Education

  • Ph.D. Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, 01/2005
  • MA/MS Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, 05/2004
  • MA/MS Industrial Automation, National University of Colombia, 09/2000
  • BA/BS Mechanical Engineering, National University of Colombia, 07/1995

Professional Experience

  • Research Assistant Professor, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, 8/2008 - 8/2008
  • Academic Director, National University of Colombia, Bogota, 5/2007 - 8/2007
  • Department Chairman, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, National University of Colombia, Bogota, 4/2005 - 1/2007

Awards & Honors

  • IUPUI Student-Athletes Favorite Professor, Fall 2012, 2/2013
  • Second Place, Faculty Advisor, Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division Undergraduate Design Contest, 4/2012
  • Young Investigator Award Grant, National University of Colombia, 2005 – 2007, 8/2005
  • Fulbright Scholar, PhD in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at Univ. of Notre Dame, 2001 – 2004, 8/2001
  • Honored M.S. Thesis in Industrial Automation, National University of Colombia, 2000, 5/2000
  • Graduate Research Scholar, Iberoamerican Program for Science and Technology Development (CYTED), 5/1998

Selected Publications

  • 1. Bandi, P., D. Detwiler, J. Schmiedeler, and A. Tovar. Design of Progressively Folding Thin-Walled Tubular Components Using Compliant Mechanism Synthesis. Thin-Walled Structures, Vol. 37, Issue 2, Pages: 723-735, 2015, doi:10.1007/s40430-014-0197-0, 8/2015
  • 2. Liu, K., A. Tovar, E. Nutwell, and D. Detwiler. Thin-walled compliant mechanism component design assisted by machine learning and multiple surrogates. SAE Technical Paper 2015-01-1369, 2015, doi:10.4271/2015-01-1369, 5/2015
  • 3. León, D., N. Arzola, and A. Tovar. Statistical analysis of the influence of tooth geometry in the performance of harmonic drive. Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering. Vol. 37, Pages: 723-735, 2015, doi:10.1007/s40430-014-0197-0, 2/2015
  • Liu, K. and A. Tovar. An efficient 3D topology optimization code written in Matlab. Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, Vol. 50, Issue 6, Pages: 117-1196, 2014, doi:10.1007/s00158-014-1107-x, 10/2014
  • Lee, S. and A. Tovar. Outrigger placement in tall buildings using topology optimization. Engineering Structures. Vol. 74, Issue 1, Pages: 122-129, 2014, doi:10.1016/j.engstruct.2014.05.019, 5/2014
  • Shinde, S., P. Bandi, D. Detwiler, and A. Tovar. Structural Optimization of Thin-Walled Tubular Structures for Progressive Buckling Using Compliant Mechanism Approach. SAE International Journal of Passenger Cars – Mechanical Systems, Vol. 6, Issue 1, doi: 10.4271/2013-01-0658, 2013, 4/2013
  • Tovar, A. and K. Khandelwal. Topology Optimization for Minimum Compliance using a Control Strategy. Engineering Structures, Vol. 48, Pages: 674-682, 2013, 3/2013
  • Lee, S., and A. Tovar. Topology Optimization of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Skin using Hybrid Cellular Automata. ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, Vol. 135, Issue 3, Pages: 031001.1-031001.12, 2013, 2/2013
  • Yokota, H., A. Tovar, and A. Robling. Dynamic Muscle Loading and Mechanotransduction. BONE, Vol. 51, Issue 4, Pages 826-827, 2012, 11/2012
  • Goetz, J.C., H. Tan, A. Tovar, and J.E. Renaud. Two-material structural topology optimization for blast mitigation using hybrid cellular automata. Engineering Optimization. Vol. 44, Issue 8, Pages 985-1005, 2012, 9/2012
  • Mozumder, C., A. Tovar, and J.E. Renaud. Topometry optimization for crashworthiness design using hybrid cellular automata. International Journal of Vehicle Design, Vol. 60, Issue 1/2, Pages: 100-120, 2012, 7/2012
  • Penninger, C.L. A. Tovar, V. Tomar, and J.E. Renaud. A high fidelity HCA model for bone adaptation with cellular rules for bone resorption. Journal of Surfaces and Interfaces of Materials, Vol. 1, Pages: 66-76, 2012, 5/2012
  • Guo, L., J. Huang, A. Tovar, and J.E. Renaud. Multidomain Topology Optimization for Crashworthiness based on Hybrid Cellular Automata. Key Engineering Materials. Vol. 486, Pages 250-253, 2011, 10/2011
  • Penninger, C.L., A. Tovar, L.T. Watson, and J.E. Renaud. KKT conditions satisfied using adaptive neighboring in hybrid cellular automata for topology optimization. International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics. Vol. 66, Issue 3, Pages 245-262, 2011, 8/2011
  • Guo, L., A. Tovar, C.L. Penninger and J.E. Renaud. Strain-based topology optimization for crashworthiness using hybrid cellular automata. International Journal of Crashworthiness. Vol. 16, Issue 3, Pages 239-252, 2011, 7/2011
  • Goetz, J.C., H. Tan, A. Tovar, J.E. Renaud. Optimization of One-Dimensional Aluminum Foam Armor Model for Pressure Loading, SAE International Journal of Materials and Manufacturing, Vol. 4, Issue 1, Pages 1138-1146, 2011., 4/2011
  • Penninger, C.L., L.T. Watson, A. Tovar, and J.E. Renaud. Convergence Analysis of Hybrid Cellular Automata for Topology Optimization. Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization. Vol. 40, Issue 1-6, Pages 271-282, 2010., 9/2010

Expertise

Design methodology; Design optimization; Design of structures, mechanisms, and material; Optimization methods.

Interests

Bioengineering; Energy engineering; Automotive Engineering; Crashworthiness; Blast mitigation