Our People

Principal Investigator

Professor Robert P. Lucht, Ph.D.professor lucht
Ralph and Bettye Bailey Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering

Education
B.S. Nuclear Engineering, Purdue University, 1977
M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 1979
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 1981

Email: lucht@purdue.edu
Phone: +1 765-494-5623

Scientists

Dr. Aman Satija, Ph.D. aman satija
Research Engineer
Dr. Satija’s research is focused on developing laser based techniques and tools for performing measurements in reacting flows and plasmas. He has applied several linear and non-linear spectroscopic and imaging techniques towards studying laminar and turbulent flame combustion at atmospheric pressure. These techniques are used to measure scalar and vector quantities such as temperature, species concentration and velocity. A deeper understanding of combustion can lead to a more efficient design of engines, furnaces while simultaneously reducing emissions injurious to health and environment.

Education
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Army Institute of Technology, Pune University, 2002
M.S. Aerospace Engineering, Auburn University, 2007
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2013
Email: asatija@purdue.edu

Graduate Students

Ziqiao Changziqiao chang2
Graduate Research Assistant
Ziqiao started working under Professor Lucht as undergraduate research assistant in 2016. He received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University in 2018 and continued working under Professor Lucht for his graduate degree. His current research focuses on polarization spectroscopy and femtosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering.  

M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2021
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2018
Email: zchang@purdue.edu

Mark Frederick
Graduate Research Assistant

Email: mfrederick@purdue.edu

Ben Murdock Ben Murdock Square
Graduate Research Assistant
Ben started working under Professor Lucht in 2022 as a Master’s student in ME. His bachelor’s degree is in Mechanical Engineering from Kansas State University. Ben came to Purdue to focus on combustion research and his current project focuses on nanosecond dual-pump coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering.

B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Kansas State University, 2022
Email: bmurdock@purdue.edu

Ajay NachiappanAjay_Nachiappan
Graduate Research Assistant



Email: anachiap@purdue.edu

Alex Plumadore
Graduate Research AssistantAlex Plumadore
Alex started working under Dr. Lucht in 2021 and is a PhD student in ME. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Physics and Computer Physics in 2021 at Illinois State University and came to Purdue to pursue spectroscopy research. His current research focus is a NASA ULI project developing sensors for control systems on hypersonic aircraft. 

B.S. Physics and Computer Physics, Illinois State University, 2021
Email: aplumad@purdue.edu

Will Seniorwill senior
Graduate Research Assistant
Will completed his bachelor’s degree at Purdue University as a Mechanical Engineering student. At the end his 3rd year, he started working in Professor Lucht’s research group at Zucrow Laboratories as an undergraduate research assistant. This hands-on engineering experience sparked his interest in combustion and propulsion and pushed him to continue to work under Professor Lucht as a Master’s Student at Purdue.

B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2018
Email: wsenior@purdue.edu

 

Undergraduate students

 


ALUmini

Michael Arendt
M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2019

Neil Rodrigues
Ph.D Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2020
M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2014
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Fairfield University, 2012
Email: neil.s.rodrigues@nasa.gov
First position: Post-Doctoral Fellow, NASA Langley (Hampton, VA)

Mingming Gumingming gu 2

Ph.D Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2020
B.S. Energy Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, 2015
Email: minggu163@sjtu.edu.cn
First position: Post-Doctoral Fellow, SJTU (Shanghai, China)

Tobi Busaritobi busari

Ph.D Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University, 2021
B.S. Aerospace Engineering and Physics, University at Buffalo, 2012
Email: oluwatobi.busari@morgan.edu
First position: Research Associate for Rocketry, Morgan State University (Baltimore, MD)

Dongyun ShinDongyun Shin

Ph.D Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University, 2021
M.S. Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University, 2017
B.S. Aerospace Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2015
Email: dshin@parc.com
First position: Research Engineer/Technician, Palo Alto Research Center (Palo Alto, CA)

Colin Mcdonald

M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2021
First position: Test Engineer, Astra (Atwater, CA)