Savio Poovathingal

Savio Poovathingal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kentucky, affiliated with the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering. His research focuses on computational thermophysics and fluid dynamics, particularly in hypersonic flows, thermal protection systems, and microscale gas-surface interactions. He leads the Computational Thermophysics and Fluids Laboratory and has held prior appointments as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Montana State University and a Research Fellow at the University of Michigan.

Education:

• Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering with Minor in Chemistry, University of Minnesota (2016)
• M.S., Aerospace Engineering, University of Minnesota (2012)
• B.Tech. (B.S.), Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Trichy, India (2010)

Research interests span computational fluid dynamics (CFD), direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC), and experimental validation of hypersonic flow phenomena. His work addresses challenges in material response modeling under extreme thermal loads, including ablation mechanisms, radiative heat transfer in porous media, and multiphase flow interactions. Recent projects include trajectory reconstruction of the Kentucky Re-Entry Universal Payload System (KRUPS) and development of machine learning frameworks for predicting material degradation rates.

Key technical contributions include micro-CT-based material property analysis, coupled fluid-structure simulation frameworks, and experimental studies of microparticle impacts on thermal protection systems. His publications highlight innovations in ablation modeling, radiative property quantification, and non-equilibrium flow simulations through porous TPS materials.

Lab activities emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration between computational modeling, experimental validation, and aerospace engineering applications. Current efforts focus on advancing predictive tools for hypersonic re-entry systems and improving understanding of material behavior under extreme aerothermal conditions.