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Dr. Richard got his Ph. D. at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1989 & a B. S. at Boston University, 1984. He was at NASA Glenn, 1989-1995, worked at Argonne National Lab, 1996-1997, taught at Chicago State University, 1997-2002. Dr. Richard is a Sr. Lecturer & Research Associate in Aerospace Engineering @ Texas A&M since 1/03. His research is focused on computational plasma modeling using spectral and lattice Boltzmann methods for studying plasma turbulence and plasma jets. His research has also included fluid physics and electric propulsion using Lattice-Boltzmann methods, spectral element methods, Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory (WENO), etc.
Past research includes modeling single and multi-species plasma flows through ion thruster optics and the discharge cathode assembly; computer simulations of blood flow interacting with blood vessels; modeling ocean-air interaction; reacting flow systems; modeling jet engine turbomachinery going unstable at NASA for 6 years (received NASA Performance Cash awards). Dr. Richard is involved in many outreach activities: e.g., tutoring, mentoring, directing related grants (for example, a grant for an NSF REU site). Dr, Richard is active in professional societies (American Physical Society (APS), American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), etc.), ASEE, ASME. Dr. Richard has authored or co-authored about 35 technical articles (about 30 of which are refereed publications). Dr. Richard teaches courses ranging from first-year introductory engineering design, fluid mechanics, to space plasma propulsion.

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So Yoon Yoon, Ph.D., is an associate research scientist at Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation (IEEI) in College of Engineering at Texas A&M University and Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES). She received a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with specialties in Gifted Education and a M.S.Ed. in Educational Psychology with specialties in Research Methods and Measurement both from Purdue University. She also holds a M.S. in Astronomy and Astrophysics and a B.S. in Astronomy and Meteorology both from Kyungpook National University in South Korea. Her work centers on engineering education research, as a psychometrician, program evaluator, and institutional data analyst. She has research interests on spatial ability, creativity, gifted education, STEM education, and meta-analyses. She has authored/co-authored more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings and served as a journal reviewer in engineering education, STEM education, and educational psychology, as well as a co-PI, an external evaluator or advisory board member on several NSF-funded projects (CAREER, iCorps, REU, RIEF, etc.).

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Maria Claudia Alves
Director for the Halliburton Engineering Global Programs at Texas A&M University

Ms. Maria C. Alves is the Director for the Halliburton Engineering Global Programs at Texas A&M University . She has been in this position since July 2012. In this position she is responsible for internationalizing the research and education activities of the College of Engineering. Under her leadership the college has significantly increased the number of students studying abroad, established new models of study abroad including co-op and research abroad and established meaningful connection for research and attraction of funded international graduate students. Maria started working at Texas A&M in 2005 as Assistant Director for Latin American Programs and in 2009 she was promoted to Program Manager for South America in the same office. During her time at the Office for Latin America Programs she created, managed and developed projects to enhance the presence of Texas A&M University in Latin American and to support in the internationalization of the education, research, and outreach projects of the university. She was charged with the development and implementation of a strategic plan for Texas A&M in South America. While at the Office for Latin America Programs, Maria was also responsible for the opening of the Soltis Center in Costa Rica. Maria speaks three languages fluently (Spanish, Portuguese and English) as well as intermediate French. Maria is originally from Brazil and completed her undergraduate studies at Lynn University in Florida, where she graduated with honors in Business Administration in 2002. She was part of the tennis team and was the team captain for two years, including the year the team was NCAA National Champion in 2001. She is a December 2003 graduate of the MS-Marketing program at Texas A&M University. And in the Fall of 2009, Maria graduated with a PhD program in Higher Education Administration in August 2017.

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Vikram K. Kinra is Professor of Aerospace Engineering. He earned his B. Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics from Brown University.

He is the recipient of three best research paper awards. He was given the Hetenyi Award in 1991 - and again in 1994 - by the Society for Experimental Mechanics for "the best research paper to be published in the journal, Experimental Mechanics." He is one of only four people ever to receive this award twice. He was given the 1993 Award for Outstanding Article by the American Society for Testing and Materials for "the most outstanding article" in the ASTM Journal of Testing and Evaluation. He is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (1992), Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (1993), and Fellow of the American Academy of Mechanics (2004)

He is the recipient of two national awards for excellence in teaching: the Dow Outstanding Young Faculty Award (1980) given by the American Society for Engineering Education and the Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award (1982) given by the Society of Automotive Engineers. He was given the Distinguished Alumnus Award (1995) by Utah State University. He has supervised twenty-eight graduate students: eighteen M.S. and ten Ph.D.; two of them are now Professors.

Dr. Kinra has published 85 journal articles, 110 papers in conference proceedings, contributed three book-chapters, and edited four books.

He has been actively involved in service to various professional societies. He was an Associate Technical Editor of the flagship ASME J. of Applied mechanics (two terms) and an Associate Technical Editor of the flagship SEM J. of Experimental Mechanics (two terms).

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