Joseph Fernando Gonzalez

Education

• Ph.D. Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2015
• M.S.  Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2011
• B.S.  Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2010

Academic Positions

• Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, July 2025-Present

Resident Instruction

• AE 100 - Introduction to Aerospace Engineering
• AE 199 RP - Rocket Projects
• AE 199 RPL - Rocket Development, Safety, and Leadership
• AE 442 SLV - Aerospace Systems Design I, Space Launch Vehicles
• AE 443 SLV – Aerospace Systems Design II, Space Launch Vehicles

Student Organizations

• Illinois Space Society, Spaceshot
• Illinois Space Society, Hybrid Propulsion
• Illinois Space Society, Solid Propulsion
• Liquid Rocket Initiative, Liquid Propulsion
• ION-I, Electric Propulsion
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)

Research Interests

• Rocket and Nuclear Thermal Propulsion for Exploration Missions
• Launch Vehicle and Propulsion System Design and Manufacturing
• Space Systems Architecture, Integration, and Operations
• Lunar Surface Systems, Habitats, and Sustainable Infrastructure
• Space Materials and Thermal Protection Systems

Selected Articles in Journals

• J. Gonzalez, M. Martinez, D. Antartis, J. Lambros, S. Dillon, and I. Chasiotis (2018), Three-dimensional study of graphite-composite electrode chemo-mechanical response using digital volume correlation, Exp Mechanics, Volume 58, Issue 4, pp 573-583.
• J. Gonzalez, D. Antartis, J. Lambros, S. Dillon, and I. Chasiotis (2018), In situ x-ray micro-CT characterization of chemo-mechanical relaxations during Sn lithiation, J of Power Sources, Volume 381, pp 181-189.
• N. Hansson, M. Bradley, M. Campbell, D. J. Cherry, K. Cox, D. D’Angelo, J. Gonzalez, C. Moore, J. Zee (2017), Environmental performance of aerospace batteries, Boeing Technical Journal, 2018, Volume 8, Issue 1, Article 1.
• J. Gonzalez, J. Lambros (2015), A parametric study on the influence of internal speckle patterning for digital volume correlation in x-ray tomography applications, J of Exp Techniques, 40 (5), pp 1447-1459.
• J. Gonzalez, K. Sun, M. Huang, J. Lambros, S. Dillon, and I. Chasiotis (2015), X-ray microtomography characterization of Sn particle evolution during lithiation/delithiation in Li-ion batteries, J of Power Sources, 285: 205-209.
• J. Gonzalez, K. Sun, M. Huang, J. Lambros, S. Dillon, and I. Chasiotis (2014), Three dimensional studies of particle failure in Si based composite electrodes for Li-ion batteries, J of Power Sources, 269: 334-343.
• M. Gates, J. Gonzalez, J. Lambros, M. Heath (2014), Subset Refinement for Digital Volume Correlation: Numerical and Experimental Applications, Exp Mechanics: 1-15.
• J. Gonzalez, J. Lambros (2013), Crack path selection in microstructurally tailored inhomogeneous polymers, Exp Mechanics, Vol. 53, pp 619-634.

Professional Societies

• American Astronautical Society
• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Central Illinois Aerospace
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers

Research Honors

• Kenneth Lee Herrick Memorial Fellowship (2016)
• Illinois Space Grant Fellowship (2014-2015)
• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2011-2014)

Public Service Honors

• SHPE National Undergraduate Role Model (2010)

Other Honors

• Boeing Award, Technical Excellence RL10 Engines (2024)
• Boeing Award, Top Technical Issue Resolution (2023)
• Boeing Award, Knowledge Management (2023)
• Boeing Leadership Next (LX) Program (2020)
• Boeing Award, SLS Qualification Test Support (2019)
• SHPE National Promising Engineer Star Award (2018)
• Boeing Award, SLS Core Stage Main Propulsion System Support (2017)
• Boeing Award, FAA Proposal Tech Team (2016)
• UIUC Knight of St. Patrick (2010)