A massive thank you to Miguel and the dedicated team at the UW Aeronautical Laboratory for treating us to an incredible tour of the historic Kirsten Wind Tunnel!
With it’s two 500hp motors, the tunnel is able to produce winds of up to 200 mph at the 8x12x10 ft test section. From scale-model aircraft to UAVs to high performance athletes, this subsonic wind tunnel has been a mainstay for aerodynamic testing in the region for almost a century.
🌍  BARC was honored to host distinguished colleagues from across Africa through the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP): Strengthening University Partnerships, Africa Regional Project.
BARC Lab Associate Director Shannon Dong and BARC Director Xu Chen shared the history and growth of our partnership model, highlighted ongoing research activities, and discussed our workforce development initiatives that connect academia, industry, and global communities.
Visitors also toured the BARC Lab to see firsthand how a sustainable, public-private research partnership can advance innovation and education.
We were inspired by the expertise and leadership of our guests:
Fouad Riad Amazigh Dib – University of Tlemcen
Lucie Aba Toumnou – University of Bangui
Aoua Sougo Coulibaly – University Peloforo Gon Coulibaly
Edmee Clémence Mansilla – IPNETP
Joseph Kaleba Walingene – National Pedagogical University
Birama Apho Ly – CARESS, Malian Peacekeeping School
Loubna Assabbab – ESCA School of Management
Romanus Shivute Shivoro – University of Namibia
Olasunmbo Ayanfeoluwa Olusanya – University of Lagos
We thank our three interpreters and the State Department team for making this dialogue possible.
🤝  Exchanges like this remind us that global collaboration is essential to advance knowledge, strengthen universities, and prepare the next generation of innovators
BARC successfully hosted the 2025 Boeing-UW Annual Research Review on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the Boeing Field in Seattle. The event brought together faculty, student researchers, and industry leaders to showcase collaborative advancements in aerospace engineering, manufacturing, and systems optimization.
The review was attended by UW and Boeing leadership with Jihui Yang, Vice Dean of the UW College of Engineering, and Steve Chisholm, Boeing Vice President of Mechanical and Structural Engineering present; highlighting the ongoing impact and strategic importance of the UW-Boeing partnership.
Research Presentation Highlights
Visiting Professor Program
We also introduced the 2025’s Boeing Visiting Professor Program (VPP) awardees from UW: Luna Huang, Chiwoo Park, and Ji-Eun Kim.
We are excited to announce the recipients of the newly established BARC Awards. These awards recognize the outstanding contributions of our faculty, industry partners, and student researchers who drive forward the mission of BARC. Congratulations to the following awardees for their dedication to research excellence, mentorship, and impactful collaboration.
This award recognizes Boeing Principal Investigators who demonstrate exceptional commitment to student development and project success.
2025 Recipients:
This award celebrates projects that exemplify high intellectual merit and significantly advance technology adoption within Boeing.
2025 Winning Projects & Teams:
1. Large Adaptive Tooling
2. Surface Treatment of Carbon Fiber-PEKK Composites (TP Adhesion)
This award highlights the hard work and growth of our junior researchers who have made significant contributions to their respective teams.
2025 Recipients:
Thanks to all those involved for making this year’s research showcase a great success! Boeing and the University of Washington have a rich history of collaborative research. We are always grateful to be able to hear from and showcase our talented researchers and the incredible advancements made over the past year.
We were delighted to welcome seven talented high school students, winners of the Aerospace Technology Business Idea Competition, along with two faculty members from Nagoya University, Tomohisa Koyama and Marina Kano, to the Boeing Advanced Research Collaboration (BARC) on Tuesday, March 25th.
BARC Associate Director Shuonan Dong warmly received the group, leading an insightful tour showcasing our state-of-the-art research facilities and ongoing aerospace innovation projects. It was a pleasure engaging with the next generation of aerospace leaders and sharing the exciting collaborative efforts taking place between academia and industry here at BARC.
Thank you to the UW Engineering Community for joining us at the Boeing Advanced Research Collaboration (BARC) seminar jointly hosted with the UW Department of Mechanical Engineering on January 21, 2025!
In this seminar, Shuonan Dong and Scott Gunther presented BARC’s vision, strategy, and research framework, highlighting the collaborative efforts between Boeing and UW to address key industry challenges. By leveraging academic expertise and industry-driven research, BARC continues to drive innovation in aerospace and engineering.
We look forward to further strengthening this partnership and exploring new frontiers in research and technology!
