Posted on January 14, 2025 by Sean M. Wood
Dr. David Restrepo holding a 3D-printed architected material, representing his work in advanced materials at UTSA.
Dr. David Restrepo has collected multiple honors during his young mechanical engineering career. He can now add American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) Rising Star to his impressive list of accolades.
The ASME recently recognized Restrepo's contributions as an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design. He has been making his mark in the Advanced Materials and Mechanical Systems Laboratory (AMMS Lab) to increase the performance of architected materials created for specific functions. They are used in aerospace, construction, transportation, medicine, and military and civilian protection.
“David is incredibly deserving of this award,” College Dean Eric Brey said. “He is doing game-changing work that will have applications to so many industries. But more importantly, he inspires students by his example and leadership.”
Restrepo is in the third year of a five-year, $641,398 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his work in this field.
“I couldn’t have received the ASME award without securing the NSF grant,” he said. “It's an important recognition from the engineering community. It means that the work that I'm doing is creating some impact.”
Restrepo’s project involves investigating the instabilities in architected materials to find ways to fine-tune their properties so they can better adapt to environmental stressors and function.
“This is just one example of some of the great things we’re doing at UTSA,” he said. “Receiving an honor like this confirms that you’re doing the right things and helps energize you to keep pushing.”
— Sean M. Wood
