Welcome to the NASA MIRO partnered Center for In-Space Manufacturing: Recycling and Regolith Processing (CISM-R2)!

CISM-R2  seeks to develop advanced materials, processes, and manufacturing technologies to enable sustainable, on-demand resource utilization for space exploration. Through innovative recycling and regolith processing research, CISM-R2  supports NASA’s mission while enhancing UIC’s research and education capabilities. CISM-R2  aims to inspire innovation, promote student involvement, and prepare the next generation of space researchers and engineers to drive sustainable exploration.

Empowering the Next Generation of Space Researchers and Engineers

Through hands-on research experiences, professional development, and interdisciplinary collaboration, we equip our enrollees with the skills and knowledge needed to explore innovative solutions across a range of emerging fields within in-space manufacturing & exploration.

  • Explore CISM-R2 Research

    Please explore our website to stay current on groundbreaking projects, meet the faculty leading the charge, and learn about the state-of-the-art facilities powering our discoveries.

  • Explore CISM-R2 Opportunities

    Explore exciting student engagement opportunities—internships, apprenticeships, certifications, and more—designed to help you gain hands-on experience, build your skills, and launch a successful career.

News

June 2025: Mr. Andrew Selvik, Mr. Harshgiri Gauswami, Mr. Kabir Patel, and Mr. Shmuel Warshell joined the CISM-R2 Lab as GPIP (Guaranteed Paid Internship Program) interns. We are excited to have them as part of the team. Welcome!

June 2025: All participating professors and the NASA MIRO Management Team convened virtually on June 23, 2025, for the G8 UIC Awardee Check-In Meeting. The session focused on reviewing project progress, discussing key updates, and aligning future activities across the CISM-R2 initiative.

June 2025: Prof. Jida Huang delivered a presentation titled “Inverse Alloy Design: An Alloy Composition Generation Framework with Flexibilities” at the 2025 TMS Specialty Congress. The talk highlighted advancements in computational alloy design and its implications for materials innovation.

June 2025: Students Caleb Smith and Yuri Labuca began their 2025 NASA Summer Internship at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL.  NASA’s internship programs provide training, mentoring, and career development opportunities while working with the best science, engineering, financial, information technology and business minds in the world.

May 2025: Ms. Raguez A. Taha began her 2025 NASA Summer Internship at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL.  NASA’s internship programs provide training, mentoring, and career development opportunities while working with the best science, engineering, financial, information technology and business minds in the world.

May 2025: Mr. Sayan Karmarkar, Mr. Alex Guha, Mr. Jude Gershon, Mr. Julian Heckbert, and Mr. Petar Milanovic joined the CISM-R2 Lab as Summer Interns. Welcome to the team!

May 2025: Students Juan Alanis, Anupam Deshpande, and Daniel Brudniak presented their Spring 2025 (January–May) research progress to the incoming Summer 2025 cohort during the Summer Orientation at the UIC Engineering Innovations Building, Chicago, IL.

May 2025: Prof. Yayue Pan was invited to attend the DARPA BTO Biomechanical Space Structures Workshop, where her team presented research ideas.

May 2025: Prof. Yayue Pan visited Ames Research Center to deliver a Division Seminar titled “UIC NASA MIRO Center for In-Space Manufacturing: Recycling and Regolith Processing.” The visit aimed to disseminate research outcomes and foster connections with Ames researchers.

May 2025: Prof. Jida Huang was invited to give a lightning talk at the workshop “Emerging Directions in AI for Materials and Mechanical Design” at Duke University. The event, hosted by the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science and the aiM program, supported collaborative research and increased visibility for program initiatives.

May 2025: Prof. Yayue Pan and Prof. Jida Huang attended the ASME Annual Aerospace Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference (SSMD 2025) in Houston, TX.  Prof. Huang presented “Inverse Design of Curved Mechanical Metamaterials with Latent Diffusion” to share research contributions and engage with the broader community.
Conference link

May 2025: Prof. Didem Ozevin hosted the 65th Acoustic Emission Working Group (AEWG-65) meeting at the Discovery Partners Institute in Chicago, IL. Alongside Student Daniel Brudniak, they presented “Using Acoustic Emissions to Monitor Recycled Polymer Filament Production for Deep Space Exploration” to discuss advancements and network with professionals.
AEWG Event Link

May 2025: Student Caleb Smith was featured in a spotlight article on the University of Illinois Chicago’s Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering website for his participation in the upcoming NASA internship at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and continued enrollment in the CISM-R2 program.
UIC MIE News: Graduate Headed to NASA

May 2025: Student Juan Alanis began his summer internship at Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, IL. The internship supports collaborative research partnerships and strengthens the connection between institutional research and external scientific communities.

