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A new initiative by the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hanyang University (HYU) - 09/23/2026

Our group has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Dr. Sungwook Park's Advance Mobility Power Laboratory at Hanyang University (HYU) from South Korea. This five-year international collaboration focuses on developing low-cost engineering workflows for eco-friendly marine propulsion systems using next-generation power sources. HYU brings renowned expertise and high-quality experimental data to the project, which will play a critical role in validating ODU's CFD workflows. By pairing HYU's experimental capabilities with ODU's high-fideiltiy CFD software and multi-physics modeling strengths, this initiative aims to accelerate clean engine design. This parnership significantly enhances ODU's research capacity in alternative-fuel combustion while paving the way for future sponsored research opportunities in naval engineering and shipbuilding industries.

Participation in Early Career Research Advancement Academy 2026-2027

This announcement notes a good start for Dr. Kim as a junior faculty member in the MAE department at ODU. Dr. Kim has been selected for participation in the Early Career Research Advancement Academy Program for the 2026-27 year. The nomination was made through the support and encouragement of the Associate Dean of Research and Innovation, Dr. Hossein Sarrafzadeh, and the MAE department chair, Dr. Marwan Al-Haik, while Dr. Kim was putting together his application materials for the selection process.

This cohort-based program is designed to support early-career faculty by providing mentorship and fostering a collaborative, cross-disciplinary community as participants establish their research programs. The Academy emphasizes increasing awareness of external funding opportunities, strengthening grant writing skills, and improving success in securing support for research and creative activities. In addition, it aims to prepare faculty to participate in—and potentially lead—large-scale, transdisciplinary and translational research initiatives.

Dr. Kim will join Old Dominion University (ODU).

Dr. Kim has recently accepted an offer to join the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Old Dominion University as an Assistant Professor. This new appointment will begin in the 2026 Fall Semester. In this role, he will establish a new research program centered on high-fidelity CFD simulations for high-speed propulsion systems. His new research group, tentatively titled the "Computational Combustion Lab (CCL)," will pursue a broad range of exciting aerospace research projects aimed at advancing next-generation hypersonic propulsion technologies. Dr. Kim will begin actively recruiting highly motivated PhD students upon the new appointment.

2026 AIAA SciTech Forum

Dr. Kim took part in the 2026 AIAA SciTech Forum, the leading aerospace research and development conference, held in Orlando, Florida from January 12–16. He presented the latest advancements in his rotating detonation engine (RDE) research, highlighting newly identified physical mechanisms with particular emphasis on multi-scale wave-to-wave interactions and unsteady flow dynamics that strongly influence engine performance. The forum also provided valuable opportunities for in-depth technical discussions and the expansion of academic networks, which will support and strengthen his ongoing and future research efforts. https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/abs/10.2514/6.2026-1968

And that’s No. 9! The BTZ Combustion Lab’s current and alumni’s 9th time gathering to catch-up, this time at AIAA SciTech 2026. Next up… No. 10 in Milan, Italy during ASME Turbo Expo. | Vishal AcharyaAnd that’s No. 9! The BTZ Combustion Lab’s current and alumni’s 9th time gathering to catch-up, this time at AIAA SciTech 2026. Next up… No. 10 in Milan, Italy during ASME Turbo Expo.

Current and former members of the Georgia Tech - Aerospace Engineering’s Ben Zinn Aerospace Combustion Lab at AIAA SciTech 2026. | Vishal AcharyaCurrent and former members of the Georgia Tech - Aerospace Engineering’s Ben Zinn Aerospace Combustion Lab at AIAA SciTech 2026.

2025 Dubai Airshow

Our research team is participating in the 2025 Dubai Airshow (November 17-21), where we are presenting our latest achievements—from high-fidelity simulations of rotating detonation engines (RDEs), hypersonic combustion systems, and multiphysics interactions in propulsion devices to our ongoing efforts in developing quantum-computing-based algorithms for chemical kinetics. Our postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Xixuan Huang, along with our PhD students, Amna Alhosani and Swetha Lakshimi, are also actively engaging with research groups from other universities and interacting with leading experts across various fields in aerospace engineering.

Fully-Funded Ph.D. program - NYU | Sayop KimOur research group, led by Prof. Je Ir Ryu (https://wp.nyu.edu/jryu), is actively seeking passionate and motivated Ph.D. students to contribute to cutting-edge research in aerospace propulsion. If you are excited about advancing state-of-the-art technologies and working in a dynamic, innovative environment, we encourage you to apply. Please find details Please ensure that your application is submitted through the official channels no later than indicated deadline.

New Publication Alert!!!

Our recent paper "Study on Ignition and Combustion Characteristics of High-Pressure Liquid Fuel Using Experiments and Large-Eddy Simulations" has been accepted for publication in the Journal of ILASS-Korea. This work was made possible through the collaboration between NYU Abu Dhabi and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Under my guidance and after a month of intensive training, Mr. Seungwon Song carried out high-fidelity numerical simulations and the heavy-load data analysis with outstanding effort.

The paper presents a comparative study on flame dynamics of high-pressure sprays using both large-eddy simulations (LES) and advanced laser diagnostics. The experimental measurements were enabled through the Sandia pre-burn constant volume chamber equipped with PLIF diagnostics, while the LES results provided new insights into the transient behavior of ignition and flame stabilization.

