Katya Arquilla is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences within the Bioastronautics focus area. Her work focuses on how humans interact with and adapt to complex systems in high-stress environments (e.g., long-duration space exploration missions, aircraft operating with novel controls and/or in extreme weather, and multi-agent team operations that include autonomous/robotic systems). Katya is a novice weaver, but textiles and weaving have been influential to the direction of her work, opening up the set of possibilities for garment-integrated wearable sensing that is crucial to achieving the human-centered goals of her work.
Arquilla will first discuss her research experience with experimental weaving during her time as a PhD student, then will expand the discussion to highlight research areas that can benefit from experimental weaving and the broader role of textiles in Bioastronautics.