Jinwei Shen

Dr. Jinwei Shen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Alabama's College of Engineering. His office is located in room 215 Hardaway Hall.

Education

• Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, 2003
• M.S., Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, 1998
• B.S., Aerospace Engineering, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1992

Research Focus

Dr. Shen's research integrates advanced computational modeling with experimental validation to advance rotorcraft and electric aircraft technologies. He investigates rotorcraft aeromechanics, focusing on tiltrotor whirl flutter, propeller stability, and multi-body dynamics. His work on smart structures and adaptive materials enables active control of vibration and noise in aerospace systems. Additionally, he explores artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in autonomous flight systems and high-performance computing environments.

Recent Publication Trends

Over the past decade, Dr. Shen's publications emphasize whirl flutter stability assessments of distributed electric propulsion systems, particularly surrounding NASA's X-57 Maxwell aircraft. His studies correlate wind-tunnel measurements with high-fidelity multibody dynamics simulations to predict aeroelastic instabilities. Emerging themes include foldable-propeller dynamics, low-Reynolds-number fountain effects in multi-rotor interactions, and CFD-driven airfoil optimization for high-lift propellers.

Research Centers & Collaborations

Dr. Shen is affiliated with several interdisciplinary centers, including:

• Alabama Center for the Advancement of AI
• Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies
• Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Materials Design Integration
• Center for Sustainable Infrastructure
• Remote Sensing Center

These partnerships provide collaborative opportunities spanning electric propulsion, AI-enabled autonomy, advanced materials, and infrastructure health monitoring.