most of his career with the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA) in France. In 1983, he was a visiting scientist to WPAFBDayton-Ohio where he started his collaboration with Steve Tsai. He contributed to many papers and software on design of composite materials and composite structures. With Steve Tsai, he founded Think Composites in Europe as a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of composites in the industry. Thierry Massard has served as a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites – SAGE publications He is a Past President and World Fellow of ICCM (International Committee on Composite Materials).

José Daniel MELO

Jose Daniel D. Melo has been Rector of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte since May 2019. Before that, he held the positions of Vice Rector (2015-2019) and Dean of the School of Engineering and Architecture (2011-2015). Prof. Melo received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State University (2002), M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maine (1993), and B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering (1990) and in Civil Engineering (1997) from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. Prof. Melo has worked in the field of Composite Materials for over 25 years. His main research interests and contributions are in design and mechanical characterization of polymer composites. In this area, he published three books and numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals and international conference proceedings. He was Visiting Scholar at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics of Stanford University from 2008 to 2019 with Prof. Tsai. Prof. Melo is also Associate Editor of the Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites.

Carlos CIMINI Jr

Professor at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Carlos Cimini holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (1984). He completed a master’s degree in Structural Engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in 1992 and a doctorate in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University in 1997. He was a visiting researcher on sabbatical leave from 2016 to 2017 at the Department of Aeronautical and Vehicle Engineering at KTH (Royal Institute of Technology ) in Stockholm (Sweden) and from 2008 to 2009 at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University in Palo Alto (USA. He is currently a full professor at the Department of Structural Engineering (DEES), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). He has experience in the field of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering on the following themes: application of composite materials in infrastructure, structural health monitoring, finite element method, stress analysis, composite materials, fatigue and fracture. He also works in the area of ​​Bioengineering related to the modeling of structures in biological systems. He is member of the Board of ICCM Committee (International Conference on Composites Materials)

Naresh SHARMA

Naresh Sharma is the CEO and Founder of NASHERO, a light aircraft manufacturer out of North Italy. NASHERO designs, develops, produces and sells carbon composite aircraft. With the impending AS9100 certification, they plan on supplying larger OEMs with technology, composite and complex precision machined metal parts. Since 2008, Naresh is an ASTM member and an active contributor to the ASTM’s aviation standards including those for General Aviation. Naresh earned a PhD in Aerospace Engineering and Computer Sciences from the Delft University of Technology in 1997, a Master’s in Aeronautical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur (1987-1989), and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from IIT, Kanpur (1982-1986).

Antonio MIRAVETE

He has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and 40+ years of experience in analysis, design and manufacturing of organic matrix composite materials. He started his collaboration with Prof. Tsai in the 1980’s. He has authored or co-authored several books published in the US and Europe. He has been a Professor at University of Zaragoza and a Research Scientist at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio and the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics,  Stanford University. Currently, he is a research affiliate at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT. He is an Associate Editor of Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites and a Member of the Editorial Boards of Journal of Composite Structures, Journal of Mechanics of Composite Materials and Structures, Mechanics of Advanced Materials and Structures and Journal of Applied Composite Materials His major interests are double – double, nanoscale materials to enhance performance of advanced composite materials and continuous carbon fiber additive manufacturing. He is also a US chess master.

Sangkyu HA

Dr. Sung Kyu Ha is a professor in Department of Mechanical Engineering in Hanyang University, and the director of Ha Structures and Composites Laboratory. He received a B.Eng. (1983) in Mechanical Engineering from Hanyang University, an M.S. (1985) and a Ph.D. (1988) in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University. Before joining the faculty of Hanyang University in 1991, Professor Ha had been included in the faculty of Mechanical Engineering of Stanford University as a research associate.

Professor Ha, an expert in design and analysis of composite structures, as well as a renowned researcher in mechanics of composite materials, has authored or co-authored several books. His book, [Strength & Life of Composites](2008), which focuses on prediction of strength and fatigue life of the composite materials using micro-mechanics of failure; [Mechanics of Materials](2008), has been extensively used as a textbook in solid mechanics for students majoring in engineering in Korea.

