By Meghan Morris
The University of Tennessee Space Institute welcomed 23 undergraduate summer research interns this summer, with seven interns being UT Knoxville (UTK) students. During their nine weeks on campus, the interns worked with faculty and graduate research assistants on advanced research projects, giving them invaluable graduate school experience.
The HORIZON group, which operates the Tennessee Aerothermodynamics Laboratory, supported five of the seven UTK undergraduates. This hypersonic group focuses on foundational research and ground testing on the numerical modeling of complex flows and shockwaves from high-speed aerothermodynamics. Research interests include investigating the dynamics of transitional/turbulent shock boundary layer interactions, understanding boundary layer dynamics in high-speed conditions, developing novel optical diagnostics, aerodynamic heating and more.
The Computational and Experimental Aerospace Research Laboratory (CEAR) research group supported one of the UT Knoxville students. CEAR advances scientific knowledge in compressible and high-temperature fluid dynamics, plasma dynamics and diagnostic techniques by exploring modern computational and experimental techniques. It also works on space environment simulators and the cryocontamination of these simulators.
The Laboratory of Advanced Mobility and Power research group supported another of the UT Knoxville students. This research group targets key issues related to energy sustainability and green transportation. Research focuses on clean combustion technology based on low and zero carbon fuels, safety evaluation and thermal management of electrical energy storage medium, multi-physical modeling of advanced energy conversion systems and data-driven optimization of complex power and propulsion systems.
The other sixteen interns came from the University of Alabama Huntsville, Tennessee Technological University, University of Kentucky, Lipscomb University, the U.S. Army, Trevecca Nazarene University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Utah, Mississippi State University and Morehouse College. These interns also worked with the biomedical engineering and materials science (research group and the Combustion and Propulsion for Aviation Research Center.
Tags: UT Space Institute
