Pinar Acar

Pinar Acar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), within the College of Engineering. She leads the Advanced STRuctures and Optimization (ASTRO) Lab, focusing on computational multi-scale modeling, design optimization, uncertainty quantification, and machine learning for advanced materials.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan, 2017
• M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey, 2012
• B.Sc. in Astronautical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey, 2010

Her research centers on the computational design of materials, particularly smart materials, nanomaterials, and metamaterials, with emphasis on micro-architectural topology, forward and inverse modeling, and uncertainty-aware simulations. She integrates mathematical analysis and data-driven techniques to solve complex material design problems across multiple length scales, from microstructure to component-level performance. Her group explores innovative applications such as sonifying material data (Shape-to-Music project) to enhance understanding and education.

Dr. Acar's recent publications reflect a strong trend in combining machine learning with uncertainty quantification to enable robust, inverse design of functionally graded materials, magnetic systems, and metamaterials. Her work spans aerospace, defense, and extreme environment applications, often involving high-fidelity numerical frameworks and reduced-order modeling for efficiency.

Scientific Awards:

• NSF CAREER Award (2023)
• Frontiers of Materials Award, TMS (2023)
• Best Paper Award, AIAA SciTech Forum (2022)
• Dean's Award for Excellence: Outstanding New Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech (2021)
• AFOSR Young Investigator Award (2020)
• Amelia Earhart Fellowship, Zonta International (2016)

Dr. Acar actively advises graduate students and leads funded research projects, including those supported by the National Science Foundation and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Her lab, ASTRO Lab, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in materials design. The team has presented at major conferences such as AIAA SciTech and TMS Annual Meetings, and has published in high-impact journals. Current efforts include developing digital material databases, exploring phase transitions in magnetic materials, and creating educational tools that bridge engineering and music.

The lab maintains active collaborations and hosts visiting researchers, contributing to the broader materials science community through open science and outreach initiatives.