Ivett Leyva

Ivett Leyva is the Department Head and Arthur McFarland Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University’s College of Engineering. Her research focuses on hypersonic aerodynamics, fluid dynamics, and combustion stability. She holds a Ph.D. (1999) and M.S. (1995) in Aeronautics, and a B.S. in Engineering and Applied Science (1994), all from the California Institute of Technology.

Her honors include Fellowships from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (2021), Air Force Research Laboratory (2019), and National Research Council (2011). Notable awards include the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal (Air Force, 2019-2020) and the Technology Rising Star Award (2015).

Key research areas include boundary layer transition in hypersonic flows, coaxial jet instabilities, and combustion dynamics under cryogenic conditions. Her experimental work often employs shock tubes and advanced diagnostic techniques to study high-enthalpy environments.

• Labs/Teams: Hypersonic Aerodynamics Lab, Combustion Stability Research Group
• Grants: Active funding from Air Force Research Laboratory and NASA for hypersonic flight experiments