Douglas Fletcher

Dr. Douglas Fletcher is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Vermont (UVM), with a secondary appointment in Materials Science. He holds a B.S. in Engineering from UVM, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia (1989). His career includes roles at NASA Ames Research Center, where he developed laser diagnostic techniques for high-speed flows and plasma characterization, and the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics in Belgium, where he led research on hypersonic flow transition and plasma diagnostics. He became Head of the Aeronautics and Aerospace Department at von Karman (2004–2007) before joining UVM's faculty in 2007.

His research focuses on laser diagnostics for compressible flows, reacting flows, and plasmas, alongside aerothermodynamics of planetary entry. In 2009, he and his team built the UVM 30 kW Inductively Coupled Plasma Torch Facility, enabling quantitative analysis of thermal protection materials and surface-catalyzed reactions on high-temperature graphite. This work has advanced understanding of plasma interactions with materials critical for aerospace applications.

• Education:
• B.S. in Engineering (University of Vermont)
• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (University of Virginia)
• Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (University of Virginia, 1989)

Awards & Affiliations:

• Associate Fellow of the AIAA

Advising & Facilities:

While specific grant details are not provided, Dr. Fletcher has mentored numerous graduate students in experimental fluid dynamics, plasma diagnostics, and hypersonic flow research. The UVM Plasma Facility he pioneered enables testing of thermal protection materials for aerospace applications, contributing to advancements in planetary entry systems and high-temperature material science.

Labs/Teams:

Director of the UVM Plasma Facility, a key resource for studying plasma-surface interactions and aerothermodynamic challenges in extreme environments.