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Keynote Speakers
Biography Valerie Browning
Director, Defense Science Office (DSO)
Dr. Diann Brei joined the Mechanical Engineering at the University of Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA)
Michigan in 1994 after graduating from Arizona State University with her
Ph.D (1993) in Mechanical Engineering and her BSE (1988) in Computer DARPA ADVANCES IN SMART AND ADAPTIVE MATERIALS
Systems Engineering. She served as the Mechanical Engineering Associate
Chair for Undergraduate Education and as the Director of the Design WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018
Science Program. She was the co-director of the General Motors/University
of Michigan Smart Materials and Structures Collaborative Research TEXAS D, 4TH FLOOR 8:00 AM - 9:20 PM
Laboratory (SMS CRL) with a range of projects focused on smart material
maturity, product innovation utilizing smart materials, and mechamatronic Abstract
design tools. She is currently Professor of Mechanical Engineering and
recently became chair of the Integrative Systems + Design Division at the The Defense Sciences Office (DSO) at DARPA has been actively
University of Michigan. She currently serves as the co-director of the supporting the advancement of materials science. In the early 1960’s
General Motors/University of Michigan Multifunctional Vehicle Systems DARPA established Interdisciplinary Laboratories (IDL), which were
Collaborative Research Laboratory (MVS CRL) with thrust in Multi-functional intended to support interdisciplinary research, bring together metallurgist,
Interactive Knits, NeuroTech, Multi-functional Active System Technologies physicist, chemist, to address the biggest challenges facing the
and The Technology Incubator. Dr. Brei’s expertise is in multi-domain development of materials and material systems for DoD applications. The
design with technical interests in smart materials and structures, sensors IDLs became the genesis of the field of materials science, enabling a wide
and actuators, medical devices. Her research has focused on the underling range of material breakthroughs such as rare earth magnets, conductive
design science for device innovation using smart materials. Fundamental to polymers and non-linear optical materials. DARPA’s investments in
her work is the synthesis and analysis of smart material actuation and device materials science have continued over the last 60 years yielding
architectures from conventional ratcheting and spooling to cutting edge significant developments in electronic, structural, and functional materials.
architectures such as active knits and active Velcro. Her smart material In the area of smart materials and adaptive materials DSO supported the
architectural models along with her multi-domain, multi-stage design development of electroactive polymers for actuators, and acoustic
methods have set the foundation for a successful translational research and metamaterials for sound dampening. In the area of intelligent structures
development paradigm adopted by industries in the automotive, medical DSO supported early work in embedded sensing and actuation for
and aerospace sectors. She has written over 125 referred journal and morphing aircraft structures and nano-air vehicles.
conference publications. Apart from her publications, she has sixteen
patents and 22 pending, with exclusive licenses with General Motors and Biography
Lynx. Dr. Brei who is an ASME Fellow and AIAA Associate Fellow, has been
an active leader in the smart materials and structures community, co- Dr. Valerie Browning was named director of DARPA’s Defense Sciences
founding the SMASIS conference, originating the ASME/AIAA Adaptive Office (DSO) in December 2017. Dr. Browning has more than 30 years of
Structures E-newsletter, and establishing the Adaptive Structures national experience in managing and executing defense-related research and
database. For her research she has been awarded the ASME Best Paper development. Prior to her most recent DARPA appointment, Dr. Browning
Award in Structures and Structural Dynamics, Hartwell Award, Ted Kennedy worked as an independent consultant providing subject matter expertise
Team Excellence Award, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Da and strategic planning support to the Department of Defense, Department
Vinci Award; for her teaching she has received the Ruth and Joel Spira of Energy, and other government clients in the areas of advanced materials
Outstanding Teaching Award, ASEE Best Paper Award, University of and alternative energy. She also served as chief technology officer for
Michigan College of Engineering Outstanding Faculty Award for Mechanical HELM System Solutions, Inc., a woman-owned small research and
Engineering; for her dedicated service she has been awarded the ASME development (R&D) business.
Distinguished Service Award, Monroe-Brown Foundation Service
Excellence Award and was a Willie Hobbs Moore Aspire, Advance, Achieve
Mentoring Award Finalist.
Dr. Browning was a program manager in DSO from 2000-2007, where she
initiated and managed a diverse R&D portfolio in areas that included
metamaterials, bio-magnetics, unmanned underwater vehicle energy
storage, portable power, thermoelectric materials and others. Dr. Browning
also worked as a research physicist at the Naval Research Laboratory from
1984-2000 where her primary areas of research included thermoelectric
materials, superconductors, magnetics, and magnetic oxide materials.
Dr. Browning earned a doctorate in physics from The Catholic University of
America, a Master of Science degree in physics from the University of
14 Maryland, and a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Virginia Tech.
