Research Areas

My work sits at the intersection of fundamental fluid dynamics and applied aerospace engineering. While specific methodologies remain proprietary pending publication, the following provides an overview of the core challenges I am addressing.

Physics of High-Speed Flows

The Challenge: In supersonic and hypersonic regimes, shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions (SWBLI) induce severe flow separation, unsteady loading, and total pressure loss. Understanding the unsteadiness of these interactions is critical for vehicle survivability and performance.

My Focus: I utilize the facilities at FCAAP to experimentally characterize these unsteady flow fields. By leveraging optical diagnostics (Schlieren, PIV) and high-frequency sensing, I aim to decouple the mechanisms driving flow distortion in complex inlet geometries.

Active Flow & Aeroacoustics Control

The Challenge: Traditional passive control methods often incur weight and drag penalties. As aerospace vehicles push primarily towards higher speeds, managing the aeroacoustic footprint and flow separation requires dynamic, responsive solutions.

My Focus: My research investigates novel Active Flow Control (AFC) architectures. The objective is to achieve high control authority over shear layer dynamics and jet noise generation mechanisms using energy-efficient actuation strategies suitable for flight integration.

Conference Proceedings

  • 2024
    Mario A. Carvajal, Praharsh Tiwari, Robert Smith, Burak A. Tuna, Rajan Kumar, William S. Oates. " Aerodynamic physical reservoir computer training using oscillating vortex generators." AIAA SciTech Forum 2026, Orlando, FL.