UNDERGRADUATE PARTICIPATION IN THE

EXPERIMENTAL AERODYNAMICS GROUP

This page glimpses the contributions made by team-members while they were undergraduates, and the types of projects on which they worked. In many cases, undergraduate projects have pioneered the exploration of an idea which later led to much larger projects and PhD theses.

If the title of your project report needs correction,

PLEASE LET US KNOW:
narayanan.komerath@ae.gatech.edu

 

 

Undergraduate Special Problems projects

Name

Year

Project / Area
  • Bradley Leland    

1986

"Determination of Rotor Tip Vortex Trajectories Using Synchronized Laser Screen Visualization."
  • Russell Ashenden

1986

"Preliminary Design of a Supersonic Combustion Diagnostics  Facility."

  • Russell Ashenden

1987

"Free Shear Layers".
  • Augustine Syn    

1987

"Particle Sizing by Intensity Ratio Technique." Summer visitor from France.

  • James Perrin

1987

"Digital Image Analysis for Location of Vortex  Trajectories."

  • Philip Fawcett      

1989

"Digital Imaging of Vortex Flows".

  • Robert Funk

1989

"Planar Diagnostics of a Rotor Wake in Hover." Won NSF Fellowship; joined Ph.D.
  • Andrew Barr

1989

"LDV Measurements Near the Port Vertical Tail of an F-15 Model at High Angle of Attack".

  • Mark Carpenter

1989

"Flow Visualization and Vibration Testing of a BERP-like Rotor Blade in Hover".

  • Jimmy Tai

1989

"Measurement of the Inflow to an Aeroelastic Two-Bladed Rotor".

  • Bryson Lee           

1989

"Measurement of the Inflow to an Aeroelastic Two-Bladed Rotor".
  • Till Gerhardt

1990

"Aerodynamic Simulation of Rapid Maneuvers."

  • Gary Cochran       

1990

"Measurement of the Flowfield of a Fighter Model at High Angles of Attack ".
  • M. Mauldin

1990

"Vortex Flow Study on the F/A-18".

  • Scott Percival

1990

"Flowfield Measurements for High-Alpha Fighters".

  • James Florance

1990

"Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in Vortex Flows".

  • John  Magill

1990

"Spectral Analysis of the Velocity Fluctuations over an Aircraft Model at High Angle of Attack".

  • David Rodriguez

1991

"Scaling of High-Rate Aircraft Maneuvers". Won NSF  Fellowship.
  • Lenny Truett

1991

"Rotor Tip Vortex Visualization Using Pulsed Laser Shadowgraphy". Won USAF Palace Knight Fellowship.
  • David Buckwalter

1992

 "Relation Between Velocity Spectra and Wing Geometry". Won NSF Fellowship and USAF Palace Knight Fellowship.
  • Jack Griffis

1992

"Fluid Dynamics of Twisted Cables: Digital Flow Imaging".

  • Jason Lenakos

1992

"Digital Tracking of Vortex Trajectories at High Angles of Attack". Senior at GTAE. Won 2nd prize at AIAA SE Student Conference.

  • David Rideout

1992

"Survey of Advanced Concepts for Space Propulsion".                

  • Troy Goodson

1992

"Atmospheric Turbulence Measurement Using Spatial Correlation Velocimetry".
  • David Dishman

1992

"Digital Imaging in Aerodynamics".
  • Bruce Mischou

1995

"Velocity Spectra Near the Tails of Combat Aircraft at High Angle of Attack".
  • Richard Ames

