Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Professor Receives UAMMI Honorary Award

The Utah Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Initiative has recognized Utah State University professor Nadia Kouraytem as one of its honorary selection of women leaders actively guiding Utah’s advanced manufacturing industry forward.

Kouraytem, an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, is leading research efforts for the application of additively manufactured metals in defense, energy and aerospace. Through her research and teaching, Kouraytem explores the complex processes and relationships in metal additive manufacturing, colloquially known as 3D printing. She has published multiple studies and is a mentor to both undergraduate and graduate students.

“I am honored to be selected for this award,” Kouraytem said. “Engineering needs people of all backgrounds to continue to push the boundaries of advanced manufacturing, and I hope I can reflect that with my students.”

Kouraytem’s work broadly focuses on the interdependence between the manufacturing process, the structure of the fabricated materials, and their resulting properties. She experimentally investigates these relationships using various characterization techniques. The goal is to develop metal parts that can withstand operating conditions common in high- stress and high-temperature environments.