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Carlos G. Levi is a Research Professor in the Department of Materials at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), part of the College of Engineering. He holds the additional title of Professor Emeritus. His research focuses on microstructure evolution in inorganic materials, particularly in the design of advanced coatings, composites, and alloys for extreme environments. He has contributed significantly to thermal barrier coatings, ceramic matrix composites, and high-temperature alloys for aerospace and energy applications. Education: Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1981) M.Sc. in Metallurgical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1977) Degree in Chemical Engineering, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Mexico (1972) Research Interests: Levi’s work addresses challenges in structural materials, including advanced thermal/environmental barrier coatings resistant to molten silicates, ceramic matrix composites, hypersonic materials, and high-temperature alloys such as multi-principal element alloys. His studies explore degradation mechanisms, phase stability under extreme conditions, and novel synthesis techniques like vapor-mediated melt infiltration. Awards and Honors: 2014 TMS Morris Cohen Award 2012 Fellow of the American Ceramic Society 2008 NIMS Award (shared) for breakthroughs in materials science for energy/environment 2004 DLR Wissenschaftspreis (collaborative paper) 2002 Alexander von Humboldt Research Prize Advising and Grants: No formal student advisees are listed, though his research group likely includes graduate students/postdocs. Grant details are not specified in the provided texts. Labs/Teams: Levi’s research is conducted within UCSB’s Materials Department, leveraging advanced characterization tools (e.g., TriBeam tomography) and computational modeling to study material behavior under extreme conditions.

• Structural Materials
• Thermal Barrier Coatings
• Ceramic Matrix Composites
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Yuri Bazilevs is the E. Paul Sorensen Professor of Engineering at Brown University's School of Engineering and Co-Director of the Mechanics of Undersea Science and Engineering Center. His research focuses on computational mechanics, isogeometric analysis, fluid-structure interaction, and high-performance computing. Prior to Brown, he held positions at UC San Diego, where he advanced to Full Professor in 2014 after a rapid tenure. He earned his PhD in 2006 and postdoc training in computational engineering at UT Austin's ICES. Research interests span computational fluid dynamics, solid mechanics, and advanced discretization methods like isogeometric analysis (IGA) and meshfree approaches. He has developed novel formulations for complex phenomena such as underwater explosions, composite material failure, and hypersonic flow dynamics. His work integrates cutting-edge numerical methods with practical engineering applications in aerospace, energy, and biomedical systems. Recent publications highlight advancements in IGA for architected materials, RKPM-based crack modeling, and stabilized formulations for compressible flows. His contributions bridge theoretical mechanics with computational innovation, addressing challenges in multiphysics coupling and large-scale simulations. Collaborations span academia and industry, emphasizing practical validation and real-world impact. Bazilevs' expertise includes variational multiscale methods, peridynamics for fracture mechanics, and immersive particle methods for fluid-structure interaction. His work has been applied to wind turbine aerodynamics, gas turbine optimization, and cardiovascular flow analysis. He actively contributes to computational infrastructure development, such as the tIGAr software framework for IGA automation.

• Computational Mechanics
• Isogeometric Analysis
• Fluid-Structure Interaction
• +5 more

Kareem Ahmed is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and a faculty member of the Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research. He leads research in advanced propulsion and energy systems, focusing on high-speed turbulent combustion, detonations, and hypersonic technologies. His work includes groundbreaking projects in detonation-based propulsion for hypersonic flight and power generation, supported by over $17 million in grants from NASA, AFOSR, and DOE. Education: Ph.D. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University at Buffalo (SUNY) B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University Research Interests: Ahmed’s expertise spans detonation dynamics, supersonic reacting flows, flow-flame control, and advanced laser diagnostics . His team explores innovations like rotating detonation engines (RDEs) and scramjet combustion systems, with applications in aerospace defense and space exploration. Awards and Recognition: AIAA Associate Fellow American Chemical Society Doctoral New Investigator Award AFOSR Summer Faculty Fellowship UCF Trustee Chair (2025–2030) Grants & Advising: PI of over $17M in research funding; mentors 145+ doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate students. Collaborates with industry leaders like GE, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Pratt & Whitney. Labs & Teams: Director of UCF’s Center of Excellence in Hypersonic and Space Propulsion, advancing technologies for 15-minute transcontinental flight and clean rocket fuels.

