Hisham AliView profile
Assistant Professor
Hisham Ali is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), affiliated with the Aerospace Mechanics Research Center (AMREC). He holds a PhD and MS in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology (2019 and 2015) and a BS from the University of Alabama (2013). His research focuses on hypersonics, magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), plasma physics, planetary entry systems, and aerocapture technologies for space exploration. Education: PhD, Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Tech, 2019 MS, Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Tech, 2015 BS, Aerospace Engineering, University of Alabama, 2013 Ali’s research explores MHD drag modulation for planetary entry missions (e.g., Neptune aerocapture), plasma wind tunnel development, and energy harvesting during atmospheric entry. His work aims to reduce mission costs, enhance spacecraft efficiency, and enable human exploration of outer planets. Key projects include tabletop-scale plasma tunnel facilities and RF/MW instrumentation suites for hypersonic flow studies. He has received prestigious awards such as the NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship (2013) and the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship (2012). His contributions span academic and industrial roles, including postdoctoral research at Georgia Tech and a position at The Aerospace Corporation. Ali advises graduate students in CU Boulder’s Aerospace Engineering program and collaborates on grants focused on hypersonic aerodynamics and MHD systems. His laboratory (AER0 369) integrates experimental and computational approaches to advance space exploration technologies.






