Fotis KopsaftopoulosRensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Assistant Professor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

From Oct. 16, 2017, and still here!

Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering (MANE)

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Aeronautics & Astronautics, Stanford University

From April 4, 2013, to Sept. 30, 2017

Structures & Composites Laboratory (SACL), Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Stanford University

Advisor: Prof. Fu-Kuo Chang

Projects:

• Bio-inspired Intelligent Sensing Materials for Fly-By-Feel Autonomous Vehicles, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI); PI: Prof. Fu-Kuo Chang (Stanford University)
• Avian Inspired Multifunctional Morphing Vehicles, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI); PI: Prof. Dan Inman (University of Michigan)
• Bondline Integrity Monitoring of Adhesively Bonded Joints in Aircraft Structures, National Science Foundation (NSF); PI: Prof. Fu-Kuo Chang (Stanford University)
• Robust Multifunctional Battery Chassis Systems for Automotive Ap- plications, Department of Energy, ARPA-E Program; PI: Prof. Fu-Kuo Chang (Stanford University)
• Robust and Low-cost Smart Skin with Active Sensing Network for Enhancing Human-Robot Interaction, National Science Foundation (NSF), National Robotics Initiative (NRI); PI: Prof. Fu-Kuo Chang (Stanford University)
• Life-Cycle Bondline Integrity Monitoring, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), Mechanics of Multifunctional Materials & Microsystems; PI: Prof. Fu-Kuo Chang (Stanford University)
• Design of Self-diagnostic Adhesive Films and of Multifunctional Scrims for Assuring Bondline Integrity in Service, Boeing Company; PI: Prof. Fu-Kuo Chang (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering, University of Patras

From Feb. 1, 2012, to Feb. 28, 2013

Stochastic Mechanical Systems & Automation Laboratory (SMSA), Department of Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics, University of Patras

Advisor: Prof. Spilios Fassois

Projects:

• EC FP7 Project: 4 Dimension Contract – Guidance and Control (4DCo–GC)
• EC FP7 Project: The Personal Plane (PPlane) project: Assessment and validation of pioneering concepts for personal air transport systems

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics, University of Patras

Department of Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics, University of Patras, Greece

Ph.D. Thesis: Advanced Functional and Sequential Statistical Time Series Methods for Damage Diagnosis in Mechanical Structures

Advisor: Prof. Spilios Fassois; Thesis Committee: Prof. Dimitrios Saravanos, Prof. Evangelos Dermatas

Diploma, Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics, University of Patras

Department of Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics, University of Patras. Greece

M.Sc. Thesis: Parametric Identification of a Scale Aircraft Skeleton Structure via Stochastic Multivariate ARX and ARMAX Models

Advisor: Prof. Spilios Fassois

Mentoring

• Advised several high school and undergraduate students at Stanford University
• Advised several M.Sc. thesis students (> 20) at Stanford University and University of Patras
• Advised Ph.D. level research both in the USA and Europe.

Leadership & Service

• co-Editor of the Proceedings of the International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring 2015 (IWSHM 2015)
• Member of the Organizing Committee of the International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring (IWSHM)
• Guest Associate Editor of the Structural Health Monitoring journal (SAGE publications)
• Experience in successfully writing and acquiring grants both in the USA (AFOSR, NSF, DoE ARPA-e, NASA, ARL, Boeing, Aurora Flight Sciences) and Europe (FP6, FP7)

Reviewer

Journals:

• Structural Health Monitoring
• Mechanical Systems & Signal Processing
• Smart Materials & Structures
• Journal of Sound and Vibration
• Sensors
• Materials
• Journal of Vibration & Control
• Measurement Science & Technology
• IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine
• ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering
• Mathematical & Computer Modelling of Dynamical Systems
• Aircraft Engineering & Aerospace Technology

International Conferences:

• International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring (IWSHM)
• IFAC Symposium on System Identification (SYSID)
• European Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring (EWSHM)
• European Control Conference (ECC)
• Asian Control Conference (ASCC)
• IFAC Symposium on Fault Detection
• Supervision and Safety of Technical Processes (SAFEPROCESS)
• IEEE Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED)

Most Practical SHM Solution for Aerospace Award 2015

• “Most Practical SHM Solution for Aerospace Award 2015”, sponsored by Airbus and awarded by the Aerospace Committee of the 10th International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring (IWSHM 2015), Stanford, CA, USA.

Academic scholarship of excellence

Academic scholarship of excellence awarded by the State Scholarship Foundation of Greece for academic years 1998–1999

co-Instructor, AA 257: Design of Composite Structures

Dept. of Aeronautics & Astronautics Stanford University

AA 257: Design of Composite Structures

Graduate Course — Spring Semester

Created course syllabus with co-instructor Prof. Fu-Kuo Chang; taught weekly lectures (small group of 8 students); supervised research project on design and fabrication of an electric skateboard with multifunctional structural batteries

Teaching Assistant, Stochastic Signals & Systems

Teaching Assistant 2008–2009, Dept. of Mechanical Eng. & Aeronautics, University of Patras

Stochastic Signals & Systems

Graduate Course — Fall Semester

Taught bi-weekly problem solving and Matlab laboratory classes (1 hour bi-weekly); occasional lecturer; created a Matlab paradigm code for the identification of stochastic systems that is used in the homework assignments.

Teaching Assistant, Mechatronics

Teaching Assistant 2006–2009, Dept. of Mechanical Eng. & Aeronautics, University of Patras

Mechatronics

Undergraduate Course — 3rd Year Spring Semester
Taught weekly problem solving and Matlab laboratory classes (2 hours/week); occasional lecturer; graded homework assignments and exams for ≈ 180 students; con- tributed to the planning and code programming of the laboratory course material

Teaching Assistant, Systems & Automatic Control I

Teaching Assistant 2004–2009, Dept. of Mechanical Eng. & Aeronautics, University of Patras

Systems & Automatic Control I

Undergraduate Course — 4th Year Fall Semester

Taught weekly problem solving and Matlab laboratory classes (3 hours/week); occasional lecturer; graded homework assignments and exams for ≈ 180 students; con- tributed to the planning and code programming of the laboratory course material