• Advanced Propulsion Systems
• Hypersonic and Supersonic Combustion
• Detonation Dynamics
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Kaka Ma is an Associate Professor in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at Texas A&M University, specializing in advanced materials processing for energy systems and extreme environments through powder-based synthesis, additive manufacturing, and sintering technologies. Educational Background: Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Davis (2010) B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (2006) His research focuses on powder-based synthesis of metals/ceramics, laser directed energy deposition, field-assisted sintering technology (FAST), thermionic/thermoelectric energy conversion materials, and ultrahigh-temperature/hypersonic environment applications, with strong emphasis on sustainability in materials engineering. Recent publications demonstrate expertise in creating functionally graded materials via controlled thermal gradients and powder morphology optimization. Analysis of 2021-2025 publications reveals dominant trends in spark plasma sintering parameter optimization, additive manufacturing of titanium alloys, high-entropy carbide development, and nanoparticle synthesis for energy applications, consistently linking processing parameters to microstructure-property relationships in extreme-condition materials. Scientific Awards: TMS Light Metals/Extraction & Processing Subject Award – Recycling (2020) Professional memberships include The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS) and America Makes. While specific advising details and grant information are not documented in the provided materials, his extensive collaborative publication record indicates active mentorship of graduate researchers and successful acquisition of research funding. No dedicated laboratory facilities or research team structures are specified in the source documentation.

• Powder based synthesis and processing of metals and ceramics
• Additive manufacturing
• Field assisted sintering technology
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Sheryl Grace is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Boston University, leading the Unsteady Fluid Mechanics & Acoustics Laboratory (UFMAL). Her primary appointment is in the Department of Mechanical Engineering within the College of Engineering. She holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame. Her research focuses on unsteady aerodynamics, aeroacoustics, and fluid-structure interactions, with applications in aerospace systems, propulsion technologies, and biological acoustics. Notable projects include NASA-funded work on quieter vertical lift vehicles and computational modeling of gerbil hearing mechanics. Professor Grace’s research interests span aerodynamics, fluid dynamics, and acoustics. She develops analytical and computational models to predict sound and vibration generated by unsteady flows interacting with solid structures. Recent studies include noise reduction in aircraft wings, turbine blade fatigue analysis, and acoustic scattering in gerbil ears. Her work bridges theoretical models with practical engineering solutions, emphasizing cost-effective predictive tools for next-generation systems. Her publications highlight advancements in shock-droplet interactions, cavitation modeling, and machine learning applications in aeroacoustics. Collaborative projects include multi-institutional efforts to address urban air vehicle noise challenges. While no explicit awards are listed, her contributions to computational acoustics and fluid dynamics are recognized through extensive peer-reviewed output. Advising and grants: Professor Grace leads the UFMAL lab and has secured funding from agencies like NASA. Her research integrates fluid mechanics, acoustics, and computational methods to address industrial and environmental noise issues. She collaborates across disciplines, including mechanical engineering, aerospace, and biomedical acoustics.

• Aerodynamics
• Fluid Dynamics
• Acoustics
• +4 more

Parviz Moin holds the Franklin P. and Caroline M. Johnson Professorship in Stanford University's School of Engineering. As founding director of the Center for Turbulence Research (CTR)—a NASA-Stanford consortium established in 1987—he has pioneered computational methods for turbulence physics, including direct numerical simulation and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) techniques. CTR serves as an international hub for turbulence studies across engineering, mathematics, and physics disciplines. Moin's research encompasses computational physics of turbulent flows, with emphasis on boundary layer control, hypersonic aerodynamics, propulsion systems, and aircraft icing. His recent work advances high-fidelity simulations for aerospace applications, particularly developing wall models for LES that accurately capture separation phenomena under complex pressure gradients and Reynolds number effects. Recent publications demonstrate extensive applications of LES to aircraft design challenges, including transonic buffet prediction, high-lift configuration analysis, and icing aerodynamics. Investigations consistently address fundamental turbulence physics while developing practical computational tools for aerospace engineering, with particular focus on hypersonic boundary layers, flow separation mechanisms, and conjugate heat transfer in iced environments.