This collaboration builds upon our earlier consortium with Argonne National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory, and extends the foundation for future advanced studies in combustion science.

https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/ci/sereArticleSearch/ciSereArtiView.kci?sereArticleSearchBean.artiId=ART003243658

Fully-Funded Ph.D. Students | Sayop KimOur research group, led by Prof. Je Ir Ryu (https://wp.nyu.edu/jryu), is actively seeking passionate and motivated Ph.D. students to contribute to cutting-edge research in aerospace propulsion. If you are excited about advancing state-of-the-art technologies and working in a dynamic, innovative environment, we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that your application is submitted through the official channels no later than January 15, 2025, as per the department's deadline.

Physiochemical View of Fuel Jet Impingement and Ignition Upon Contact with a Cylindrical Hot Surface | Sayop KimNew publication alert! It’s a great privilege to collaborate with such incredible partners. I am deeply thankful for the invaluable support from the teams at #UIUC led by Tonghun Lee and #USARL, under the leadership of Mike Kweon, PhD/HBS AMP/FCI. This new publication wouldn’t have been possible without their contributions in experimental work and program management. This research article explores the physics and chemistry behind thermal deposit-assisted fuel jet ignition, specifically designed for small aircraft propulsion systems. The cylindrical structure adds complexity to understanding the assisted ignition process. High-fidelity simulations provide simultaneous insights into fuel mixing and low-temperature combustion. Enjoy reading! https://lnkd.in/g8b2P3Fy

Numerical Investigations of Combustion Dynamics and Thermo-Mechanical Stress in the Ignition Assistance System for Small Aircraft Engines | Sayop KimThis is another new paper alert to highlight our esteemed combustion research initiative, a collaborative endeavor involving New York University Abu Dhabi, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory. Combustion powered propulsion system emerges as the most affordable and reliable approach to render military purposed UAVs feasible. In this strategy, the optimization of ignition control stands out as a key factor in maintaining significant advantages, while the challenging structural rigidity of the ignition assistance device should have been relevantly addressed. The proposed engineering solution, facilitated by the #CFD-#FEA coupling method, brings to light undiscovered thermo-mechanical impacts associated with the multi-phase and chemically reacting flows. The successful realization of this endeavor owes much to the strong collaboration with esteemed researchers at #NYUAD, #UIUC, and #ARL that make this possible. We sincerely thank Prof. Tonghun Lee, Dr. Sangguk Kang, Ph.D., P.E., and Dr. Mike Kweon for their supports. To keep this research endeavor viable, our team led by Prof. Je Ir Ryu is recruiting passionate PhD students to start in the Fall 2024. Please refer to his recent post for this opportunity.

#armyresearchlab #argonnenationallab #universityofillinoisurbanachampaign #cfd #fea #energypropulsionlab #nyu | Sayop KimWe are very proud of publishing the first outcome of the new sub-physics model, made possible through the valuable support of #ArmyResearchLab, #ArgonneNationalLab, and #UniversityOfIllinoisUrbanaChampaign. The proposed ARL-SIWS model has the potential to fill an uncharted void between #CFD and #FEA for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) modeling. This paper serves as a demonstration of the model's effectiveness and its role in advancing this undiscovered research agenda. This work has been recognized as an Editor's Pick in Physics of Fluids and is now accessible on the publisher's website. The newly established combustion research group, #EnergyPropulsionLab at #NYU Abu Dhabi, is enthusiastic about continuing this multi-physics modeling endeavor. To further expand our group's presence and reputation in the community, my esteemed colleague, Prof. Je Ir Ryu, is actively recruiting dedicated PhD students. If you know of passionate candidates, please refer to the provided link for more information on this exciting opportunity. https://lnkd.in/d6G_jRSz

#nyuad #epl #icders #openfoam #georgiatech #cfd #converge #combustion #detonation | Sayop KimOur #NYUAD #EPL group made a successful debut at the #ICDERS 2023 international meeting by showcasing our first in-house #OpenFOAM based simulations. The development of this code started during my time at #GeorgiaTech while pursuing my PhD and underwent a period of inactivity for over three years. However, after joining the NYUAD research program, we resurrected the code and further refined it with the valuable support of the EPL group. Our research focuses on two-fold #CFD agendas. The first involves multi-physics modeling, utilizing the capabilities of the open-source CFD platform. The second centers around three-dimensional high-fidelity simulation techniques, where we employed #CONVERGE for various energy and propulsion applications. This meeting serves as a means to advance our goals by promoting our research program to the community and achieving an initial milestone in establishing connections with esteemed researchers in the subject of #combustion and #detonation physics.

#nyuad #epl | Sayop KimOur recently launched research program focused on space propulsion has garnered significant attention and granted me a valuable chance to contribute as a strategic advisor for our country's R&D policy. The KEIT (http://keit.re.kr) actively encourages international collaboration in research and facilitates partnerships between foreign research institutes, industries, and universities in Korea. I had the esteemed privilege of receiving an invitation to showcase the most recent research accomplishment of our #NYUAD #EPL group, along with providing an overview of our anticipated research agenda. This engagement is anticipated to persist until it shapes a strong national R&D strategy.

Newly established combustion group in NYU Abu Dhabi just hit the road towards the sustainable solutions of energy and propulsion systems. I am so glad to reunite with my former combustion lab fellows… | Sayop KimNewly established combustion group in NYU Abu Dhabi just hit the road towards the sustainable solutions of energy and propulsion systems. I am so glad to reunite with my former combustion lab fellows from Georgia Tech. Catching up with outstanding combustion folks is another plus.

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