Breadcrumb
Lorena A. Barba
PhD, Caltech (2004)
For up-to-date contact information, please see my faculty profile.
Education, Experience, Bio.
Education
- PhD Aeronautics (2004), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, U.S.A. (minor in French).
- MSc Aeronautics (1999), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.
- Title of professional Engineer - Ingeniero Civil Mecánico (1998), Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria.
- BSc Mechanical Engineering (1989), Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria, Valparaiso, Chile.
Honors
- Award to Newly Appointed Lecturers in Science, Engineering and Mathematics 2005, The Nuffield Foundation.
- Amelia Earhart Fellowship Award (1999-2000), granted by Zonta International Foundation.
- Graduate Research Fellowship (1998-2001) GALCIT, California Institute of Technology.
- Ranked first of her class – 1st Class Honors degree in Mechanical Engineering (1985 admission), Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria.
Memberships
- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, AIAA (since 1991).
- American Physical Society, APS.
- Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, SIAM.
Experience
After graduating of mechanical engineering in Chile, Dr. Barba co-founded a small consulting engineering firm in Valparaiso, Chile. During 7 years, from 1991 to 1998, she worked as consulting and project engineer, and gained experience as an entrepreneur. The firm grew to hire several professionals, including other engineers, CAD experts and adminstrative staff.
She took part in diverse engineering projects and studies, including: energy management in industry; design of thermal process equipment; design of systems for control of atmospheric pollutants; plant engineering; technical-economical evaluations; traffic impact assessments; piping and general process engineering; HVAC; mainteneance programs for process plants; steam systems; machine design, and more. Clients included regional water works company, food manufacturing, mining, and energy production, among others.
During this period, she also acquired some teaching experience, as part-time lecturer for two years, in charge of a last-year environmental engineering course at Universidad de Vina del Mar.
In 1998, Lorena's aspiration for a scientific career was on the way to fulfillment when offered a place in the Graduate Aeronautical Laboratories, where she initiated doctoral studies under the supervision of Professor Anthony Leonard. In GALCIT, she studied fluid mechanics under the late Brad Sturtevant, and also Dale Pullin and Hans Hornung (the last two were also members of her doctoral committee).
Biography
Lorena was born in Valparaiso, Chile. 
She is the oldest of three daughters of Jorge Eusebio Barba Gianotti (1940-1984) and Rosalinda Maritza Martinic Vrsalovic-Carevic. Commander Barba was an Officer of the Chilean Navy, and died in a civil aviation accident. Rosalinda lives in Renaca, a lovely seaside town-like area of the tourist resort city Vina del Mar.
Lorena grew up in Vina del Mar. She and the family spent two years in Maryland, USA, while her father was appointed to the Chilean Naval Attaché in Washington, D.C. This meant learning English at an early age, which of course was a determinig factor in her future career prospects.
She received pilot training from her father since the age of 15 (not formally at first), then after obtaining the Student Pilot's Licence as soon as she turned 17 (the minimum age), logged her first solo flight. She was given a special award by the Naval Flying Club to finish her pilot training after her father's accident, and obtained her licence before starting University. The life-changing experience of becoming a pilot (including the many hours spent with the maintenance staff at the flying club, chatting and helping), determined her to a career in science and engineering.
Her first technical interest was aerodynamics, and she wished to be an aeronautical engineer. Unfortunately, this subject was not taught in any chilean university; it was only available in the Chilean Air Force, which did not accept women back then. It would be many years later that Lorena participated in the opening of doors for women in Chile to be accepted as Air Force Officers, as she was invited to be part of the first program for women in the Air Force Reserve in 1995 (she now holds the rank of Second Lieutenant, since 2001). Only 13 chilean women were invited to take part in this program, of which nine were private pilots. In 2001, for the first time women were able to participate in the general selection process of the Air Force Academy of Chile.