1995

"Design of a 3 d.o.f. Wind Driven Manipulator"
  • Liliana Villareal

1996

" Light Sheet development using non-laser sources"
  • Nick Melitas

1997

“Human-Powered Flight Feasibility:
  • Jeff. Capet

1997

" Laser Velocimetry for high angle of attack aerodynamics”
  • Sameh Wanis

1997

" Acoustic Levitation in Microgravity" (team project)
  • Ron Sostaric        

1997

"Acoustic Levitation in Microgravity"
  • Tairon Cofer

1997

"Acoustic Levitation in Microgravity"
  • Jason Akovenko

1997

"Acoustic Levitation in Microgravity
  • Don Changeau

1999

Graphical User Interface for ADL
  • Kelly Spurlock

1999

Laser Speckle Velocimeter
  • Adam Coker

2000

Development of a Space-Based Economy: NMB team project
  • Justin Hausaman

2000

Development of a Space-Based Economy: NMB team project
  • Pat Krengsiri

2000

Development of a Space-Based Economy: NMB team project
  • Adam Coker

2001

Student Experiment in Microgravity: Acoustic Shaping
  • Justin Hausaman

2001

Student Experiment in Microgravity: Acoustic Shaping
  • Ken Franklin

2001

Student Experiment in Microgravity: Acoustic Shaping
  • Ian Clark

2001

Design of a multiwinglet wind tunnel model

       

Undergraduate Research Team Members 

Name

Class (2= sophomore, 4= senior etc.)

Project Area
  • Brad Leland

4

Laser sheet visualization
  • David Buckwalter

4

Undergrad. Internship: High-a aerodynamics.
  • Earl Williams

2

Image-based curriculum
  • David Dishman

4

Flow Diagnostics Lab
  • Michael Griffin

4

FlowDiagnostics development
  • Constantinos  Malamas

2

Database development; model-building
  • Bryan Palmintier

2-4

Image-based curriculum; video database
  • Jason Lenakos

4

High-a Aerodynamics
  • Jack Griffis

4

Cable flow vis.
  • Judy Garner

2

Literature database
  • Tom Greulich

2-3

Wind tunnel operations / model design
  • Constantina Psomas

3

Water tunnel design
  • Peter Bellini

2-4

Multimedia database development
  • Richard Ames

3

Robotic Manipulator Design & testing
  • Jason Mucha               

3

Water tunnel development
  • Alan Schiaffino

4

AEROCD development
  • James Aguirre

1

Water tunnel SCV
  • Bryce Roth                                               

4

Pulsed Burner Flow Validation for  Shuttle Flight: Experiment
  • Lilliana Villareal

3-4

AEROCD development; large-area flow vis. team
  • Mark Alonzo Jones

4

Automobile Interior Flows
  • Howard Hamilton          

3-4

Automobile brake rotor flow measurement
  • James Gregory               

3-4

Off-site experiment teams; fan flow LDV; parafoil research

  • Hillary Latham               

3-4

Rotor-wing experiment team
  • Jay Bailey

2-4

SummerFellowship, Richardson Foundation
  • Ben Feinstein                                   
 High-school

High School student on  Internship: Image digitization and Morphing

  • Clay Harden

4

X-38 aerodynamics; Ames Wake trajectory analysis
  • Jason Akovenko

4

Digital Signal Analysis
  • Jennifer Hoover               

1

Video analysis of hover flowfield
  • Tony Pichetto               

1

Wing-rotor experiment: test support
  • Antonio Abad               

3

X-38 Aerodynamics
  • Andrew Ford               

4

Fiber Transport.
  • Derek Roquemore

2

UAV development
  • Avinash D’Souza

1

Image Processing
  • Rebecca Cutri-Kohart

1

Web Development
  • Tara Poston

3

Low-Re test capability
  • Sam Wanis

2-4

White light sheet generator development; acoustic shaping team leader
  • Andres Sercovich

3

Acoustic shaping ; database development
  • Brian Gialloreto

3-4

High-a aerodynamics
  • Kelly Spurlock

4

 Vortex sensor development
  • Don Changeau

1

Aerospace Digital Library
  • XinYuan Tan

2

Cost Estimation for Space-Based Construction
  • Adam Coker

2

ADL; Acoustic Shaping
  • Justin Hausaman

2

ADL; Acoustic Shaping
  • Jason Hackl

1-4

Multi-winglet optimization
  • Joshua Hardy

4

Optical SlipRings
  • Ann Bergeron

2

Multi-winglet Flow Visualization Analysis
  • Jeff Czechowski

3

Software-based LDV

 

