Students

CURRENT STUDENTS

GRADUATE STUDENTS

1. Daniel Hough, PhD, SMART Fellow

2. Sahil Pathan, MS

3. Tanner Sanders, PhD

4. Jared VanderSchee, PhD

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

1. Ryan Larson, MAE, MU, SUM 2026 - Current

2. Trevor Voght, MAE, MU, FA 2025 - Current

3. Cameron Watson, MAE, MU, SUM 2026 - Current

PREVIOUS STUDENTS

GRADUATE STUDENTS

1. Justin Lajoie, Ph.D., SMART Fellow, Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, degree completed Dec. 2023. Current position: Research Scientist, Thermal Sciences and Propulsion Branch, Naval Air Weapons Station - China Lake, China Lake, CA.

2. Joel Lynch, Ph.D., May 2016-Present, “Microwave-supported plasma enhancement of energetic material flames,” degree completed May 2024.

3. Adam Lawrence, Ph.D., “Electromagnetic control of pyrotechnic light emission,” degree completed Nov. 18, 2022. Current position: Research Scientist, Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane, Crane IN.

4. Stuart Barkley, Ph.D., Dec. 2020, “Dynamic control of energetic material combustion through interaction with gas phase flame structure” Current position: Research Scientist, Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane, Crane IN.

5. Liyun Feng, Ph.D., May 2019.

6. Michael Huston, M.S., January 2015-April 2017, “Confined flame propagation of mechanically activated aluminum/polytetrafluoroethylene composites,” Degree completed April 2017. Currently Research Engineer at American Ordnance. 

7. Christopher Radke, Ph.D., (co-chair with Terrence R Meyer), May 2015-March 2017, “An investigation of coaxial liquid rocket engine injector flows using X-rays,” Degree completed March 2017. Currently Propulsion Engineer at NASA Johnson Space Flight Ctr.

8. Patrick Sanderson, M.S., May 2019, “High heating rate thermal diagnostics for energetic material combustion.” Currently Test Engineer, Netgate, Austin, TX.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

1. Noor Afzal, Mechanical Engineering, ISU, Sum 2021 - SP 2022, “Microwave combustion control of porosity and damage within a granular composite,” Currently: Continuing degree program.

2. Mannuel Ballestero, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Independent study/Undergraduate hourly, Spring 2015-Fall 2015, “Formulation of microwave plasma controllable composite solid propellants.” Currently: Engineer, US Army.

3. Christian Barker, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Freshman Honors Program, Spring 2017, “Atomic species temperature determination from the atomic emission line ratio method.”

4. Jacob Blocker, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, FA 2021 - SP 2023, “Unsteady solid rocket motor combustion modeling and validation,” Currently: Continuing degree program. Currently: Engineering at NASA Goddard.

5. Tanner Boudreaux, Mechanical Engineering, ISU, Independent study, Spring 2016, “Development of nanocomposite thermite solid propellant additives.” Currently: Engineer, Woodward Inc. Aerospace and Defense.

6. Jefferey Breitfelder, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Freshman Honors Program, Spring 2014-Fall 2016, “Nanoscale energetic material fabrication and measurement of ignition/combustion characteristics.” Currently: Propulsion Engineer, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX).

7. Ryan Cazin, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Freshman Honors Program/Undergraduate hourly, Spring 2014-Fall 2015, “Design of high pressure optically accessible propellant combustion vessel.” Currently: Structural Engineer, Boeing Inc.

8. Steven DeAlwis, Mechanical Engineering, ISU, NSF MoSAIc Summer REU, Summer 2014, “Development of electrostatic discharge sensitivity testing apparatus.” Currently: MS Student, Mechanical Engineering, ISU.

9. Young Desanti, Mechanical Engineering, ISU, Independent study, Fall 2014, “Formulation of intermetallic reactive composites.” Currently: Engineer, Gates Corp. and former MS student, Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

10. Marlene Dorneich-Hayes, Ames High School, CBiRC Young Engineers and Scientists Program, Fall 2015-Spring 2016, “Combustion of nanoscale aluminum and liquid fluorocarbon based pyrotechnics.” Currently: BS Engineering Student, ISU.

11. Layne Droppers, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Freshman Honors Program/Undergraduate hourly, Spring 2015-Fall 2016, “Setup and beam characterization of 100 W CW CO2 + HeNe laser system.” Currently: Propulsion Engineer, NASA Langley Research Center.

