Assad Oberai
What do cancer diagnosis, medical imaging, wildfire forecasting and aircraft turbulence have in common?
They’re all challenges addressed by Professor Assad Oberai’s Computation and Data Driven Discovery (CD3) Group, where researchers develop mathematical and computational tools to analyze and make predictions about complex systems. That way of thinking has become increasingly important across aerospace and mechanical engineering; engineers are now expected not only to design physical systems, but also to apply data-driven methods to make reliable predictions and support better decision-making.
Oberai’s new appointment as chair of USC Viterbi’s Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (AME) is a reflection of how the department is evolving in sync with new technologies and industry priorities. His vision for the department reflects a future in which the mechanics of our engineered world – from medical implants to autonomous vehicles – depend as much on mathematical models and algorithms as on the physical systems in which they operate.
We caught up with Oberai to discuss where he sees the greatest opportunities for growth, and how his research perspective informs his vision for the department.
