Zhang and Chung Receive Aerospace Engineering Department Research Awards

Aerospace Engineering graduate students Xiao Zhang and Joseph Chung have been awarded 2020 Department Research Awards. Winners of the annual Department Research Awards are automatically entered into the annual Dean’s Doctoral and Master’s Student Research Awards competition.

Xiao Zhang is a Ph.D. student working for Professor Elaine Oran. Xiao received her M.S. in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2015. Her current research at Maryland focuses on developing a numerical algorithm for low-Mach-number flows to reduce computational cost. Recently, she applied the algorithm to study how adding or removing heat from a swirling flow can affect vortex breakdown, a type of fluid instability occurring in swirling flows. After defending in March 2020, she plans to continue research in algorithm development and vortex flows.

Joseph Chung is a Ph.D. student with Professor Elaine Oran. He received his M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland in 2015. His Ph.D. research focuses on studying the blue whirl, which is a newly discovered swirling flame that burns heavy, liquid fuels with no soot production. He identified the flame and flow structure of the blue whirl by developing and using computational models. He is currently working as an Aerodynamics Engineer with SpaceX and plans to continue there after graduating this spring semester of 2020.

Created by Clark School Dean Darryll Pines, the competition recognizes distinguished graduate student researchers in order to help propel their careers and demonstrate the value of high-quality engineering research.

Published May 13, 2020