Dr. Mark W. Nixon
Mark W. Nixon is Director of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory Vehicle Technology Directorate (VTD). In this position he directs Army basic and applied research efforts across the disciplines of propulsion, structures, aeroelasticity, and autonomous control for the benefit of Army air and ground vehicle systems. Dr. Nixon obtained a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland (1983), an M.S. in Structures and Dynamics from the George Washington University (1989), and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering specializing in Rotorcraft Dynamics from the University of Maryland (1993).
Dr. Nixon served as Chief of the VTD Loads and Dynamics Division from 2004-2006. From 1992 –2003, he was the team leader of a project known as the Wing and Rotor Aeroelastic Testing System (WRATS), a 1/5-size semispan wind-tunnel model based on the V-22. The WRATS project involved both wind-tunnel and extensive analytical studies focusing on dynamic loads and aeroelastic stability of tiltrotors. This project has had four cooperative agreements with Bell Helicopter (1994 - 2006) to examine a broad range of subjects including composite-tailored wings for whirl-flutter stability improvements (this research won a NASA Team Excellence award in 1998), higher harmonic control for vibration reduction (this research won the AHS Grover Bell Award in 2001), generalized predictive control for stability augmentation, and parametric studies associated with Bell’s Quad Tiltrotor concept (this research won the AHS Howard Hughes Award in 2006). His past experience has involved finite element modeling of anisotropic beam structures; calculations of rotor blade complex-cross-section properties; studies of the effects of elastic tailoring on rotor blade stiffnesses, frequencies, and structural integrity; and development of comprehensive analyses for advanced rotorcraft configurations (this research won the ARL Technical Achievement Award for Science in 1995). He is a member of the American Helicopter Society, and has recently completed terms as the Chairman of the AHS Dynamics Technical Committee and as an Associate Editor for Dynamics on the AHS Journal.
