Professor Ali Yilmaz has received the W. A. “Tex” Moncrief Grand Challenge Faculty Award from The University of Texas at Austin’s Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES). The award will provide Dr. Yilmaz with resources to conduct research related to computational challenges in brain mapping.

Recently, Dr. Yilmaz’s research group has developed two of the highest fidelity anatomical human models in the world: AustinMan and AustinWoman. The Moncrief Grand Challenge Award will allow the group to build on these models and develop petascale computational electromagnetics methods for improving the designs of RF coils in high-field MRI systems. The methods resulting from this effort are expected to lead to breakthroughs in the design of high-field MRI systems and ultimately in our ability to map the human brain.