He is also the author of more than 80 technical articles in academic journals such as The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers, The Korean Society of Composite Materials, Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, Journal of Composite Materials, Composites Science and Technology. His research interests include design of flywheel energy storage system, development of finite element analysis tools, optimal design of innovative applications of composite materials, prediction of static and fatigue failure behaviour of composite materials using micro-mechanics

Sangwook SIHN

Sangwook holds BS (Naval Architecture), 1990; Seoul National University, Korea; MS, 1992 and Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering), 1997, Stanford University – Postdoctor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, USA, 1997-1999

Presently he is a Senior Research Engineer, Multi-Scale Composites & Polymers Division, University of Dayton Research Institute, USA, 1999-

His field of research includes computational and experimental study on composites, nanocomposites, foams, fabrics and their structural applications.

Yasushi MIYANO

Professor Miyano is the Director of the Materials System Research Laboratory at Kanazawa Institute of Technology in Japan.

Professor Miyano’s research is concerned with the mechanics of materials. The viscoelastic behavior of polymers and polymer composites are areas of specialization. Of particular interest is the generation mechanism of residual stress in mold resin during molding process and the time and temperature dependent fracture behavior of polymer composites and structures. Recently, his research is focused to the prediction methodology for the long-term fatigue life of polymer composites based on the time-temperature superposition principle.

Hereceived many awards among them the  Achievement Award from Japan Chapter of Society for Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (2000) and the Fellow Award from Society of Advanced Materials and Process Engineering (SAMPE) (2010)

Tong Earn TAY

T.E. (Tong-Earn) Tay is Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore. He obtained his Bachelors of Engineering (First Class) and PhD in Solid Mechanics from the University of Melbourne, Australia. He is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Reinforced Plastics & Composites, and serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Composite Materials, International Journal of Damage Mechanics, Applied Composite Materials, and Multiscale and Multidisciplinary Modeling, Experiment and Design. He has served on a number of scientific advisory committees of international conferences on composites. His current research interests are in progressive damage, failure, fracture, impact and computational analysis of composite materials and structures, multi-scale modeling, natural fibre composites, molecular mechanics of polymers and composites. He is the author or co-author of 114 international journal papers, 3 book chapters, 3 patents and 213 conference and seminar presentations (as of 5 May 2017). Prof Tay is a recipient of JEC Asia Life Achievement Award? His field of interest covers composites, progressive damage, failure, fracture, impact and computational analysis of composite materials and structures, multi-scale modeling, natural fibre composites, molecular mechanics of polymers and composites.

Francisco K. ARAKAKI

Francisco K Arakaki is a mechanical engineer with specialization in composites material structural strength in aeronautical engineering. With 33 years of experience as product development engineer at Embraer and 29 years of experience as a professor in the field of solid mechanics, he participated in innovative technological development projects between Embraer and academic institutions with renowned national and international researchers. Also, as a Designated Engineering Representative (DER) by ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency), approved numerous technical certification reports, witnessed and validated several tests. Therefore, the knowledge of theory with application in practice is his great differential.

Rodolfo AOKI

Rodolfo Aoki is a retired engineer from DLR in Germany, in the Department of Ceramic Composites Structures. He is an expert in many domains of composite materials in aerospace engineering including non-destructive testing, impact damage on aeronautical structures, NDE assessment of ceramic matrix composite structures. He was a visiting scientist at WPAFB where he started a long-time collaboration and friendship with professor Tsai.

Roland HARRY

Roand is a retired ass prof of University of Bordeaux. He holds PhD from INSA Lyon in France. He spent all his career in teaching composite materials theory at Laboratoire de Génie Mécanique in Bordeaux. He is an active member of Think Composites where he organized many workshops for various industries and academics.

Albertino ARTEIRO

Albertino Arteiro received a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering – Specialisation in Structural Engineering and Machine Design – from the Faculty of Engineering – University of Porto in 2012, and a Doctoral Degree in Mechanical Engineering (cum Laude) from the same University in 2016, during which he was a Visiting Student Researcher at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics of Stanford University. He was awarded the Best PhD Thesis by the Portuguese Association of Theoretical, Applied and Computational Mechanics (APMTAC).
Albertino Arteiro was appointed Assistant Professor at the Materials and Technological Processes Group of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (DEMec) of the Faculty of Engineering – University of Porto in 2019. He is currently a member of the ECCOMAS Young Investigators Committee.
His research interests include material modelling at different length-scales, design and analysis of composite systems based on new concepts, and composites manufacturing

Bruno VERMES

Bruno Vermes is a PhD graduate from Budapest University of Technomogy and Economics in mechanical engineering (2021). He obtained his Master degree with distinction from Bristol University in Aerospace Engineering.