• Computational Physics
• Turbulent Boundary Layers
• Hypersonic Flows
• +4 more

Dr. Qiang Lee is an Associate Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Hampton University, located in the Franklin W. Olin Engineering Building. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology (2006), an M.S. in Computer Information Science from Clark Atlanta University (2002), and a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (1995). Her research focuses on multi-modal sensor fusion, multiple target tracking, signal processing, and geospatial data analysis. Notable projects include NASA's ULI initiative on spectroscopy sensors for hypersonic flight control and ARL-funded work on sensor networks for target tracking. She has served as Principal Investigator (PI) on NSF and ARL grants, and co-investigator on NASA projects. Dr. Lee's publications span machine learning applications in spectroscopy, scramjet control systems, and multitarget tracking algorithms. Her work bridges aerospace engineering, data science, and sensor network optimization. She contributes to engineering education research, particularly in minority-serving institutions. Lab affiliations include Hampton University's School of Engineering research groups focused on sensor systems and aerospace applications. Grants highlight her role in advancing sensor technology for defense and aerospace industries.

• Signal Processing
• Sensor Fusion
• Data Analysis
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Adrián Lozano-Durán is an Associate Professor of Aerospace at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), affiliated with the Guggenheim Laboratory for Aeronautics (GALCIT). He holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (2010–2015) and joined Caltech as a Visiting Associate in 2024 before becoming a faculty member in the same year. His research focuses on fluid dynamics, turbulence, and machine learning applications in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), particularly for aerospace systems. He leads the Aerofluids, Learning & Discovery (ALD) Lab, collaborating with MIT’s AeroAstro department. Key research areas include causal inference in fluid systems, reduced-order modeling, and machine-learning-based closure models for large-eddy simulation (LES). His work addresses challenges in low-speed aerodynamics, supersonic, and hypersonic flows. Notable recent contributions include advancements in LES wall models and information-theoretic approaches to turbulence control. He frequently presents at international conferences and has co-authored high-impact papers in Nature Communications , Journal of Fluid Mechanics , and Physical Review Research . Education: B.S., Polytechnic University of Madrid (2010) M.S., Polytechnic University of Madrid (2012) Ph.D., Polytechnic University of Madrid (2015) Affiliations: GALCIT, Caltech AeroAstro, MIT (collaboration) Advising focuses on students like Álvaro Martínez-Sánchez and Tristan, whose work spans causality in turbulence and flow control. He actively engages in interdisciplinary research, bridging fluid mechanics with machine learning and information theory to advance aerospace engineering solutions.

• Fluid Dynamics
• Turbulence
• Machine Learning
• +6 more

Noel T. Clemens serves as a Professor and holds the prestigious Clare Cockrell Williams Centennial Chair in Engineering within the Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department at the University of Texas at Austin's Cockrell School of Engineering. He has been a faculty member since 1993 and served as department chair from 2012 to 2020. His research laboratory is part of the Center for Aeromechanics Research (CAR) where he directs the Flowfield Imaging Laboratory. Dr. Clemens' research focuses on experimental investigations of hypersonic flows, turbulent combustion, and advanced optical diagnostic techniques. His current work emphasizes 3D shock wave/boundary layer interactions, inlet unstart control, flashback in high-pressure combustors, turbulent combustion with non-equilibrium effects, and high-temperature ablation phenomena. He has pioneered laser-based measurement techniques for extreme environments, particularly for hypersonic flight applications where conventional measurement approaches fail. His recent publication record through 2025 demonstrates continued leadership in experimental fluid dynamics, with particular emphasis on plasma diagnostics for ablation studies, shock/boundary layer interaction physics, and advanced optical measurement techniques for extreme environments. The research spans fundamental fluid mechanics investigations to applied aerospace engineering problems relevant to hypersonic vehicle development. Elected to National Academy of Engineering (2024) AIAA Aerodynamic Measurement Technology Award (2022) Elected AIAA Fellow (2019) National Science Foundation Presidential Faculty Fellow (1996) Editor-in-Chief of Experiments in Fluids (2009-2013) Fellow of the American Physical Society Dr. Clemens has secured substantial research funding for his experimental investigations in hypersonics and combustion, leading multiple major research projects with government and industry partners. His laboratory facilities include advanced wind tunnels and state-of-the-art optical diagnostic systems for high-speed flow visualization. The Flowfield Imaging Laboratory at UT Austin serves as a national resource for advanced flow measurement techniques development. As an educator, he teaches core courses in compressible flow, viscous flow, combustion, experimental methods, and laser diagnostic techniques, training the next generation of aerospace engineers in both fundamental principles and cutting-edge measurement technologies.

