Tiestos Voladores
Maria Alejandra Botero Botero
With love, I call Tiestos Voladores (flying stuff) to rockets, airplanes, satellites and everything that flies. Here you will find articles related to aerospace engineering and my projects.
Maria Alejandra Botero Botero
Mechanical Engineer and Aerospace Engineer.
Master’s student in Applied Physics.
President of the Colombian Association of Women in Aerospace (ACMA), a non-profit that supports the professional growth of women in Colombia’s aerospace sector through mentorship, scholarships, talks, university career fairs, and initiatives such as analog missions and STEAM outreach programs.
Areas of interest:
Master’s student in Applied Physics.
President of the Colombian Association of Women in Aerospace (ACMA), a non-profit that supports the professional growth of women in Colombia’s aerospace sector through mentorship, scholarships, talks, university career fairs, and initiatives such as analog missions and STEAM outreach programs.
Areas of interest:
- Computational Mechanics
- Deployable Structures
- Scientific Outreach
- Women in STEAM
Experience
SIATA - Early Warning System of the Aburrá Valley. I process and analyze LiDAR point cloud data to detect and classify environmental hazards for risk assessment and early warning systems.
- Analyze 3D LiDAR data using machine learning and statistical methods.
- Build data processing pipelines for point cloud analysis: cleaning, feature extraction, model training.
- Develop ML models to support risk assessment.
Research Assistant (February 2024 - Present)
- Developed an open-source framework to simulate origami patterns' mechanical behavior.
- Explored origami-based deployable structures for space applications like solar sails and habitats.
- Proficient in using ANSYS, FreeCAD, and PrePoMax to simulate, design, and analyze mechanical systems.
Research Intern (February 2023 - January 2024)
- Developed a Python-based computational tool for the mechanical analysis of origami-based structures.
- Conceptualized an origami-inspired deployable habitat for extreme Earth and space environments.
Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación. World Space Week Colombia 2021 planning and management. Support for the formulation and monitoring of programs and strategic projects of Science, Technology and Innovation.
- Development of a machine learning model for the prediction of solar irradiation.
- Design of a tracking system for solar panels based on image processing using Raspberry Pi.
Semillero de Cohetería y Propulsión (SCP), Universidad EAFIT. Performance characterization of a composite solid propellant rocket motor based on Ammonium Nitrate.
CAPAZ Program, Universidad EAFIT. Tutoring students in Calculus, Linear Algebra and Solid Mechanics courses.
Education
2023 - 2024
Master's student in Applied Physics
Universidad EAFIT
- Analysis and design of deployable structures based on origami.
2017 - 2023
Aerospace Engineer
Universidad de Antioquia
- Member of Voyager and Delta-V undergraduate research groups in rocketry, propulsion and space technologies.
2015 - 2020
Mechanical Engineer
Universidad EAFIT
- Mechanical engineer with Emphasis on Computational Mechanics
- Kratos EAFIT-Postobón. CanSat Project. First place winners of best design and best photo by popular vote at the Global Space Balloon Challenge 2018. I worked on the design of a solar panels array deployment system for a PicoSAT.
High School
Institución Educativa Fundación Celia Duque
- Software Programming Technician.
- Best high school degree project of “Red de Media Técnica en Informática de Antioquia”.
- Graduated with Honours. Gold button 2014. Awarded as the Best Bachelor of my High School promotion.
Projects
Applied Mechanics Research Group
Origami
Computational mechanics
Mechanical analysis of origami-based structures
In this project we want to develop methods to design and analyze structures with origami creases. For this, it is necessary to combine computational mechanics techniques with traditional origami folding methods.
Applied Mechanics Research Group
Origami
Computational mechanics
Structural Analysis
Analysis and design of origami-based deployable structures
Development of methods to design and analyze deployable origami-like structures for aerospace applications. Computational simulation of origami-like structures.
Achievements
1st Place - Global Space Balloon Challenge 2018
CanSat Kratos project (EAFIT - Postobón). First place winners for best design and best photo by popular vote.
Nebula Award - SGC2023
Recognition awarded at the Space Generation Congress 2023 (SGC2023).
Orquídea Decoration - Medellín City Council
Honor awarded by the Medellín City Council.
Orden Román Gómez Gómez
Honorary distinction, Orden Román Gómez Gómez.
"Media Técnica en Informática" Scholarship
University scholarship awarded for outstanding academic performance in the Media Técnica en Informática program.
Botón de Oro 2014
Best graduate of the class, Institución Educativa Fundación Celia Duque.
Top Saber 11 Score - Abejorral
Highest Saber 11 score in the municipality of Abejorral.
Get in Touch
Looking for someone to talk about aerospace engineering at your school, university, or event? I give talks, conferences and workshops, and visit schools and universities to bring science closer to more people. If you’d like to invite me to your institution or event, have a question, or just want to say hi, send me a message!