Thomas Underwood

Thomas Underwood is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin. He joined the faculty in 2021 after completing his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University and postdoctoral research at Harvard University under Professor George Whitesides. His research focuses on reactive transport in fluids, non-equilibrium plasma flows, and their applications in space propulsion, catalysis, and photonics. His work emphasizes experimental investigations of partially ionized flows and plasma-chemistry interactions to enable novel technologies.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University

Research Interests:

Underwood’s research integrates fluid dynamics, plasma physics, and chemical engineering to address challenges in aerospace propulsion and sustainable energy. Key areas include space propulsion systems, plasma-wave interactions, and optical diagnostics for reactive flows. His lab explores how plasma chemistry can optimize processes such as air-breathing electric propulsion and green fuel production from industrial flue gases.

Awards & Honors:

• AFOSR Young Investigator Program (YIP) Award, 2021

Labs & Teams:

Underwood leads the Underwood Lab, which develops experimental and computational tools to study plasma-driven technologies. The lab collaborates on projects involving electromagnetic thrusters, plasma-catalytic systems, and terahertz spectroscopy for real-time flow diagnostics.