On October 23rd, the Boeing Advanced Research Collaboration at UW (BARC) had the pleasure of hosting a distinguished delegation from The University of Sheffield, led by:
Professor Conchúr Ó Brádaigh FREng FRSE, Vice President and Head of the Faculty of Engineering
Professor Guy Brown, Faculty Director of Internationalization (Computer Science)
Professor James Marshall, Director of the Centre for Machine Intelligence
Danielle Bertrand, Senior International Partnerships Manager
The visit was guided by BARC Director Shuonan Dong and Xu Chen, with Scott Gunther, Boeing Research Director at UW, accompanying the tour. Before the lab tour, Xu Chen reported on the BARC framework to Professor Koen Lamberts, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, and the broader President’s Team, which included Prof. Brádaigh’s group as well as:
Dr. Malcolm Butler, Vice President and Director of Global Engagement
Hannah Jordan, Associate Director of Fundraising
Ben Short, Head of Partnerships and Global Opportunities
During the tour, student researchers Jonas Beachy, Richard Lu, Zain Huq, Mohamed Safwat, and Anand Krishnan showcased their exceptional work to the delegation.
This visit facilitated a valuable exchange of ideas and explored future opportunities for collaboration in aerospace, engineering, and interdisciplinary innovation. The delegation’s visit underscored the strong potential for collaboration between BARC and the University of Sheffield, fostering a shared vision for advancing global manufacturing and education for the future of flight. We are deeply grateful to Professor Lamberts and the University of Sheffield team for this inspiring exchange and look forward to building on these connections to drive innovation and excellence in research.
On October 8th, the Boeing Advanced Research Collaboration at UW (BARC) had the distinct honor of hosting David Limp, CEO of Blue Origin, for an exclusive visit alongside a remarkable team of Blue Origin leaders.
We were thrilled to welcome:
Justin Brynestad, P.E., VP and New Shepard Program Manager (ME Alum, 2003; ME EAB Board Chair)
Daniel Kinney, Senior Director, Engineering and Enterprise Data
Quang Nguyen – MBA – M.M.E, Senior Director, Production Engineering
Stefan Bieniawski, Senior Director/Principal Technologist, Autonomy and GNC
Sara Olson, Campus Engagement Specialist, University Relations & Talent Development
Shannon Gatta, Aerospace Data Engineer III, New Glenn Engineering Data Systems/Architecture
Raleigh Salazar, Campus Engagement Specialist, University Relations & Talent Development
They were warmly welcomed by ME Department Head Alberto Aliseda and Liz Young of Corporate & Foundation Relations at the University of Washington. BARC leadership, Shuonan Dong and Xu Chen, led an engaging tour of the lab, showcasing cutting-edge research projects and fostering meaningful discussions on aerospace innovation. Scott Gunther, Senior Engineering Manager from Boeing, also accompanied the visit.
A special thank you to student researchers Jonas Beachy, Harshavardhan Raje, and Zain Huq, who presented their exceptional work and highlighted the exciting future of BARC’s research efforts. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to connect with David Limp and Blue Origin’s leadership team. Here’s to continued innovation as we work together to push the boundaries of aerospace research and exploration!
On October 4th, the BARC Lab had the pleasure of hosting an esteemed group of international visitors through the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). These distinguished guests from Denmark, Finland, and Sweden engaged with us on the vital topics of Research Security and Intellectual Property Protection.
We were joined by:
Therese Viksten, Senior Legal Counsel, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Tommy Shih, Associate Professor, Lund University, Sweden
Poul Schjørring, Head of Office of Research Services, Copenhagen University, Denmark
Søren Broberg Nielsen, Head of Research and Data Office, Aarhus University, Denmark
Merian Skouw Haugwitz Hardenberg Reventlow, Senior Executive Officer, Denmark’s Technical University, Denmark
Jonna Lehtinen, Head of Development, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Finland
Ellenor Devine, Head of Office, Swedish Research and Innovation Office, Sweden
Magnus Härviden, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Education and Research, Sweden
Their visit fostered insightful discussions and highlighted opportunities for global collaboration in protecting research integrity and advancing technological innovation.
On May 15th, the Boeing Advanced Research Collaboration at UW (BARC) had the honor of hosting its Annual Research Symposium and project review in collaboration with Boeing and the University of Washington!
We were thrilled to welcome Boeing leadership, including Todd Citron, CTO; Greg Hyslop, Chief Engineer Emeritus; Steve Chisholm, VP and Chief Engineer; and Vishwajeet Uddanwadiker, Chief AI Officer.
From the University of Washington, we were joined by Nancy Allbritton, Dean of the College of Engineering; Alberto Aliseda, Chair of Mechanical Engineering; and Di Xiao, Chair of Materials Science and Engineering.
A special thank you to Samuel Pedigo, Kyle Erlach, Kate Kodama, Leo Xie, Scott Gunther, and Michelle Carey for their exceptional efforts in curating and hosting this memorable occasion.
Our research symposium highlighted the incredible work done by students, faculty, and Boeing professionals, showcasing the dedication and innovation that has been driving our efforts throughout the year.
Please send feedback and questions to Xu Chen and Shuonan Dong. We are excited for the future of the BARC in partnership with Boeing and the University of Washington!