Awards Won By  Undergrad Team Members

Name

Year

Award
  • James Perrin

88

NSF Graduate Fellowship
  • David Buckwalter

90

NSF Graduate Fellowship
  • Lenny Truett

92

USAF Palace Knight Fellowship
  • Robert Funk

90

NSF Graduate Fellowship
  • Bryson Lee

91

NSF Graduate Fellowship: Honorable Mention
  • David Rodriguez

92

NSF Graduate Fellowship
  • Jason Lenakos

91

2nd Prize, AIAA SE regional student paper competition
  • Leigh Ann Darden

1993

NSF Graduate Fellowship
  • Leigh Ann Darden

1993

GE Foundation Fellowship
  • Leigh Ann Darden

1993

GT President's Fellowship
  • Richard Ames

1995

GT President's Fellowship
  • Antonio Abad

1997

Undergraduate Internship, GT
  • Kelly Spurlock

1998

Undergraduate Internship, GT
  • Derek Roqumore

1998

Boeing National Flight Competition: leader of winning team
  • Roqumore, D.

1998

Boeing Internship
  • Roqumore, D.

1998

Boeing Intern Program Flight Competition: winner
  • Adam Coker

1999

United Technologies Internship
  • Andrew Ford

1999

GT undergraduate Internship
  • Jennifer O'Meara

1999

GT undergraduate Internship
  • Don Changeau

1999

United Technologies Internship
  • Adam Coker

2000

Robert Goddard Scholarship
  • Joshua Hardy

2001

GIT  Presidents’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship
  • Jason Hackl

2001

GIT  Presidents’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship
  • Justin Hausaman

2001

GIT  Presidents’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship
  • Adam Coker

2001

GIT  Presidents’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship
  • Ken Franklin

2001

GIT  Presidents’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship
  • Jeff Czechowski
 2001 GIT  Presidents’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship
  • Jeff Czechowski

2002

NSF FAST Scholarship

 

