People

Joshua S. Heyne, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Dr. Heyne joined the UDayton Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department in 2014. In 2015, Heyne became the Integrator and Coordinator of the National Jet Fuels Combustion Program (NJFCP), which was composed of as many as 40 institutions and 150 members. He has worked with FAA, DOE, AFRL, and NASA closely on sponsored projects. Most of his previous and current work is on the evaluation of novel Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) candidates. There Heyne works to bring the elements learned in the NJFCP to prescreen candidate fuels and help producers generate fuel products to meet the safety needs of aviation transportation.

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Randall Boehm, Ph.D. University of Michigan, Department of Chemistry.

Randy Boehm joined the HEAT Lab in the summer of 2020 after 20 years at GE Aviation where he was involved in fuel nozzle and combustor design as well as the evaluations of alternative jet fuels, fuel additives and flex fuels for power generation. Highlights relating to aviation fuels include authorship of GE's coking models and serving as the lead designer of the so-called Referee Combustor for evaluating Sustainable Alternative Fuel (SAF). Since joining the HEAT lab, Randy has worked on several programs including; quantification of energy efficiency gains made possible by SAF with high thermal stability, Referee Rig to commercial engine correlation, and tiers alpha and beta property determination methods.

Katherine Opacich, Ph.D. student

Katherine Opacich is a NSF Graduate Research Fellow pursuing a doctoral degree in Aerospace Engineering. She discovered her passion for the field of aerospace engineering after completing three cooperative education rotations with General Electric Aviation and conducting alternative jet fuel research under the National Jet Fuels Combustion Program (NJFCP). In her current research, Katherine is involved with analyzing the ignition characteristics of nanosecond-pulsed high-frequency discharges. In this research, she focuses on utilizing diagnostics such as schlieren, infrared, and chemiluminescence imaging to detect variations in ignition kernel growth.

In her free time, Katherine enjoys exercising, painting, and reading.

Harrison (Zhibin) Yang, Ph.D. Student

Harrison Yang received his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Dayton. His current research is SAF prescreening.

In his free time, Harrison likes fishing and riding motorcycles.

David Bell, Ph.D. Student

David Bell is pursuing a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering. David started in the HEAT Lab in 2016 and completed his Master's Degree in December of 2017. After a brief stint in industry, David rejoined the HEAT Lab in 2020. David's master's research focused on surrogate fuels and fuel property blending, which developed into many of the fuel research of the HEAT Lab today. David, currently, is leading the development of a two dimensional gas chromatography experiment utilizing an ultraviolet detector for species identification.

In his free time, David enjoys hiking, cooking, and playing tennis.

Shane Kosir, M.S. student

Shane Kosir is currently in the second year of his master’s in chemical engineering at the University of Dayton (UD). He began working at the University of Dayton HEAT Lab in the spring of 2018 and has researched high-performance jet fuel optimization, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) prescreening, and, most recently, SAF materials compatibility under the guidance of his advisor, Dr. Joshua Heyne. Shane is also involved in research with the UD chemical engineering professor Dr. Sarwan Sandhu related to the electrochemical performance evaluation and heat transfer modeling of lithium-ion batteries. After graduation, Shane will pursue his PhD in chemical engineering at Washington State University in the lab of Dr. Yong Wang. Outside of research, Shane enjoys hiking and volunteering with the Five Rivers MetroParks.

John Feldhausen, M.S. student

John Feldhausen is in pursuit of his M.S. in Aerospace Engineering. To date, his research has been aimed toward jet fuel blend optimization with special interest in elevating fuel performance, while reducing fuel costs and emissions. These efforts were completed in partnership with Lawerence Berkley National Laboratories.

More recently, Mr. Feldhausen has shifted his focus toward sustainable aviation prescreening, which includes characterizing fuels at the earliest possible development stages and offering guidance to fuel approval efforts. In particular, this work includes multidimensional gas chromatography paired with vacuum ultraviolet detection to form predictions.

John spends his free time playing guitar, fishing, and golfing.

Lily Behnke, M.S. student

Ohio Space Grant Consortium and NSF GRFP winner.

Franchesca Hauck, B.Ch.E in progress

Franchesca Hauck is an undergraduate student at the University of Dayton pursuing a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science. She began working as a H.E.A.T lab member in May 2019. Franchesca works on the Jet Program sponsored by the Department of Energy. As a part of this program, she focuses on investigating viscosity blending rules to help in low temperature viscosity predictions.

In her free time Franchesca enjoys boxing, watching movies, and hanging out with her Phi Sigma Rho sisters.

Allison Coburn, B.M.E in progress

Allison Coburn is a current second-year student majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Human Movement Biomechanics. Her research focus has been on freeze point prediction modeling.

In her free time, she enjoys reading, jogging, and being with her friends and family.

Connor Faulhaber, B.M.E in progress

Conor Faulhaber is an undergraduate student at the University of Dayton pursuing a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Aerospace. Conor joined the H.E.A.T Lab team in August 2020 and is enjoying meeting all of the members and working under Shane Kosir to quantify alternative jet fuel blending limits. He is simultaneously working in his second cooperative education term with the University of Dayton Research Institute’s Structural Materials Division.

When he isn’t working or studying, Conor enjoys listening to music, enjoying the outdoors, and following Dayton Flyers basketball.

Kate Gawelek, B.M.E in progress

Kathleen Gawelek is a first year student from Cleveland, Ohio pursuing a mechanical engineering degree with a minor in sustainability, renewable energy, and the environment. Kathleen enjoys traveling (when there isn't a pandemic!), hiking, art, and trying as many new foods as possible. She plans to integrate her passion for sustainability into her career by working to find sustainable alternatives to everyday items in order to improve the state of the environment.

Aaron Spieles, B.M.E in progress

Aaron Spieles is a fifth year Mechanical Engineering student with a minor in sustainability, energy, and the environment at UD. Aaron is from Wauseon, Ohio and joined the H.E.A.T Lab in the Spring of 2021. He is assisting in the sustainable aviation fuel prescreening and property prediction, through gas chromatography and ultraviolet species identification, project. Aaron is excited to be a part of a dedicated research team that seeks to advance sustainable aviation. In addition to research, Aaron has participated in both the UD Co-op program as well as study abroad.

Beyond academic and work, Aaron enjoys cooking, reading, sports and outdoor recreation activities, music, and spending time with friends and family.

Jennifer Colborn, M.S. May 2020

Current Position: PhD Student, Pennsylvania State University

Harrison (Zhibin) Yang, M.S. May 2020

Current Position: PhD Student, University of Dayton