Principal Investigator

Subith S. Vasu, Ph.D.
Contact
subith _{{{AT}}}_ ucf d.o.t edu
Research Activities
Alternative fuels for propulsion and internal combustion engines, supercritical CO2 power cycles, shock wave physics and chemistry, detonations and explosions, energy conversion processes, laser diagnostics and sensors for combustion and emission, laser spectroscopy, space sensors, chemical kinetics experiments and modeling, non-equilibrium aerothermodynamics, laser ignition, high-altitude balloon measurements, and advanced propulsion engines.
Work History
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL: 2018-present
Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL: 2012-2018
Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA: 2010-2011
Post Doctoral Appointee, Combustion Research Facility
Stanford University, Stanford, CA: 2010-2010
Post Doctoral Researcher, Mechanical Engineering
Education
Stanford University, Stanford, CA: 2004-2010
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering (major)
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, India: 2004
M.Tech, Aerospace Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, India: 2004
B.Tech, Aerospace Engineering
Research Faculty

Anthony Carmine Terracciano
Anthony.Terracciano {{{AT}}} ucf d.o.t eduHometown
Davie, Florida
Education and Professional Preparation
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
post-doc 2017-2019
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, 2016
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2014
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2013
Research
Optical gas diagnostics for space vehicles and planetary exploration; Advanced sensors for toxic gases; Fudnamental combustion experiments
Post-Doctoral Researchers

Suhyeon Park
Suhyeon.Park {{{AT}}} ucf d.o.t eduHometown
Seoul, South Korea
Education and Professional Preparation
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
post-doc 2018-
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
Ph.D.,Mechanical Engineering, 2017
KAIST, Daejeon, Korea
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2012
Korea University, Seoul, Korea
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2010
Research
Optical diagnostics for combustion; SCO2 oxy-combustion;

Chun-Hung Wang
chun-hung.wang _{{{at}}}_ ucf dot eduHometown
Pingtung, Taiwan
Education and Professional Preparation
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
post-doc 2018-
Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Ph.D.,Materials Science and Engineering, 2016
National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan
M.S., Chemistry and Biochemistry, 2006
B.S., Chemistry, 2004
Research
Combustion chemical kinetics under supercritical CO2 environment(co-advised with Prof. Artem Masunov)
Graduate Students

Samuel Barak
Hometown
Hollywood, FL
Education
University of Florida
B. S., Mechanical Engineering, 2015
Research
Shock Tube, SCO2, laser diagnostics
Other Interests
Weightlifting, Running, Home Brewing, Technology, World News
Education Status
Ph.D. post candidacy

Zachary Loparo
Hometown
Winter Springs, Florida
Education
University of Central Florida
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2015
Research Interests
emission diagnostics, multi-species detection in shock tubes
Honors
NSF Graduate Fellowship; DOE SULI 2015, 2014; DOE UTSR Fellowship 2017
Other Interests
International Travel
Education Status
Ph.D. post candidacy

Justin Urso
Hometown
Sparr, Florida
Education
University of Central Florida
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2015
Research Interests
Medical uses of shock waves, LED sensors
Honors
2016 UCF ORC Doctoral Fellowship; 2017 UCF Multidisciplinary Fellowship
Other Interests
Volunteering, weightlifting, hiking
Education Status
Ph.D. post quals

Raghu Veera Manikantachari Kancherla
Hometown
Andhrapradesh, India
Education
Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India
M. S., Mechanical Engineering, 2012
Aeronautical society of India
B.Tech., Aeronautical Engineering, 2009
Research
Combustion modeling, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Turbulence modelling
Education Status
Ph.D. post candidacy

Sneha Neupane
Hometown
Kathmandu, Nepal
Education
Auburn University
M.S., Biosystems Engineering, 2015
Tribhuvan University
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2011
Research
Combustion, Alternative fuels, Organophosphorus Compounds
Other Interests
Trekking, Photography, Food, Cooking
Education Status
Ph.D. post candidacy

Kyle Thurmond
Hometown
Casselberry, FL
Education University of Central Florida
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2016
B. S. Mechanical Engineering (Honors in the Major), 2013.
Honors
2017 UCF ORC Doctoral Fellowship.
Education Status
Ph.D. post candidacy

Jose Bobren-Diaz
Hometown
Guaynabo,Puerto Rico
Education
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2009
B.S., Mechanical Engineering
Research Interests
Thermo-fluid sciences, Combustion, CFD, Transport Phenomena, Aeronautical Application
Honors
2016 UCF ORC Doctoral Fellowship.
Education Status
Ph.D. post quals

Gihun Kim
Hometown
Busan, South Korea
Education
University of Pittsburgh
M. S., Bio Engineering, 2016
Korea Aerospace University
M. E., Mechanical Engineering, 2010
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2008
Research
Combustion
Other Interests
Squash, Swimming
Education Status
Ph.D.

Erik Ninnemann
Hometown
Land O’ Lakes, Florida
Education
University of Central Florida
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2017
Research Interests
Advanced Propulsion and Alternative Fuels, Shock Tube Imaging, LED sensors
Honors
2017 UCF ORC Doctoral Fellowship; 2016 DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI)
Other Interests
Running, basketball, and travelling
Education Status
Ph.D.

Andrew Laich
Hometown
Lincoln Park, Michigan
Education
University of Michigan
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2017
Research Interests
Aerospace Propulsion, Shock Tube Combustion, Chemical Kinetics
Honors
2017 UCF ORC Doctoral Fellowship
Other Interests
Traveling, Nature, Coffee, Music, Astronomy, Physical Fitness
Education Status
Ph.D.

