MELİKE NİKBAY

Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics · ITU Maslak Campus, 34469 · (+90 212) 285 31 16 · nikbay@itu.edu.tr

Dr. Melike Nikbay received her B.S. and M.S degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Bogazici University in Istanbul, M.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from University of Colorado at Boulder, and Ph.D. degree in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from University of Colorado at Boulder in 2002.

Dr. Melike Nikbay joined Istanbul Technical University as an Assistant Professor in 2004, and has been a full Professor of Aerospace Engineering since 2017. Dr. Melike Nikbay taught 23 different courses in undergraduate and graduate level. She is the co-author of 70 research articles which include journal papers, conference papers and book chapters.

Since 2008, Dr. Melike Nikbay has been assigned in NATO Science and Technology Organization, Applied Vehicle Panel and is currently chair of Technical Committee of Mechanical Systems, Structures and Materials. Dr. Nikbay spent one year of sabbatical at Multidisciplinary Science and Technology Center at US Air Force Research Laboratory in Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton/Ohio working on Aeroelasticity. Next, she was invited and joined National Institute of Aerospace in Hampton/Virginia as senior research engineer and worked at NASA Langley Research Center for the Commercial Supersonic Technology Project.

Experience

Professor of Aerospace Engineering

Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Istanbul, Turkey
8 March 2017 - Present

Founder and Director of Aerospace Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Laboratory

Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Istanbul, Turkey
November 2019 - Present

Part-time Faculty Member

Isik University, Faculty of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Department, Istanbul, Turkey
14 February 2011- 2017

Senior Research Engineer contracted through National Institute of Aerospace

NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, USA

Project: NASA Commercial Supersonic Technology (Project Manager: Peter Coen )

Research Area: Impact of Aeroelastic Uncertainty on Low Sonic Boom Aircraft Shaping Optimization (Supervisor: Lori Ozoroski)

September 2015- September 2016

Visiting Faculty at Multidisciplinary Science and Techology Center

US Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, USA

Consultant with Wright State University and Wright State Research Institute

Research Area: Fluid-Structure Interaction, Aeroelasticity, Sensitivity Analysis, UQ

(Supervisor: Dr. Raymond Kolonay)

September 2014-September 2015

Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering

Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Istanbul, Turkey
24 March 2011 - 8 March 2017

Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering

Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Istanbul, Turkey
27 July 2004 - 24 March 2011

Head of Multidisciplinary Optimization Group in ITU Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
September 2006 - Present

Research and Development Leader

Kalekalip Makina ve Kalip Sanayi A.S., Defense and Aerospace Division (Kaleaero), Istanbul, Turkey

Managing foundation of R&D Department (Hired personnel, planned the infrastructure and software investment of the CAE laboratory (CAD, FEM, CFD), business development in international concurrent engineering projects (with Locheed Martin, Heroux-Devtek (Canada) on Joint Strike Fighter F-35), started collaboration with UK Royal Military College of Science & Cranfield University on grenade launcher project, and took courses on "Light Weapon Design" and "Guns & Ammunition Systems" in UK.

08 March 2003 - 10 June 2004

Research Assistant

University of Colorado, Boulder, Center for Aerospace Structures
September 1998 - September 2002

Research and Development Engineer

Arcelik A.S., Istanbul, Turkey

Developed "Heat-Gain" code which is a heat transfer analysis and insulation design code for refrigerators, managed Heat-Gain Project, developed lumped models for heat transfer and pressure characteristics of evaporators and condensers for air conditioners, participated in calorimetric room experiments for refrigerator insulation system, iniatiated implementation vacuum insulation panel (VIP) technology into refrigerator insulation system and designed a new model refrigerator door with VIP, studied gasket region heat transfer, supported solid modeling and mesh generation studies for CFD analyses for refrigerators.

08 March 1996 - 31 July 1998

Education

University of Colorado at Boulder, USA

Ph.D. Aerospace Engineering Sciences

GPA: 4.00/4.00

December 2002

University of Colorado at Boulder, USA

M.S. Aerospace Engineering Sciences

GPA: 3.91/4.00

May 1999

Bogazici University, Turkey

M.S. Mechanical Engineering

GPA: 3.42/4.00

June 1998

Bogazici University, Turkey

B.S. Mechanical Engineering

GPA: 3.31/4.00

January 1996

Besiktas Ataturk Anadolu Lisesi, Turkey

Lycee

GPA: 9.33/10.00

June 1991

FIELDS OF INTEREST

Teaching Experience

Current

Awards & FELLOWSHIPS

Aerospace Multidisciplinary Design Optimization LABORATORY

AeroMDO Lab (Aerospace Multidisciplinary Design Optimization) is established in 2019 in Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Current Research Topics are covering the following disciplines and topics:

Aerodynamics & Aerodynamic Shape Optimization
Aeroelasticity & Aeroelastic Optimization
Aeroacoustics and Sonic Boom Minimization
Integration of Propulsion Systems to MDO
Multidisciplinary Design Optimization
Reliability Based Design Optimization
Uncertainty Quantification
Reduced Order Modelling
Multifidelity Analysis and Optimization
Sensitivity Analysis

Go to AeroMDO Lab »