Xinfeng Gao

Xinfeng Gao is a Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia, leading the CFD & Propulsion Laboratory. She specializes in high-performance computing (HPC) algorithms for fluid dynamics, combustion, and plasma systems. Her work integrates numerical methods, parallel computing, and data analytics to address complex engineering challenges. Prior to UVA, she held a professorship at Colorado State University from 2011 to 2023, establishing the CFD and Propulsion Lab there. She earned her PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto in 2008, followed by postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).

Her research focuses on three core areas: high-order CFD methods for high-speed flows, parallel adaptive algorithms for spatial and temporal domains, and HPC combined with data analytics for aerospace design optimizations. Applications include reduced-order models for turbulence, propulsion device innovation, and quantum computing for fluid simulations. She collaborates with national labs (LLNL, LBNL), aerospace industries (Boeing), and software companies to translate research into practical solutions.

Her recent grants include the NSF Mid-Career Advancement Award (2022–2025) for CFD+DA integration in commercial tools and UVA’s RIG Award (2025–2026) for gas-surface material studies under extreme conditions. She teaches MAE 6720 (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and MAE 3420 (Computational Methods).

Key awards include the 2023 University of Virginia Research Achievement Award and the 2022 NSF MCA Award. Her work emphasizes cross-disciplinary innovation, blending computational science with experimental validation through initiatives like the Gas-Surface-Materials RIG project, involving experts from MAE, MSE, Chemistry, and Physics.