Meet the Team
Lab Director
Doug Hunsaker
CV | doughunsaker.com | GoogleScholar | ResearchGate | LinkedIn
Doug is an associate professor in the department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering working on improving aircraft design and optimization methods. His research areas focus on computational methods ranging from potential flow to full RANS CFD for both 2D and 3D modeling and optimization. These research efforts are currently directed towards supporting the improved aircraft efficiency interests of NASA and the Air Force Research Lab as well as the rapid design and optimization needs of the emerging drone industry. Doug also has a strong interest in studying unsteady flows as they pertain to flapping flight.
Doctoral Students
Cory Goates
cory.goates@usu.edu | Github | LinkedIn | ResearchGate
Cory is a doctoral candidate in Mechanical Engineering. His research focuses on aerodynamic modeling, optimization, and flight simulation. He is a lead developer in the AeroLab and has produced MachUpX, PyPan, Pylot, AirfoilDatabase, PyProp, and Optix. He is currently working on high-order panel methods for linear and nonlinear compressible flow analysis. After graduation, he plans to become a professor to continue his research into numerical aerodynamics and mentor the next generation of engineers and researchers.
Troy Abraham
troyabraham.net | GoogleScholar | ResearchGate | LinkedIn
Troy graduated with his bachelor's degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in May of 2019. He is currently pursuing his PhD in aerospace engineering. His research supports a NASA University leadership Initiative focused on adaptive aerostructures for civil supersonic aircraft. This research involves developing and utilizing low-fidelity aerodynamic codes to explore the effects of an aircraft’s equivalent-area distribution on its perceived loudness at the ground. Troy has worked previously as an undergraduate laboratory assistant in Utah State University's Experimental Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and Aerolab.
Ben Moulton
Resume | Portfolio Website | GoogleScholar | ResearchGate | LinkedIn
Ben is a PhD student at Utah State University. Ben's research focuses on control methodologies for bio-inspired aircraft. He also loves to study the aircraft equations of motion, and corresponding insight from aircraft handling qualities. Ben has been part of the Horizon group working on developing the morphing mechanism to demonstrate yaw control on a flying wing aircraft. Ben has extensive experience in flight testing, 3D-printing, flight mechanics, and aircraft design. Ben loves reading and the art of making paper airplanes.
Masters Students
Benjamin Ford
Benjamin is a Master's student studying Aerospace Engineering and is currently working on trajectory optimization.
Zachary Foster
Zach is currently perusing a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and is working on the GOSWIFT project. Zach has many years of RC aircraft design as well as high-powered rocketry design. Zach enjoys a variety of topics but has a special passion for dynamic modeling and simulation as well as control design.
Parker Carter
Parker is studying for a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and is currently working on a project for the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD).
Joshua Hurwitz
Joshua.Hurwitz@usu.edu | LinkedIn
Josh is a Master's student working to support supersonic wake modeling for the MachLine panel method. Josh has been part of the Horizon project, Manta project, and his undergraduate research project working on multi-port pitot probes for aerodynamic angle measurement.
Nathan Hoch
nathan.hoch@usu.edu | ResearchGate | LinkedIn
Nathan completed undergraduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering (BS) and Aircraft Maintenance (AAS). He joined the AeroLab for his Master's degree and supports upgrades to USU's MachLine panel method code.
Undergraduate Students
Spencer Adams
Spencer Adams is a mechanical engineering undergraduate student at Utah State University. He is currently working on integration schemes for shock capturing in supersonic flows.
Jeremiah Goates
jeremiahgoates@gmail.com | LinkedIn
Jeremiah is an undergraduate student at Utah State University studying mechanical engineering. Jeremiah is working as part of the AFX Hypersonics Team. He is mainly responsible for the development of the convective heating model.
Ashton Gilbert
CV | ashtongilbert56@gmail.com | LinkedIn
Ashton is an undergraduate student at Utah State University studying mechanical engineering with a minor in unmanned aerial systems and electrical engineering. Ashton is a part of the BIRE project and works on flight simulation and flight testing.
Conner Carlile
Conner is an undergraduate student at Utah State University studying mechanical engineering. He is currently working with NASA on the GoSwift project, studying morphing aircraft geometries and their application for supersonic boom mitigation.
Sydney Perkins
CV | sydneyjperkins2@gmail.com
Sydney is an undergraduate student at Utah State University studying mechanical engineering.
Logan Freeman
loganfreeman132@gmail.com | LinkedIn
Logan is an undergraduate student at Utah State University studying mechanical engineering. He works on the AFX Hypersonics Grant. He is focused on development of convective heating modeling.
Kathle Tischner
Kathle is an undergraduate student at Utah State University studying Mechanical Engineering. He is currently working on the BIRE project, where his focus is on utilizing FlightStream to develop an aerodynamic model for analyzing the the aerodynamics of the BIRE aircraft.
Logan Hales
https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleslogan/
Logan is an undergraduate student at Utah State University studying Mechanical Engineering. He is responsible for various tasks throughout the lab.