Waruna Kulatilaka, Ph. D., (PI)
Associate Professor & Morris E. Foster Faculty Fellow I
J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering (MEEN) &
Department of Aerospace Engineering (AERO)
Research Interests:
Optical Diagnostics and Imaging, Laser Spectroscopy, Ultrafast Lasers and Novel Imaging Techniques, Combustion and Energy Conversion, Chemical Kinetics, Fluid Flow and Plasma Diagnostics, Supersonic and Hypersonic Propulsion, Gas Turbine Combustors and IC Engines. Laser-Based Materials Characterization.
Education:
- Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2006
- M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, 2002
- B.Sc. (Hons), Mechanical Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 2000
Previous Employment:
- Senior Research Scientist / Onsite Contractor: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/RQTC), Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, 2009–2014.
- Postdoctoral Research Associate: Combustion Research Facility, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, 2007–2008.
Awards & Honors:
- Fellow-American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- Associate Fellow-American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
- Senior Member-Optical Society of America (OSA)
- Board Member, Central States Section-The Combustion Institute (CI)
- Topical Editor (Member of the Editorial Board) – Applied Optics,
- Forty Under 40 Award, Dayton Business Journal 2013
- Invited presenter at the Gordon Research Conference on Laser Diagnostics in Combustion (2013-Full Invited Talk, 2011-Hot Topics Talk
- Member (Elected) – Aerodynamic Measurements Technologies Technical Committee (AMT-TC) and Propellants and Combustion Technical Committee (P&C-TC) of AIAA
- 2012 Outstanding Technical Contribution Award, Dayton Section of ASME
Homepage
Postdoctoral Researchers (Current):
1. Yejun Wang, Ph.D.
Graduate Students (Current):
2. Ayush Jain (Ph.D. Student)
3. Pradeep Parajuli (Ph.D. Student)
4. Christian Schweizer (Ph.D. Student)
5. William Swain (M.S. Student)
6. Gavin Lukasik (Ph.D. Student)
Undergraduate Students (Current):
7. Matthew Hay, Mechanical Engineering, TAMU
8. Diana Dyer, Aerospace Engineering, TAMU
9. William Weinert, Mechanical Engineering, TAMU
Visiting Scholars and Students:
1. aa
2. bb
3. cc
4. dd
Graduate Students (Completed):
1. Tyler Paschal (Current Position – Blast Effects Consultant, Baker Risk, San Antonio, TX)
2. Ayobami Shoyinka (Current Position – Engineer, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Fort Worth, TX)
3. Yejun Wang (Current Position – Postdoctoral Researcher, TAMU, College Station, TX)
4. Nicholas Niemiec (Current Position – Energy Engineer, Franklin Energy, East Lansing, MI)
5. Morgan O’Neil (Current Position – Test Engineer, SpaceX, McGregor, TX)
Undergraduate Students (Past):
1. Ben Gorr, Aerospace Engineering, TAMU (NSF/ONR, Fall 2017–Spring 2019)
2. Gus Kendrick, Aerospace Engineering, TAMU (NSF/DOE, Summer 2018–Fall 2018)
3. Andrew Marsh, Mechanical Engineering, TAMU (NSF, Summer 2018–Spring 2019, Current: Ph.D. Student-Georgia Institute of Technology)
4. Kristi Naude, Mechanical Engineering, Letourneau University (NSF-REU, Summer 2018, Summer 2019)
5. Julia Derdena, Mechanical Science and Engineering, UIUC (NSF-REU, Summer 2017)
6. Tianyi (Tom) Nan, Mechanical Engineering, TAMU (USRG, Summer 2017)
7. William Swain, Mechanical Engineering, TAMU (NSF-REU, Summer 2017, Current: Graduate Student-TAMU)
8. Griffin Judge, Mechanical Engineering, TAMU (TEES, Summer 2017)
9. John Stalling, Mechanical Engineering, TAMU (TAMU/TEES, Fall 2016, Current: Ph.D. Student-University of California, Berkley)
10. Cade Capps, Mechanical Engineering, TAMU (NSF, Summer 2016)
11. Kevin Campbell, Mechanical Engineering, TAMU (TAMU/TEES, Summer 2016, Fall 2016, USRG, Summer 2017)
12. Brian Brubacker, Mechanical Engineering, TAMU (TAMU-PSU REU Program, Summer 2016)
13. Josh Dudash, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Penn State (TAMU-PSU REU Program, Summer 2016)
14. Patrick Behne, Nuclear Engineering, TAMU (NSF, Spring 2016, Current: Ph.D. Student-TAMU)
15. Brian Mendoza, Mechanical Engineering, UT-El Paso (NSF-REU, Summer 2015)
16. Mario Orrantia, Mechanical Engineering, UT-El Paso (NSF-REU, Summer 2015, Current: MS Student-UT-El Paso)
