Ashley Tirado Pujols presenting her “Investigating Durability of 8YSZ via Wear and Erosion Testing for Lunar Applications” poster at the 49th International Conference and Expo on Advanced Ceramics and Composites 2025. This work aims to assess the coatings durability during a set period of time, undergoing constant abrasion. This helps to give more insight on the performance of ceramic coatings for lunar applications.

Ashley Tirado Pujols attending AIAA’s SciTech 2025 Forum. She presented her work “Investigating the Resilience of 8 mol % Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Coatings for Lunar Environments” in light of her research in developing wear-resistant ceramic coatings to resist the long-term effects of the extreme lunar environment.

Over the past year, my research has focused on investigating the wear resistance and tribological properties of 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) coatings for lunar environments. My work has contributed to understanding how these ceramic coatings respond to abrasive lunar dust, informing strategies for optimizing their durability for future lunar missions. These efforts have resulted in the publication of three conference papers and a poster presentation, including investigations into the resilience of these coatings for lunar applications, their dust adhesion mitigation properties, and their overall wear resistance in lunar conditions.

Beyond technical knowledge, they played a crucial role in my professional development. Initially, networking felt intimidating, but after presenting my poster, I found that discussions with peers, faculty, and industry experts became much more fluid. The poster session was a pivotal moment, it allowed me to refine how I communicate my research, ensuring clarity and engagement. Constructive feedback from attendees provided me with fresh perspectives on potential improvements.

Overall, the conferences I have attended have provided an invaluable platform for expanding my knowledge, refining my research approach, and building meaningful professional connections. The experience has left me inspired to push the boundaries of ceramic coatings research, ensuring that my contributions align with the broader goals of space exploration and material innovation. Moving forward, I am eager to implement the insights I gained at the conference, refine my methodologies, and collaborate with experts to advance my research towards more effective and durable solutions for space missions.