• Aerothermodynamics
• Fluid Mechanics
• Hypersonics
• +7 more

Richard B. Miles is a Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Director of the ALLEMO (Aerospace Laboratory for Lasers, ElectroMagnetics, and Optics) at Texas A&M University. He holds the O'Donnell Foundation Chair V and is a University Distinguished Professor. A member of the National Academy of Engineering, his work focuses on laser diagnostics, directed energy, hypersonics, nonlinear optics, and plasma aerodynamics. Education: Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, Stanford University (1972) M.S., Electrical Engineering, Stanford University (1967) B.S., Electrical Engineering, Stanford University (1966) His research explores cutting-edge applications of lasers and plasma in aerospace systems, including energy deposition in flames, backward lasing phenomena, and plasma dynamics. His work bridges fundamental physics and engineering challenges in high-speed flows and directed energy systems. Awards: 2012 AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers Award and Medal 2000 AIAA Aerodynamic Measurement Technology Award 1998 Fellow of the Optical Society of America Fellow of the AIAA (2000) His grants and advising focus on experimental and theoretical studies in laser-based diagnostics and plasma aerodynamics. He leads the ALLEMO lab, a hub for interdisciplinary research in optics and aerospace systems.

• Laser Diagnostics
• Directed Energy
• Hypersonics
• +2 more

Prof. Ping Lu is the Albert W. Johnson Distinguished Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at San Diego State University (SDSU), College of Engineering. He holds a PhD from the University of Michigan. His research focuses on advanced guidance systems, autonomous trajectory planning, flight control, and flight mechanics, with applications to space transportation systems like the X-33, Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, and Mars missions. Prof. Lu has contributed to major programs such as the Evolvable Mars Campaign and has pioneered algorithms for propellant-optimal guidance and trajectory optimization. His awards include the NASA Director’s Innovation Group Achievement Award (2016) and AIAA Mechanics and Control of Flight Award (2008). Research highlights include model predictive guidance algorithms, six-degree-of-freedom rocket landing optimization, and fuel-optimal strategies for Mars and lunar missions. His work bridges theoretical control systems with practical aerospace applications, emphasizing real-world feasibility through convex optimization and numerical methods. Key contributions include over 150 peer-reviewed articles, with recent trends focusing on end-to-end trajectory optimization from entry to powered descent, asteroid landing trajectory design, and robust abort protocols. He leads SDSU’s aerospace systems research, collaborating on cutting-edge projects like the Pterodactyl entry vehicle and fractional-polynomial guidance frameworks.

• Advanced Guidance Systems
• Aerospace Trajectory Optimization
• Flight Control
• +3 more

Bridget R Rogers is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Vanderbilt University's School of Engineering. Her research focuses on surfaces, interfaces, and films of advanced materials, linking processing parameters to material properties and performance in applications like CMOS transistors, hypersonic flight composites, and harsh-environment coatings. Education: Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Arizona State University M.S., Chemical Engineering, Arizona State University B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Colorado Research Interests: Her work employs techniques such as UHV-CVD, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and ion beam backscattering to study thin films of alumina/zirconia for dielectrics and ultra-high-temperature ceramics (e.g., Hf(Zr)B₂/SiC) for hypersonic systems. Applications target aerospace and electronics sectors. Labs/Equipment: Utilizes specialized facilities including a UHV-CVD reactor, TEM for cross-sectional analysis, and x-ray diffraction systems.

