Reza Sheikhi

Dr. Reza Sheikhi is a Professor In Residence and Associate Director at the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He joined the Mechanical Engineering Department in 2018 and brings extensive expertise in computational fluid dynamics, turbulence modeling, and combustion simulation.

Dr. Sheikhi's educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Pittsburgh
• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from State University of New York at Buffalo
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Iran

Dr. Sheikhi's research focuses on computational modeling of complex fluid flows and combustion processes. His work integrates advanced numerical methods with physics-based modeling to address challenges in turbulent reacting flows, particularly under extreme conditions such as supercritical pressures. He has made significant contributions to the development of filtered density function methods for large eddy simulation, entropy transport analysis in turbulent combustion, and the application of machine learning techniques to accelerate chemical kinetics computations. His research has broad applications in energy systems, propulsion, and environmental technologies.

Analysis of Dr. Sheikhi's recent publications reveals a strong trend toward integrating machine learning with traditional computational fluid dynamics methods. His work increasingly focuses on developing data-driven frameworks for computationally efficient integration of chemical kinetics, applying deep learning to filtered density functions, and assessing neural ordinary differential equations for combustion simulations. These innovations address the longstanding challenge of balancing computational efficiency with accuracy in modeling complex turbulent reacting flows.

Dr. Sheikhi has received significant recognition for his contributions to the field:

• Students Speak Outstanding Teachers of the College of Engineering at Northeastern University
• Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

Dr. Sheikhi serves as an Associate Editor for the ASME Journal of Energy Resources Technology and is an active member of several professional organizations including the American Physical Society (APS), American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), and the Combustion Institute. His academic career includes previous service as an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University before joining the University of Connecticut in 2018.

Dr. Sheikhi's research group at UConn focuses on developing advanced computational methodologies for turbulent reacting flows, with particular emphasis on entropy generation analysis, supercritical fluid dynamics, and the integration of machine learning techniques with traditional CFD approaches. The team collaborates with researchers across multiple disciplines to address complex challenges in energy conversion systems and propulsion technologies.