He collaborates with Prof Tsai on many topics of interest including double-double, optimum laminate search etc… He has authored a MAtlab version of Lam search.

Pranav Dhoj SHAH

Pranav graduated in 1999, National Institute of Technology Assam, India; he has a master M.E., 2002, The City College of City University of New York, USA; He obtains his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, 2007, at Carleton University, Canada. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow, at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University, USA, where he worked with Prof Tsai. From 2007 he is instructor (Lecture), at Carleton University, Canada, Fall-2006; Assistant Mechanical Engineer, Bureau of Waterworks Design, DEP, The City of New York, USA, 2001-2003 Composites, failure and life of composites, fracture mechanics, anisotropic elasticity, numerical methods.

Jocelyn SENG

Maj. Gen. Jocelyn M. Seng entered the Air Force in 1984 as a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ROTC program. Her technical area of expertise is composite materials design, analysis and manufacturing, and she is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt. Maj. Gen. Jocelyn M. Seng was the mobilization assistant to the Commander and President, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. She assisted in providing full spectrum education, research, and outreach at every level through professional military education, professional continuing education, and academic degree granting. Before she was the mobilization assistant to the Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. As a civilian, she is a Research Staff Member at the Institute for Defense Analyses, working in the areas of cyberspace, missile defense, science and engineering workforce management, and assessment of militarily critical technologies.

George S. SPRINGER

George S. Springer is the Paul Pigott Professor of Engineering (emeritus) in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (Chair 1990-2001) at Stanford University. He received his PhD degree from Yale in 1962. He served on the faculties of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan before becoming a professor at Stanford University in 1983. Professor Springer is a member of the US National Academy of Engineering, a foreign member of the Hungarian Academy of Science, and Fellow of AIAA, ASME and SAMPE. He has received numerous honors including ASME’s Worcester Reed Warner Medal, AIAA’s 1995 Aerospace Engineer of the Year Award, the AIAA Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Award, and the Medal of Excellence in Composite Materials from the University of Delaware Center for Composite Materials. He has been awarded honorary Doctor of Engineering degrees by The Technical University of Budapest and by The University of Sydney. His contribution in the field of composite materials embraces many topics among them the modelization of manufacturing of composites, the role of moisture in composite behavior, the thermomechanical aspects of composite durability. He is the editor of Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites (SAGE).

Ajit ROY

Ajit Roy is a Principal Engineer at AFRL and Group Leader for computational Nanomaterials. Dr Roy is well known for his developments in material science on Carbon Foam Materials and thermal interface materials. With Dr Massard he co-organized two Carbon/Carbon Materials Conferences in France (CCM1 and CCM2). Ajit Roy was nominated AFRL Fellow in 2017.

Alan T. NETTLES

Alan T Nettles works as a Materials Engineering for the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA). He holds a PhD degree for Virginia Tech. His contribution to composite testing for our collaborative work is really outstanding. He is an academic experts in Engineering of materials and manufacturing.

Michel COGNET

Michel Cognet has 33 years of experience in the composites industry. First holding different positions in the Hexcel Group from 1983 to 2008: VP Reinforcements for Composites and later Hexcel VP Planning and Strategy based in Stanford CT. He joined Chomarat in 2008 as Chomarat Composites Managing Director and was Chomarat Group Managing Director before he retired. Michel Cognet is still very active in the field of composites as President of JEC CPC and President of the JEC Board of administration.  

Aniello RICCIO

Aniello Riccio is a full Professor at the Department of Engineering of Aerospace structures. He holds a PhD from University of Napoli in Aerospace Science and technology. He has been involved in many European project, being the Chairman of the GARTEUR Project, and also in some Italian Military Projects.

He collaborates with Professor TSAI in assessing the advantage of Double Double on the fuselage of a civilian aircraft.

Woo Il LEE

Woo Il Lee is currently Vice President of Seoul National University. He received his B.S. and M.Sc. degrees from Seoul National University in 1976 and 1978, respectively and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1983, all in mechanical engineering. After working at Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials as a senior research engineer, he joined the faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University in 1987. From 2005 until 2009, Professor Lee was Chairman of Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He served as Dean of the school’s College of Engineering for two years from 2011. He is currently President of ICCM Executive Council

His research interests include thermal problems related to various manufacturing processes with special interest in polymers and composite materials processing. Professor Lee helped found the Korean Society for Composite Materials and served as president of the society in 2010.