Austin Receives NSF CAREER Award to Study Dynamics and Damage of Void Collapse

4/4/2013 Written by Susan Mumm

AE Assistant Prof. Joanna M Austin has earned a 2010 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award for research to help minimize tissue and cell damage during procedures such as shock-wave lithotripsy, used in breaking up kidney stones.

Written by Written by Susan Mumm

Joanna M. Austin
Joanna M. Austin
Joanna Austin
AE Assistant Prof. Joanna M Austin has earned a 2010 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award for research to help minimize tissue and cell damage during procedures such as shock-wave lithotripsy, used in breaking up kidney stones.

The $400,000 National Science Foundation award will support Austin and her group’s study of shock- and stress wave-induced void collapse in biomedical applications. Tissue can be damaged during such applications if cavities develop and then collapse in the tissue. Austin’s work to predict such damage could impact treatment decisions in procedures such as lithotripsy, laser-induced plasma surgery, and ultrasound. Model experiments include high-speed imaging and the first velocity field measurements around collapsing voids.

Austin’s research areas are fluid mechanics, compressible flow and combustion. She directs the Compressible Fluid Mechanics Laboratory. 

Associate Prof. Joanna M. Austin and several of her students in the Compressible Fluid Mechanics laboratory.
Associate Prof. Joanna M. Austin and several of her students in the Compressible Fluid Mechanics laboratory.
From left to right are: Manu Sharma, Joanna Austin, Bill Flaherty and Andy Swantek.

Austin began her career at Illinois after earning a PhD and master’s degree in aeronautical engineering at the California Institute of Technology in 2003 and 1997, respectively. She had earned bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and in mechanical and space engineering in 1996 from the University of Queensland in Australia.


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This story was published April 4, 2013.