Dr. Carmen Guerra Garcia

Associate Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Carmen Guerra Garcia. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Carmen Guerra-Garcia is the Esther Harold E. Edgerton Associate Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), leading the Aerospace Plasma Group that focuses on the intersection of aerospace engineering, low-temperature plasma technologies, and gas discharge physics. She majored in Aeronautical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, obtaining her S.M. and Ph.D. degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT. Before joining the MIT faculty, Guerra-Garcia worked as a research engineer at Boeing Research & Technology Europe and was a visiting researcher at Princeton University. She has received several honors including the NSF CAREER Award and the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, and has been recognized for her teaching efforts with the Junior Bose Award for Excellence in Teaching. Her current research encompasses aircraft safety, particularly the interaction of lightning with aircraft and wind turbines, as well as plasma technologies for ignition, combustion, and chemical conversion. She actively contributes to various professional committees and has been involved in significant research impacting aerospace safety and technology.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Professor

2024-01-01 — Present

Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Cambridge, MA

Leads the Aerospace Plasma Group and focuses on intersections of aerospace engineering and plasma technologies.

Assistant Professor

2018-01-01 — 2024-01-01

Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Cambridge, MA

Conducted teaching and research in Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Postdoctoral Associate

2015-01-01 — 2016-01-01

Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Cambridge, MA

Involved in advanced research within the department.

Research Engineer

2016-01-01 — 2017-01-01

Boeing Research & Technology – Europe •

Worked on aerospace research projects.

Visiting Researcher

2013-11-01 — 2014-01-01

Princeton University •

Conducted research in the field of plasma physics.

Mission Analysis Engineer

2007-01-01 — 2009-01-01

Deimos Space •

Responsible for mission analysis in aerospace projects.

Awards

#2024

NSF CAREER Award

#2021

Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award

#2024

Junior Bose Award for Excellence in Teaching

#2021

Earll M. Murman Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising

#2024

2nd Paper Award, International Conference on Lightning and Static Electricity

#2009

Amelia Earhart Fellow

#2007

National Award for Aeronautical Engineering