EDUCATION
- Ph.D. Georgia Institute of Technology, 1999
- M.S. Georgia Institute of Technology, 1996
- M.S. (“Diplôme d’Ingénieur”) E.P.F., Sceaux, France, 1995
BACKGROUND
Dr. Valle began at GT in August 2006 as Academic Professional and Advisor for the BS/MS and International Plan students in the G.W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. Prior she was Associate Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in Prescott, AZ. Dr. Valle’s doctoral work was in the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of advanced materials (composites, thin film bonds, etc) using linear and nonlinear ultrasonics with computational modeling (especially the finite element method). The goal was to be able to predict, through the behavior of ultrasound as it propagates inside a damaged structure, the location, nature, and severity of the damage.
Dr. Valle is also interested in engineering education and, as a subset, women and minorities issues in engineering education. She worked on a research project sponsored by the National Science Foundation, InTEL, to implement computer-based manipulable models within a foundational course in Statics for learning the engineering approach to problem solving, which is characterized by model-based reasoning. She is currently looking at how gender influences various factors that affect time to graduation of undergraduate engineering students, including changing majors.