Research

It Is “Rocket Science”

The challenges facing our engineers today demand creative innovation, keen knowledge, and unparalleled collaboration, especially in the area of aerospace. Armed with a strong technical competency in fundamental engineering principles along with aeronautical and astronautical engineering topics, our student and faculty researchers take on these challenges and find solutions that will positively impact the global community.

Expert faculty in WPI’s Aerospace Engineering program have developed several research focus areas.

Research Focus Areas

FLUIDS AND PLASMAS

Professor Blandino: Plasma dynamics; microfluidics
Professor Gatsonis: Computational fluid, gas and plasma dynamics; micro- and nano- fluidics; rarefied flows
Professor Olinger: Fluid-structure interaction; low speed aerodynamics
Professor Yagoobi: Electrohydrodynamics; liquid/vapor phase change; micro and nanofluidics, augmentation of heat transfer; impinging jets

PROPULSION AND ENERGY

Professor Blandino: Electric propulsion and micropropulsion
Professor Gatsonis: Micropropulsion; spacecraft-environment interactions
Professor Olinger: Wind energy

CONTROLS AND DYNAMICS

Professor Demetriou: Controls; flexible structures; spacecraft dynamics; mobile sensor and actuator networks; fluid-structure interaction systems

STRUCTURES AND MATERIALS

Professor Demetriou: Smart material structures, vibrations
Professor Richman: Mechanics of granular media, including compaction of powders, and constitutive modeling of rapid flows and their interactions with vibrating boundaries

EDUCATIONAL, STEM, AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES

Professors Gatsonis, Blandino, Demetriou, Olinger

Mechanical Engineering Research Areas