Featured Biographies

Joao Santos

University of Sao Paulo

Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at the University of São Paulo (USP) and a visiting researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology under the Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence (VLRCOE). Supported by a competitive FAPESP scholarship, his research focuses on the aeroelastic dynamics of advanced vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) concepts. Specifically, he is developing an open-source computational framework that couples the Unsteady Vortex Lattice Method (UVLM) with nonlinear beam formulations to predict whirl flutter and aerodynamic interference in highly flexible wings with distributed propellers. Originally from Salvador, Brazil, João holds a Mechanical Engineering M.S. from USP and a Mechanical Engineering B.S. from the Federal University of Bahia. Driven by a commitment to safe, sustainable, and accessible aviation, he aims to democratize aeroelastic design tools while actively mentoring the next generation of aerospace engineers.