News

IDEAS² high school researcher Jiaen Jiang received a $25,000 Davidson Fellowship for research on electrostatic lunar dust capture, while three IDEAS² papers were accepted for presentation at AIAA SciTech 2027.

Five IDEAS² graduate students completed Summer 2026 internships at NASA Johnson Space Center, gaining hands-on experience in spacecraft structures, materials testing, docking systems, computational modeling, and space-environment engineering.

IDEAS² and SICSA faculty and graduate researchers contributed six technical papers and presentations at ICES 2026 in Puerto Rico, highlighting research in lunar habitats, life-support integration, space architecture, and long-duration human exploration.

IDEAS² Center leadership participated in the Texas Aerospace Symposium in Austin, highlighting the Center’s research, student development, and contributions to aerospace workforce development across Texas.

IDEAS² undergraduate and graduate students presented research at the Texas Aerospace Symposium in Austin, sharing work in deployable structures, aerospace materials, lunar surface systems, origami reflectors, and adaptive space technologies.

IDEAS²-supported students completed graduate degrees, honors thesis research, and doctoral dissertation work in May 2026, highlighting student contributions across space architecture, tensegrity structures, architected materials, and aerospace systems.

IDEAS² faculty and students from the University of Houston and Texas A&M University gathered for the Center’s Spring 2026 retreat, featuring student research presentations, a poster session, laboratory tours, and discussion of ongoing and future activities.

The NASA MIRO IDEAS² Center hosted Dr. Shirley J. Dyke of Purdue University for its Spring 2026 Distinguished Lecture Series, where she discussed engineering approaches for safe, intelligent, and resilient lunar habitats.

IDEAS² faculty and students presented 10 technical papers at Earth & Space 2026 in College Station, highlighting research in deployable structures, tensegrity systems, soft robotics, inflatable habitats, space architecture, and adaptive aerospace systems.

IDEAS² and SICSA hosted Artemis II launch and splashdown watch activities, bringing together students, faculty, and community members to follow NASA mission coverage and connect current aerospace education and research with human spaceflight operations.

IDEAS² faculty and students received acceptance of three research papers in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Nature Communications, highlighting advances in architected materials, thin-shell fabrication, and deployable structures.

IDEAS² students presented research in deployable structures, robotics, space systems, and spacecraft engineering at the 2026 AIAA Region IV Student Conference hosted by Rice University, with two projects receiving student-category awards.

IDEAS² researchers presented work at the SPIE Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices Conference in Vancouver and continued publishing and submitting research in tensegrity structures, architected materials, and advanced manufacturing.

The University of Houston launched a new Minor in Aerospace Engineering within the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, expanding access to aerospace-focused education and supporting the growing demand for a skilled regional workforce.

The NASA MIRO IDEAS² Center supports graduate student professional development through the UH–Boeing Student Development Partnership, providing students with opportunities to apply their academic training to engineering work in an industry environment.

IDEAS² faculty and students received acceptances for research presentations at major 2026 conferences in robotics and structural engineering, along with a forthcoming journal publication on tensegrity morphing aircraft.

IDEAS² faculty and graduate students presented research on deployable structures and morphing aerospace systems at the AIAA SciTech Forum 2026 in Orlando, highlighting the Center’s contributions to advanced aerospace engineering research.

The University of Houston and the NASA MIRO IDEAS² Center joined the Texas Space STEM Alliance (TSSA), a statewide initiative that connects academia, industry, and government to strengthen Texas’ aerospace workforce pipeline.

IDEAS² faculty and students expanded the Center’s visibility through journal publications and international conference presentations, showcasing advances in architected materials, knitted structures, and space systems research.

University of Houston Magazine highlighted the research of IDEAS² Co-Investigators Dr. Tim Chen and Dr. Maksud Rahman, showcasing advances in soft materials, knitted structures, and architected ceramics that support next-generation lightweight and resilient space systems.