The Aerospace Research and Education in the University of Utah’s Department of Mechanical Engineering conducts fundamental and system level research toward next generation aerospace and aeronautical systems. Specific strengths include computational design methods, aerodynamics, compressible flow, combustion, and aeroelasticity. We also offer an undergraduate emphasis in Aerospace Engineering.

Faculty and Labs

Agastya Balantrapu
Lab: TRACE Lab

We work to make our world a better place, by discovering interactions of fluid flows with natural and anthropogenic systems and enabling novel solutions in aerospace, human health, energy efficiency and climate change. At TRACE lab, our work is mostly experimental, using wind tunnels and field campaigns in addition to developing cutting-edge instrumentation to enable spatio-temporally resolved fluid flows. 

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Tianli Feng
Lab – Feng MEX Lab

Our research is to push the frontiers of thermal energy transport, conversion, and storage in complex systems to extremes. Specifically, we target materials properties for ultra-high temperatures (1000-3000 °C), ultra-low temperatures (-270 °C), ultra-high thermal conductivity (2000 W/mK), ultra-low thermal conductivity (<0.01 W/mK), ultra-high power density, and ultra-fast energy transfer rate, from the atomic level to human scale. Our research methods include both advanced simulations and experiments, aiming for both fundamental sciences and cutting-edge technologies.

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Jacob Hochhalter
Lab – Materials Prognosis from Integrated Modeling & Experiment (M’)

Researches emergent structural and material prognosis issues that involve the multiscale and stochastic nature of plasticity and fatigue cracking in structural materials. The research objective of the group is to leverage the ever-increasing capabilities in experimental observation and data analysis tools to provide new capabilities for prognosing reliability of advanced engineered structures and materials.

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Alex Novoselov
Lab – Numerical Turbulence, Energy, and Reactions Group

The Numerical Turbulence, Energy, and Reactions lab focuses on making an impact against climate change through the computational study of flow and energy. Currently, we specialize in using high-fidelity simulations to better understand turbulent reacting flows in practical devices. When our tools reach the limits of what they can simulate, we develop new, state-of-the-art models to overcome these restrictions and continue our studies.

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Robert G. Parker
Lab – Dynamics & Vibrations

Pursues research that merges academic investigations suitable for publication in leading journals with practical applications. While our primary goal is to pursue research valuable for the broad vibration research community, we select projects that are drawn from engineering applications. We pursue these goals while giving PhD and MS students in the lab academically exciting projects for them to develop their independent research skills and prepare for their future careers.

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