Ramees Khaleel Rahman
Hometown
Kerala, India
Education
Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE
M. S., Chemical Engineering, 2016
National Institute of Technology, Calicut, India
B. Tech., Chemical Engineering, 2011
Research
Combustion kinetics, Reaction mechanisms, Soot, Pollutant formation
Other Interests
Soccer
Education Status
Ph.D.

Farhan Arafin
Hometown
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Education
University of Wyoming, USA
M. S., Mechanical Engineering, 2018
Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Bangladesh
B. S., Mechanical Engineering, 2014
Research
Combustion, Alternative Fuels
Other Interests
Soccer, Music, Travelling
Education Status
Ph.D.
Undergraduate Researchers

Jessica Baker
Hometown
Orange Park, FL
Research
High Pressure Combustion, Alternative Fuels
Other Interests
Travelling, Music, Video Games
Education Status
B.S. Aerospace Engineering

Robert Greene
Hometown
Orlando, FL
Research
Chemical Kinetics, Propulsion, Shock Tube Diagnostics
Education Status
B.S. Aerospace Engineering

Emma Shafer
Hometown
Fernandina Beach, FL
Research
Shock Tube and Applications
Other Interests
Music, Space exploration
Education Status
B.S. Aerospace Engineering

Daria Mashanova
Hometown
Jacksonville, FL
Research
Machine Learning
Education Status
B.S. Mathematics
Visitors

Dr. Ladislav Vesely
Hometown
Prague, Czech Republic
Education
Czech Technical University in Prague
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2011
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2013
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, 2018
VasuLab Alumni Post-Docs

Dr. Frank Barnes
Education and Professional Preparation
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
post-doc 2016-2017
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering, 2016
M.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2014
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2010
Current Position
Engineer, Aerojet-Rocketdyne, Jupiter, FL

Dr. Sergey V. Panteleev
Sergei.Panteleev {{{AT}}} ucf.eduHometown
Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
Education and Professional Preparation
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
post-doc 2017-2018
N.I. Lobachevski State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
Ph.D.,Chemistry, 2009
Research
Supercritical CO2 combustion chemistry modeling (co-advised with Prof. Artem Masunov)
Current Position
Lead Engineer, Center of Metrology of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
VasuLab Alumni Ph.D. Dissertations

Dr. Carlos Velez
Education
University of Central Florida
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, 2015
M.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2011
B. S., Aerospace Engineering, 2010
Honors
McKnight Fellowship
Current Position
Research Engineer, General Electric Global Research Center, Niskayuna, NY

Dr. Ghazal Barari
Education
University of Central Florida
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, 2015
Current Position
Assistant Professor, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, AZ

Dr. Batikan Koroglu
Education
University of Central Florida
Ph. D., Mechanical Engineering 2016
Current Position
Staff Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Livermore, CA

Dr. Anthony Carmine Terracciano
Hometown
Davie, Florida
Education
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, 2016
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2014
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2013
Current Position
Research Engineer, Vasu Lab, UCF

Dr. Bader Almansour
Education
University of Central Florida
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, 2018
Honors
ASME IGTI YETA Award; Best Paper LIC 15; Kuwait Government Fellowship;
Current Position
Assistant Professor, Automotive and Marine Department, The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET), Kuwait.

Dr. Owen Pryor
Hometown
Windermere, Florida
Education
University of Central Florida
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, 2018
M.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2016
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2014
B. S., Aerospace Engineering, 2014
Honors
NASA FSGC DIF Fellowship; AirForce Summer Fellowship; 2016 UCF ORC Doctoral Fellowship; NSF summer internship USA-Germany
Current Position
Research Engineer, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), San Antonio, TX.
VasuLab Alumni M.S. Thesis

Akshita Parupalli
Hometown
lake Mary, Florida
Education
University of Central Florida
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2017
M.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2019
Honors
NASA FSGC DIF Fellowship
Current Position
Engineer, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Palmdale, CA

Joseph Lopez
Education
University of Central Florida
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2015
M.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2017
Honors
NASA FSGC Masters Fellowship; DOE SULI 2015
Current Position
Engineer, Air Force Research Lab and Spectral Energies LLC, Dayton, OH.

Leigh Nash
Education
University of Central Florida
M.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2017
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2014
Honors
NASA FSGC DIF Fellowship; NASA ASTAR Fellowship (1 out of 10 recipients in the country in 2015); DOE SULI 2015
Current Position
Engineer, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas, Lake Mary, FL

Michael Villar
Education
University of Central Florida
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2015
B. S., Aerospace Engineering, 2015
M. S., Aerospace Engineering, 2017
Honors
NASA FSGC DIF Fellowship
Current Position
Engineer, Department of Defense, VA.

Sami Alawadhi
Education
University of Miami
B.S., Applied Physics, 2015
University of Central Florida
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2017
Honors
Kuwait Government Fellowship.
Current Position
Research Engineer, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait.

Luke Thompson
Education University of Central Florida
M.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2015
Honors
NASA FSGC Masters Fellowship
Current Position
Engineer, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas, Orlando, FL
VasuLab Alumni B.S.

Colton Bishop
Education
University of Central Florida
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2017
Current Position
Lockheed Martin, Orlando, FL.

Caleb Amy
Education
University of Central Florida
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2015

Steven O’Briant
Education
University of Central Florida
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2014
Current Position
Vance AFB, OK
Group Pictures
Vasu Lab group members infront of the Millican Hall @ UCF 2016

Vasu Lab group members infront of the Millican Hall @ UCF 2016

Vasu Lab group members infront of the Millican Hall @ UCF 2016

Vasu Lab group members infront of the Millican Hall @ UCF 2013

Vasu Lab group members infront of the reflecting pond @ UCF 2013

Vasu Lab group members at the ESS2013 meeting in Clemson

Vasu Lab group members at the ESS2013 meeting infront of the river
