Philip L. Varghese Distinguished Teaching Professor Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics The University of Texas at Austin 1 University Station, C0600  Austin, TX 78712  TEL: (1) 512-471-3110  FAX: (1) 512-471-3788 e-mail contact

Background | Research | Teaching:  ASE 376K | ASE 382R |

Summary

Prof. Varghese is the Director for the Center for Aeromechanics Research and teaches courses in Aerothermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics. His research is based on understanding the basic molecular processes occurring in engineering systems which requires a combination of physics and chemistry with traditional fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics. His experimental work is focused on optical diagnostics especially laser-bsed measurements. His computational work involves the study of rarefied flows using direct simulation Monte Carlo methods and numerical solution of the Boltzmann equation using discrete velocity schemes. His research is applied to the study of combustion, plasmas, and micro-plasma thrusters, and modeling of rarefied flows.

Education

• B.Tech (First Class with Distinction), Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, 1976
• M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Syracuse University, 1977
• Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, 1983

Background

• Post Doctoral Fellow, Molecular Physics Laboratory, SRI International, 1983
• Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, UT Austin, 1983 - 1988
• Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, UT Austin, 1988 - 1989
• Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department, UT Austin, 1989 - 1995
• Professor, Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department, UT Austin, 1995 - present
• Director, Center for Aeromechanics Research, Fall 1999 - present

Research

• Optical diagnostics and laser-based sensors
• Combustion
• Plasmas
• Non-equilibrium flow modeling via Direct Simulation Monte Carlo and numerical solution of the extended Boltzmann equation
• Current funding from NASA, US Air Force.
• Recent Papers
• For some more details go to Current Research

Teaching

• ASE 376K Propulsion (Fall 2008)
• ASE 382R.6/ME381Q.4 Molecular Gas Dynamics (Spring  2008)

• ASE 382R Molecular Gas Dynamics II: Advanced Kinetic Theory (Fall 2008)

• ASE 320 Introduction to Fluid Mechanics
• ASE 340 Boundary Layer Theory and Heat Transfer
• ASE 261K/161M Aircraft Design

Awards and Honors

• Academy of Distinguished Teachers, The University of Texas at Austin, 2005.
• Associate Fellow, AIAA, 2004
• The Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company Award for Excellence in Engineering Teaching, 2003
• Stanley P. Finch Centennial Professorship in Engineering, Fall 2002
• Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Teaching Award, 2001
• Harry H. Power Professorship in Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 2000-2002.
• Boeing - A.D. Welliver Faculty Summer Fellowship, 1998.
• Fulbright Senior Scholar Award, J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, 1993.
• William J. Murray Fellowship in Engineering #3, The University of Texas at Austin, 1992-2002.
• Engineering Foundation Award for Outstanding Engineering Teaching by an Assistant Professor, The University of Texas at Austin, 1988.
• Engineering Foundation Faculty Excellence Award, The University of Texas at Austin, 1987.
• College of Engineering Faculty Leadership Award in Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 1987.
• Miscellaneous

Memberships

• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Associate Fellow; Aerodynamics Measurement Technology (AMT) Technical Committee
• The Combustion Institute
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Optical Society of America
• American Physical Society

Last modified 1/11/2008 by P. L. Varghese