Harsh G. Bhundiya

Harsh G. Bhundiya is a PhD candidate who is applying structural engineering, computational modeling, and design techniques to purse his interest in space structures. His work is ushering in a new paradigm for constructing large structures in orbit, called in-space manufacturing, with an enormous potential impact on space applications. Drawing on MathWorks tools, Harsh has reached exciting milestones, including the development of a path-planning framework called Bend-Forming, which enables the creation of paraboloids, isogrid columns, and other structural elements that can be linked together to form large structures such as RF reflectors and solar sails. As a MathWorks Fellow, Harsh will characterize the compression behaviors of these structures and study the effects of processing defects on their buckling response through experiments and nonlinear finite element analysis. Simulink and Simscape Multibody will play critical roles in this work. Harsh was pleased to share previous work on MathWorks File Exchange, and will continue to share his research, as he seeks to create a new generation of large space structures for diverse applications.