Papers Co-Authored By Undergrads

  • Komerath, N.M., Schwartz, R.A., Percival, S., Kim, J.M., "Unsteady Vortex Flow Measurements Over Twin-Tailed Aircraft at High Angles of Attack". AIAA91-0279,  Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Jan.'91.
  • Komerath, N.M., Fawcett, P.A., Ballarini, D., "Planar Velocimetry Using Digital Cross-Correlations". Developments in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Vol. XV, March 1990, p. 471 - 478.
  • Liou, S-G., DeBry, B., Lenakos, J., Caplin, J., Komerath, N.M., "Definition of the Unsteady Vortex Flow Over a Wing/Body Configuration". Final Technical Report for the period May 21-November 20, 1991, NASA Grant NAG-1-1278. GITAER91-6,  School of A.E., Georgia Tech, Atlanta, November 21, 1991.
  • Griffis, J., Kim, J-M., Komerath, N.M., "Fluid Dynamics of Twisted Cables. PHASE I: Shedding Frequency and Spanwise Correlation". GITAER 92-1, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of AE, January 1992.
  • Komerath, N.M., Liou, S-G., deBry, B., Caplin, J., Lenakos, J., "Measurements of the Unsteady Vortex Flow Over a Wing-Body at Angle of  Attack". AIAA Paper 92-2729, 10th Applied Aerodynamics Conference, Palo Alto, CA, June 1992.
  • Komerath, N.M., Funk, R.B.,  Kim, J.M., Griffis, J., Hubner, P.A., "Experiments on Flow behind Seven Cable Designs". Final Report to   Southwire Company. GITAER 92-5, October '92.
  • Roth, B., Reddy, U., Funk, R., Komerath, N.M., "Pulsed Air Jet Flow Definition". Final Report, Project E16-X39, SAIC Subcontract No. 42-950055-59, GITAER-EAG-94-8, December 1994.
  • Magill, J.C., Ames, R., Komerath, N.M., "Wind Force Measurements on Lamp Fixtures". Final Report, Project e-16-X78, GITAER 95-5, July 1995.
  • Caradonna, F., Henley, E., Silva, M., Huang, S., Komerath, N.M., Reddy, U., Mahalingam, R., Funk, R., Wong, O., Ames, R., Darden, L., Villareal, L., Gregory, J., "An Experimental Study of a Rotor in Axial Flight". AHS Specialists' Meeting on Rotorcraft Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics, Williamsburg, VA, October 1997.
  • Caradonna, F., Henley, E., Silva, M., Huang, S., Komerath, N.M., Reddy, U., Mahalingam, R., Funk, R., Wong, O., Ames, R., Darden, L., Villareal, L., Gregory, J., "Performance Measurements and Wake Characteristics of a Model Rotor in Axial Flight". AHS Journal, October 1999. 
  • Wanis, S., Komerath, N.M., Armanios, E., “Acoustic Shaping in Microgravity, 3 Years of Flight Tests”. Session 1602, Proceedings of the ASEE Annual Conference, St. Louis, MO, June 2000
  • Komerath, N.M. et al., "Velocity Measurement Around a Tiltrotor Model", Final Report to Boeing Defense and Space Company, Helicopter Division, GITAER-EAG- 97-2,          February 1997.
  • Matos, C. A., Mahalingam, R., Ottinger, G., Klapper, J., Funk, R. B., and Komerath, N.M., " Wind Tunnel Measurements of Parafoil Geometry Aerodynamics", AIAA Paper 98-0606, 36th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting , January 1998, Reno, NV.
  • Wanis, S., Akovenko, J., Cofer,T.,  Ames, R.G., Komerath, N.M.,  “Acoustic Shaping in Microgravity”. AIAA Paper 98-1065, 36th Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Reno, NV, January 1998.
  • Wanis, S., Komerath, N.M., Sercovich, A., "Acoustic Shaping in Microgravity: Higher Order Surface Shapes". AIAA Paper 99-0954, 37th Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Reno, NV, January 1999.
  • Komerath, N.M., et al, “Acoustic Shaping: Enabling Technology for a Space-Based Economy”. Proceedings of the First Space Resource Utilization Roundtable, Golden, CO, October 1999.
  • Wanis, S., Komerath, N.M., “Acoustic Shaping: Technology Issues”. Proceedings of the First Space Resource Utilization Roundtable, Golden, CO, October 1999.
  • Wanis, S., Coker, A., Tan, X-Y., Matos, C.A., Komerath, N.M., Acoustic Shaping: Flexible  Manufacturing In Space. Proceedings Of The American Astronautical Society Congress, Pasadena, Ca, October 1999
  • Wanis, S.. Matos, C.A., Komerath, N.M. “Acoustic Shaping: Applications to Space-Based Construction”, AIAA Paper  00-1020, 38th Aerospace Science Meeting, Reno, Nevada, January 2000.
  • Ames, R.G.,  Wong, O., Coker, A., Hausaman, J.,  Komerath, N.,  “Aerodynamics of a Flapping Wing at High Frequency”. Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on Low Reynolds Number Aerodynamics, South Bend, IN, June 2000.
  • Ganesh, B., Matos, C.A., Coker, A.,  Hausaman, J., Komerath, N.M., “A Costing Strategy  For Manufacturing In Orbit  Using Extraterrestrial Resources”. Proceedings of the Second Space Resource Utilization Roundtable, Golden, CO, November 2000

 

 

Some Facts & Figures

(Ref: Komerath, N.M., "Undergraduate Participation in the Experiments Aerodynamics Group" Paper 0480, Session 2526, Proceedings of the ASEE 2001 National Conference, Albuquerque, NM, June 2001

Statistics on performance of undergraduates who did Special Problems or worked as research assistants in the EAG, 1985-2000. Current students are not included in the totals.

 

Special Problem

Research  Assistant

Worked more than 1 school yr

N/A

50%

Left AE/GT before graduation

N/A

19%

Went to industry after graduation

23%

25%

Co-Op / external assignment

16%

58%

Joined grad. school, GT

42%

33%

Joined grad. school, elsewhere

35%

22%

Co-authored professional papers

10%

42%