Dr. Saman Farhangdoust, assistant professor of Aerospace Engineering, has received a $500,000 U.S. Department of Energy grant to develop a novel technology that integrates batteries into the structural components of next-generation electric aircraft, such as those involved in advanced air mobility (AAM), to increase range and enhance safety. Farhangdoust described battery storage as a “critical challenge” in AAM aircraft, such as air taxis.