• Materials Science
• Thin Film Engineering
• Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
• +3 more

Ryan Caverly serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, holding the prestigious McKnight Land-Grant Professorship. His research bridges theoretical control frameworks with practical aerospace and robotics applications, focusing on dynamic modeling and system control. Education: BS in Honours Mechanical Engineering from McGill University MS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan Professor Caverly's research centers on input-output stability, robust control of nonlinear systems, and computationally efficient modeling of flexible structures. His work spans aerospace vehicles, spacecraft, and robotic manipulators, emphasizing theoretical rigor alongside real-world implementation challenges in structural flexibility and control precision. Recent publications reveal strong emphasis on predictive control for orbital mechanics, hypersonic vehicle dynamics, and cable-driven systems. His work consistently integrates convex optimization, state estimation, and structural dynamics to solve complex problems in solar sail technology, UAV navigation, and hypersonic flow measurement. Scientific Awards: McKnight Land-Grant Professor Caverly leads multiple externally funded projects including NASA-sponsored research on solar sail momentum management, UAV state estimation with Honeywell, hypersonic bow shock measurements with the Air Force, and deployable space structure control. His grants portfolio demonstrates significant industry and government collaboration in aerospace innovation. He directs the Aerospace, Robotics, Dynamics, and Control (ARDC) Lab, which specializes in the intersection of dynamic modeling and control theory for flexible multi-body systems, with particular focus on cable-driven mechanisms and lightweight aerospace structures.

• Control Theory
• Dynamic Modeling
• Aerospace Systems
• +8 more

Kurt Maute is a Professor and Palmer Engineering Chair at the University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS). He currently serves as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education. His academic journey includes a PhD in Civil Engineering (University of Stuttgart, 1998) and a Dipl.-Ing. in Aerospace Engineering (University of Stuttgart, 1992). He has held progressively senior roles at CU Boulder, including Associate Dean for Research (2012–2014), Associate Professor (2006–2012), and Assistant Professor (2000–2006). Maute’s research focuses on structural topology optimization, multi-disciplinary optimization, and aeroelastic systems. He has pioneered methods integrating XFEM, level-set techniques, and isogeometric analysis for complex engineering problems. His work spans fluid-structure interaction, hypersonic vehicle design, and additive manufacturing. His notable contributions include advancements in immersed boundary methods, multi-material optimization, and uncertainty quantification. Awards include the NSF Career Award (2004) and Palmer Endowed Chair (2016–present). Maute’s lab (Aerospace Mechanics Research Center, AMREC) addresses challenges in computational mechanics and multi-physics systems. He has advised numerous students and led grants in battery modeling, topology optimization, and aerospace systems. His research bridges theory and application, emphasizing industrial relevance and computational innovation.

• Structural Topology Optimization
• Multidisciplinary Optimization
• Aeroelastic Systems Optimization
• +4 more

Christopher Goyne is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia (UVA) and Director of the UVA Aerospace Research Laboratory. He holds a B.Eng. (1991) and Ph.D. (1999) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Queensland, Australia. His research focuses on hypersonic propulsion, scramjet technology, instrumentation development, and advanced manufacturing. He leads the UVA Hypersonics Research Complex and is a key figure in the University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics. Goyne’s work includes contributions to NASA’s Hyper-X Program and the HyShot scramjet flight test program. He is an Associate Fellow of the AIAA and serves on editorial and advisory boards for journals and organizations such as the Shock Waves journal and Virginia’s Aerospace Advisory Council. Education: B.Eng. (Mechanical Engineering, University of Queensland, 1991); Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering, University of Queensland, 1999). Research Interests: Hypersonics and scramjet propulsion Diagnostic techniques (e.g., laser-based methods, optical emission spectroscopy) Wind tunnel and flight testing Controls and adaptive systems for hypersonic flow paths Advanced manufacturing for aerospace components Awards: Recipient of the 2023 James C. McDaniel Fellow Award and 2022 Outstanding Researcher Award. Holds leadership roles in AIAA committees, including past Chair of the HyTASP Program Committee. Recognized with the Sigma Gamma Tau Outstanding Aerospace Professor Award (2006) and multiple research fellowships. Grants and Projects: Funded by NASA, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and industry partners. Leads UVA’s contributions to hypersonic ground and flight testing, including sensor development and combustion efficiency studies. Labs and Teams: Directs the UVA Aerospace Research Laboratory, collaborating on projects such as the UVA Hypersonics Research Complex and the University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics. Advises student chapters of AIAA and Sigma Gamma Tau.

• Hypersonics
• Scramjets
• Instrumentation and Laser Diagnostics
• +5 more