NASA Grant to Establish Quiet and Sustainable Air Mobility Institute
NASA Institute
The University of Illinois Chicago is adding a new institute to its growing research arsenal.
Assistant Professor Jida Huang, Professor Yayue Pan, both from Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, and Associate Professor Ning Ai from the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs have been awarded a new NASA grant to establish the Institute for Quiet and Sustainable Air Mobility (IQSAM) at UIC.
The goal of the institute is to advance three core objectives:
- Conduct interdisciplinary research on multifunctional acoustic metamaterials (MAMMs) and their potential to reduce environmental impacts on urban communities in future aviation.
- Engage students in hands-on, community-informed research on the application of MAMMs in advanced air mobility (AAM).
- Develop innovative programs to build institutional capacity at UIC and prepare the next generation of engineers, scientists, and policy leaders in sustainable aviation.
“As air transportation continues to evolve toward distributed, vertical, and on-demand systems, advanced air mobility presents new opportunities and technical challenges related to noise, energy efficiency, and public integration,” said Huang, director of the Dream Lab at UIC.
The institute will lead an interdisciplinary research effort focused on communities, specifically Chicago, to evaluate the potential environmental and community impacts of a unique quiet and sustainable AAM aircraft concept that incorporates MAMMs. The research will be supported by three academic partners, one aerospace industry partner, and multiple departments and centers at UIC.
“The research into acoustic metamaterials directly supports the goal of reducing noise emissions from air mobility, a critical factor for the public acceptance and integration of advanced air mobility systems in urban environments,” Huang said.
The researchers will be focusing on developing multifunctional acoustic metamaterials using phase-change composites, computationally and experimentally characterizing their properties, establishing an inverse design method for the metamaterials with machine learning models, integrating them into unmanned aerial vehicle structures, and assessing the environmental performance and potential community impacts of the MAMMs-based advanced air mobility technologies.
“These advanced materials offer promising capabilities to reduce aircraft noise levels and to improve overall energy efficiency by enhancing thermal regulation and structural performance,” Huang said. “Through simulation, modeling, field engagement, and community study, IQSAM will examine how these technologies can support the broader goals of urban sustainability and public acceptance of AAM systems.”
In addition to research, the institute will have educational and outreach activities to create and continuously improve curricula for various academic levels, establish a certificate program, and offer NASA internships to provide intensive research training for students.
“We will facilitate direct community engagement through research, education, and outreach activities, collaborations with our NASA partners, and leveraging UIC’s existing resources,” Huang said. “The awareness, concerns, and potential benefits associated with introducing quiet AAM vehicles into urban environments will be assessed. This community impact analysis will inform technical development and help build a deeper understanding of how acoustic innovation can enhance the quality of life in cities where noise is a key concern.”