Nicolas Gomez-Vega

Nicolas Gomez-Vega is a Research Fellow at the Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment (LAE) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specializing in sustainable aircraft propulsion technologies.

Education:

• Master of Engineering in Aeronautical Engineering, Imperial College London, 2019
• PhD in Aeronautical Engineering (specializing in ionic propulsion for aircraft), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2023

His research focuses on the intersection of aircraft propulsion and sustainability, with expertise in electroaerodynamic thrusters that utilize ion propulsion for near-silent operation. Current work explores non-drop-in fuels like liquid hydrogen and liquified natural gas for general aviation, including heat exchanger integration in jet engines and hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems. This research addresses critical challenges in reducing aviation's environmental impact through innovative propulsion architectures.

Publication trends from 2019-2021 reveal consistent investigation into plasma-based propulsion mechanics, with emphasis on dielectric barrier discharges, electroaerodynamic thruster performance, and aerodynamic flow control. Key contributions span electrical characteristics modeling, thrust-to-power optimization, and shock wave management, collectively advancing sustainable electric aircraft propulsion.

No scientific awards were documented in the source material.

Gomez-Vega has directly advised over 15 undergraduate students across MIT design and research projects. No specific research grants were mentioned in the provided text.

He operates within MIT's Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment (LAE), collaborating with researchers including S. R. Barrett on propulsion system development. His work integrates plasma physics, thermal engineering, and aerodynamics to pioneer next-generation sustainable aviation technologies.