12. Jordan Golberg, Mechanical Engineering, ISU, Freshman Honors Program, Spring 2019, “3D printed multi-functional, microwave active composite solid propellants,” Currently: Continuing degree program, ISU ME.

13. Parker Hammerschmidt, MAE, MU, Spring 2024 - Current, Hourly URA

14. Daniel Hough, MAE, MU, Spring 2024 - Current, Hourly URA

15. Daniel Kindem, Physics, St. Olaf’s University, NSF MoSAIc Summer REU, May 2018-July 2018, “3D printing of nanoparticle loaded and photocurable composite solid propellants,” Currently: Ph.D. student, Univ. Minnesota.

16. Emma Klose, Mechanical Engineering, ISU, Sum 2021, “Microwave combustion control of porosity and damage within a granular composite,” Currently: Continuing degree program.

17. Katherine Larsson, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Freshman Honors Program, Spring 2015, “Development of high-speed wire heating apparatus.” Currently: Continuing degree program.

18. Cristin Lynch, Mathematics, Savannah State University, NSF MoSAIc Summer REU, Summer 2015, “Combustion of energetic materials.” Currently: Continuing degree program.

19. Joel Lynch, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Undergraduate hourly/Independent study, Spring 2015-Fall 2016, “Development of batch chemical equilibrium calculation code.” Currently: Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering, ISU.

20. Pablianish (Pablia) Malpica, Mechanical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, Summer 2019, MoSAIc Summer REU Program, “Electromagnetic field interaction with boron metal combustion,” Currelty: Continuing degree program, Univ. Puerto Rico.

21. Conner McElroy, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, FA 2021 - Current, “Unsteady solid rocket motor combustion modeling and validation,” Currently: Engineer, Sierra Space.

22. Samuel Myers, MAE, MU, Spring 2024 - Current, Hourly URA

23. Eric Peters, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Undergraduate hourly, Spring 2014-Summer 2014, “Design and fabrication of automated, remote, high-pressure windowed solid rocket propellant combustion experiment.” Currently: Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder.

24. Nicholas Polaczyk, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Freshman Honors Program, Spring 2016, “Ballistic characterization of composite solid propellants.” Currently: Continuing degree program.

25. David Seals, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Freshman Honors Program, Spring 2019, “Electromagnetic combustion enhancement of metal fuels for ramjet combustion,” Currently: Continuing degree program, ISU AERE.

26. Szymon Slusarz-Kowalczyk, MAE, MU, Summer 2025 - Current, Hourly URA

27. Olivia Smithhisler, Mechanical Engineering, St. Louis University, NSF MoSAIc Summer REU, May 2018-July 2018, “Formulation and characterization of microwave ignitable nanoscale thermites,” Currently: Research Engineer, Honeywell FM&T.

28. Raymond Sucaet, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Freshman Honors Program/ Undergraduate hourly, Spring 2014 and Fall 2016-Summer 2017, “Fabrication of mechanically activated thermite compositions.” Currently: Ensign Bickford Aerospace and Defense.

29. Michael Thompson, Aerospace Engineering, ISU, Freshman Honors Program, Spring 2017-Summer 2017, “Manufacture and characterization of mechanically activated thermites.” Currently: Continuing degree program.

30. Ryan Thompson, Mechanical Engineering and Physics, ISU, Freshman Honors Program/Undergraduate hourly, Spring 2016-Summer 2016, “High heating rate FTIR absorption measurements of the thermal decomposition of chemical warfare agent simulants.” Currently: Continuing degree program.

31. Emory Traicoff, Mechanical Engineering, ISU, Undergraduate hourly, Spring 2014, “Development of high heating rate t-jump apparatus.” Currently: Staff Engineer, Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

32. Kyle Uhlenhake, Mechanical Engineering, ISU, Undergraduate hourly, Jan. 2017-May 2018, “Formulation and synthesis of mechanically activated aluminum/molybdenum trioxide thermite propellant additives for propellant flame microwave absorptivity modification.” Currently: PhD student, Purdue University.

33. Frank Zhang, Mechanical Engineering, ISU, Sum 2021, “Extrusion 3D printing of energetic materials,” Currently: Continuing degree program.