May 2025: Student Caleb Smith and Yuri Labuca, along with Raguez A. Taha, were awarded NASA Summer Internships at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL. The opportunity encourages student engagement, supports collaborative research, and connects academic research with the broader aerospace community.

April 2025: Students Caleb Smith and Ahad Khan presented a poster titled “In-Space PAL Polymer Composite Recycling & 3D Printing” at the 2025 UIC Undergraduate Research Forum, part of UIC Research Week. The presentation showcased their research contributions and fostered engagement with the broader academic community.
UIC Undergraduate Research Forum

April 2025: Students Yuri Labuca and Argjent Ashiku presented a poster titled “Presentation NEEDED” at the 2025 UIC Undergraduate Research Forum, held during UIC Research Week. Their participation highlighted ongoing student-led research and contributed to academic dialogue across disciplines.
UIC Undergraduate Research Forum

April 2025: Students Caleb Smith and a team of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering students were featured in a UIC MIE department article for building and testing a celestial landing device with a drop test at UIC’s High Bay Structures Laboratory. This hands-on project is part of an initiative to highlight student innovation and connect research efforts with the broader community.
UIC MIE News: Capstone NASA Project

April 2025: Prof. Yayue Pan, along with Prof. Didem Ozevin, Prof. Jida Huang, and Prof. Lin Li, conducted in-person interviews across UIC to recruit motivated and qualified applicants for the Summer Internship Program, aligning student interests with ongoing research under CISM-R2.

March 2025: Prof. Yayue Pan delivered a presentation on the UIC NASA MIRO Center for In-Space Manufacturing: Recycling and Regolith Processing (CISM-R2) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, facilitating discussions on current research advancements and building professional connections.

March 2025: Prof. Didem Ozevin presented research from the Nondestructive Evaluation Laboratory at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center to discuss ongoing advancements and engage with NASA professionals in her field.

March 2025: Prof. Jida Huang presented “Inverse Design of Materials and Structures with Geometric Artificial Intelligence (AI)” at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center to exchange research insights and strengthen collaboration with NASA researchers.

March 2025: Prof. Yayue Pan, Prof. Didem Ozevin, Prof. Jida Huang, Student Juan Alanis, Program Assistant Tandra Giles, and faculty/staff David He, Mohammad Ghashami, Carmen Lilley, and Hy Kim participated in a two-day visit to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL.  The team delivered invited talks, exchanged research ideas, and engaged with MSFC scientists and engineers to foster collaboration and showcase CISM-R2 research.

March 2025: Prof. Didem Ozevin attended the SPIE Smart Structures + NDE Conference in Vancouver, Canada. Prof. Ozevin presented “Nondestructive Evaluation of Additively Manufactured Recycled Composite for In-Space Manufacturing” to promote networking, funding opportunities, and dissemination of CISM-R2 research.

March 2025: Student Juan Alanis was awarded a summer internship fellowship at Argonne National Laboratory. The opportunity encourages interdisciplinary research collaborations and connects academic research to national laboratory initiatives.

February 2025: Prof. Yayue Pan was invited to present “Direct Digital Manufacturing of Multi-material Structures” at the Mechanical Science & Engineering Department, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, IL.

February 2025: Program Assistant Tandra Giles, students Juan Alanis, and Anupam Deshpande represented the CISM-R2 team at the UIC Spring 2025 Technology and Engineering Career Fair. They showcased ongoing research, attracted talented students, and provided opportunities for networking, mentorship, and recruitment into research roles.

January 2025: Spring 2025 CISM-R2 Team Meeting was held at the UIC Engineering Innovations Building, Chicago, IL.

January 2025: Spring 2025 CISM-R2 Orientation was held at the UIC Engineering Innovations Building, Chicago, IL. The orientation introduced new team members to safety protocols, research expectations, and collaborative practices for seamless integration.

December 2024: Prof. Yayue Pan attended the NASA MIRO Group 8 Kickoff Meeting held at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

November 2024: Prof. Yayue Pan was invited to present “Additive Manufacturing of Functional Objects with Structural and Material Complexity” at the Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. The presentation was part of the Smart Manufacturing Series, aiming to discuss recent advancements, challenges, and promote professional networking.

October 2024: Prof. Yayue Pan and Prof. Jida Huang presented the NASA MIRO Center for In-Space Manufacturing: Recycling and Regolith Processing (CISM-R2) program poster at the Planetary Science Technology Symposium held at Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH. They shared insights for networking and research dissemination. More details: https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/space/pesto/outreach/planetary-science-technology-symposium/