Introduction
The Stochastic Mechanics and Multidisciplinary Optimization (SMO) Laboratory at the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, University of Alabama is focused on developing novel algorithms for uncertainty quantification, optimization, and machine learning. The lab also focuses on implementing the computationally efficient and highly accurate algorithms for improving the safety and reliability of engineering structures.
Our main aerospace research thrusts are aircraft structures and computational aerodynamics. Some of the software that are used for simulation are MSC NASTRAN/PATRAN, ANSYS Mechanical/FLUENT, ABAQUS, SOLIDWORKS, and CATIA. Our goal is to implement the novel algorithms in the improvement of designs and improve the reliability of structures.
Our main aerospace research thrusts are aircraft structures and computational aerodynamics. Some of the software that are used for simulation are MSC NASTRAN/PATRAN, ANSYS Mechanical/FLUENT, ABAQUS, SOLIDWORKS, and CATIA. Our goal is to implement the novel algorithms in the improvement of designs and improve the reliability of structures.
Dr. Sameer B. Mulani (Director)
Dr. Sameer B. Mulani is an associate professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Alabama. His research interests/expertise are uncertainty quantification, optimization, aircraft structures, random vibrations, and numerical methods.
Education:
Address: 1103E Bevill Building Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0280 E-mail: sbmulani@eng.ua.edu Phone: (205) 348-5087 https://eng.ua.edu/eng-directory/dr-sameer-b-mulani/ |
SMO Lab Personnel
Current Members
Dr. Mishal Thapa (Senior Research Faculty)

Dr. Thapa is a Senior Research Personnel at The Remote Sensing Center, The University of Alabama and is also working with Dr. Mulani on several research topics.
His research interests/expertise includes uncertainty quantification, stochastic optimization, wind energy, composite structures, and machine learning among others. He has years of experience in CAD modeling and simulations using finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
Email: mthapa@crimson.ua.edu
Linkedin, Researchgate, Google Scholar
His research interests/expertise includes uncertainty quantification, stochastic optimization, wind energy, composite structures, and machine learning among others. He has years of experience in CAD modeling and simulations using finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
Email: mthapa@crimson.ua.edu
Linkedin, Researchgate, Google Scholar
Achyut Paudel (Ph. D. Student)

Achyut is a fourth year Ph.D. student at the SMO lab and he joined the group in Fall 2018. Prior to joining the group, Achyut did his masters in Naval Engineering at the University of Nantes, France.
His research interests include uncertainty quantification focusing on higher-order perturbation methods, l1-regularization methods, and polynomial chaos expansion. He also has a good experience working with finite element modeling of composite structures.
Email: apaudel@crimson.ua.edu
His research interests include uncertainty quantification focusing on higher-order perturbation methods, l1-regularization methods, and polynomial chaos expansion. He also has a good experience working with finite element modeling of composite structures.
Email: apaudel@crimson.ua.edu
Subham Gupta (Ph. D. Student)

Subham is a third year Ph.D. student at the SMO lab. He completed his Bachelors from West Bengal University of Technology, India and joined the group in Fall 2019.
His research interests include robust optimization, machine learning, and curvilinear composites.
Email: sgupta7@crimson.ua.edu
Colton Campbell (Ph. D. Candidate)
Colton is a first year distance Ph. D. student at the SMO lab. He completed his Bachelors and Masters from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is currently doing research on optimization algorithms.
Brennan White (Ph. D. Candidate)
Brennan is a third-year distance Ph. D. student at the SMO lab. He is currently employed by Lockheed-Martins.
Omar Taha (M. S. Non-Thesis Option)
Omar is a Master's student at the lab. He is currently working on performing multi-fidelity aerodynamic analysis of aircraft wing using CFD in ANSYS Fluent.
Alumni
Dr. Yanbin Li (Visiting Researcher 2014-2015)
Dr. Yanbin Li was a visiting researcher for a year at the lab. During his time at the lab, he performed research on random vibrations using Karhunen-Loeve Expansion. Currently, he is an Associate Professor at Southeast University, China. His research interests include structural dynamics, random vibrations, and acoustics.
Dr. Omar Shokry Ahmed (Ph. D., 2017)
Dr. Ahmed completed his Ph.D. in 2018. Currently, he is working as an Assistant Professor at the University of Cairo. His research interests/expertise includes optimization, aeroelasticity, and composite structures.
Dr. Mishal Thapa (Ph. D., 2019)
Dr. Mishal Thapa completed his Ph.D. in 2019 and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arizona for a year in 2020. Currently, he is working as a Senior Research Personnel at the Remote Sensing Center at the University of Alabama.
Matthew Fister (M. S. Thesis Option, 2020)
Matthew completed his Masters in Spring 2021. Currently, he is working as researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
His research interests/expertise includes uncertainty quantification, quadrature methods, and aerodynamics.
His research interests/expertise includes uncertainty quantification, quadrature methods, and aerodynamics.
Andrew Haefner (M. S. Thesis Option, 2017)
Andrew is working with Cirrus Aircraft. He designed new carbon composite flap for the Cirrus SF50 jet aircraft. The plan was to get approval of upper management to introduce in the manufacturing for new aircrafts.
Adam Horstman (M. S. Non-Thesis Option, 2021)
Adam was working on the design and manufacturing of KOPRI pylon. He is currently employed by L3Harris.
Carson Haack (M. S. Non-Thesis Option, 2017)
Carson carried out research on 'Gradient-Based Optimization using Hypercomplex Variable Sensitivity.' He is currently employed by US Navy.
- Valdrie Buford (B. S.)
- Paul Krimmel (B. S.)
- Vincent Hill (B. S.)
- Felipe Gaya Scandiffio (Visiting under-graduate, Brazil)
- Sandra Biswenger (Visiting under-graduate, Germany)