Andrea Pickel Receives Air Force Young Investigator Program Award
The Texas Engineer receives early-career honor that will support work on microelectronics.
Assistant professor Andrea Pickel has been selected to receive a 2026 Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Young Investigator Program Award for research aimed at improving the reliability and security of next-generation microelectronics. Her proposal was one of 67 selected from more than 150 submissions.
Pickel’s group will develop a new technique to measure thermal behavior at the nanoscale using luminescent coatings. These measurements will help researchers understand the physical processes that limit device reliability and explore whether thermal signatures can serve as unique identifiers for improved security.
“The AFOSR YIP Award will allow my group to pursue exciting new research directions that could lead to meaningful technological impact and deepen our fundamental understanding of coupled electrothermal and thermomechanical phenomena,” Pickel said.
Pickel joined the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering in January 2026 after serving as assistant professor at the University of Rochester.