National composites organization names MSU’s Sullivan to presidency
Contact: Harriet Laird
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State’s Rani Sullivan, head of the university’s Department of Aerospace Engineering, is beginning a two-year term as president of the prestigious American Society for Composites.
Sullivan now leads one of the most well-regarded national forums for advancing knowledge and fostering the exchange of ideas in composite materials and structures. The organization brings together scientists, engineers, industry professionals and students to promote research and innovative composite technologies across many sectors.
“I am honored to take on this role with ASC and contribute to its growth and visibility,” said Sullivan, also an aerospace professor holding the Bill and Carolyn Cobb Chair. “I’m grateful for the many years of support I’ve received from Mississippi State and certainly couldn’t fulfill these responsibilities without the university’s guidance.”
The 1989 MSU aerospace engineering graduate has a nearly 40-year history with the institution, dating back to her time as a student. Sullivan also holds a 1993 master’s degree in engineering mechanics and 2003 general engineering doctorate with a concentration in aerospace.
She grew up on campus, where her father preceded her as an aerospace professor and peaked her interest in the field. Today, her research focuses on structural health monitoring, optical sensing technologies, and manufacturing methods aimed at accelerating the development and adoption of lightweight composite structures for aerospace applications.
Sullivan was first employed as a research engineer with the university’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory where she was involved in the development of the original prototype all-composite Honda MH-02 business jet. She next joined the aerospace department as a lecturer, advancing to assistant professor in 2005 and full professor in 2018. She then became interim head of the department before being appointed department head in 2022.
An associate fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sullivan is the founder and advisor for MSU’s Women of Aerospace student organization. She is the recipient of the 2019 Hermann Oberth Award for advancement in aeronautical sciences and the 2014 SAE International Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award.
MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering is online at www.bagley.msstate.edu and its Department of Aerospace Engineering is at www.ae.msstate.edu.
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