University of Michigan Aerospace Engineering

U-M Aerospace Engineering Associate Professor Ricardo Vinuesa is joining a research team led by the University of Southern California as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission, a national effort to accelerate scientific discovery through AI.

Working alongside researchers at USC and Argonne National Laboratory, Vinuesa and the team aim to develop a new way to model turbulence by using AI to better understand and reproduce the key mechanisms that shape complex fluid flows.

The team will combine explainable deep learning and deep reinforcement learning to first identify the patterns and physical mechanisms that matter most in turbulent flows, then develop models that can reproduce them.

Not only does turbulence have a significant effect on aircraft, but it also has strong implications in areas related to turbines, compressors on vehicles, and trains. By developing better turbulence prediction models, researchers on this project will have the ability to transfer their work across industries and engineering disciplines.

Read more: https://aero.engin.umich.edu/2026/08/12/u-m-researcher-joins-genesis-mission-to-transform-turbulence-modeling-using-ai/

U-M researcher joins Genesis Mission to transform turbulence modeling using AI - Michigan Aerospace Engineering Finding the key turbulence mechanisms to drive the new generation of turbulence models

University of Michigan Aerospace Engineering alumni Ben Marchionna has spent the past two years connecting people and institutions, and is the state of Michigan’s first-ever chief innovation ecosystem officer. Now, he is boosting Michigan’s startup culture and is driving the expansion of Michigan’s innovation ecosystem.

Read more about his journey and what his ongoing impact means in this feature from the University of Michigan College of Engineering: https://news.engin.umich.edu/2026/07/driving-michigans-startup-economy-in-lansing-ben-marchionna/

Driving Michigan's startup economy in Lansing: Ben Marchionna A University of Michigan Engineering alum is boosting Michigan’s startup culture.

Last week, the U-M Department of Aerospace Engineering was honored to host Aisha Bowe for a visit to the department and the M-city testing facilities. Bowe, a U-M Aerospace Engineering alumna, was visiting to learn more about M-air and the work being done by U-M Aerospace Engineering faculty on drones and advanced air mobility.

During her visit, she had the chance to chat with the U-M Department of Aerospace Engineering Chair, Carlos Cesnik, the Director of M-air, Venkat Viswanathan, and the Chief Innovation Ecosystem Office for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (and fellow alumni) Ben Marchionna. She also was able to give an impromptu address to a passing tour group.

Thanks to Aisha for her visit, we're always happy to have you back on campus!

Active Flux Symposium | Michigan Institute for Computational Discovery and Engineering Active Flux & High Order Methods in CFD An International Symposium in memory of Phil Roe May 17-19, 2027, Ann Arbor This Symposium will explore recent advances in active flux and other high order accurate numerical methods for conservation laws. We honor the legacy of Phil Roe by bringing together l...

A University of Michigan Aerospace Engineering team played a central role in an Electra-led NASA project exploring what the next generation of efficient commercial aircraft could look like by 2050.

Developed under NASA’s Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability (AACES) 2050 program, the design features a turbo-electric airliner concept that combines a double-bubble lifting fuselage with targeted electrification and electric tail fans to improve efficiency while remaining compatible with airline and airport operations.

Professor Gökçin Çınar and the IDEAS Lab at the University of Michigan led the U-M effort, with co-principal investigators Max Li, Joaquim R. R. A. Martins, and Venkat Viswanathan.

The collaboration also included partners from across academia and industry, including American Airlines, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Hinetics, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the University of California, Irvine’s Aircraft Systems Laboratory.

Learn more: https://aero.engin.umich.edu/2026/06/10/michigan-aerospace-team-helps-shape-nasa-backed-vision-for-efficient-airliners-of-2050/

Michigan Aerospace team helps shape NASA-backed vision for efficient airliners of 2050 - Michigan Aerospace Engineering University of Michigan researchers contributed aircraft design and optimization, trade-space exploration, battery modeling, thermal management, and fleet-planning expertise to Electra’s NASA AACES 2050 project

Each summer, the College of Engineering offers undergraduate students the opportunity to engage in graduate-level research through the Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering (SURE) program. Guided by leading faculty members, these students participate in real-world research projects, not only helping them develop technical and analytical skills, but also gain firsthand insight into what pursuing a Master's or PhD might look like.

Earlier this week, we were proud to have multiple undergraduate students represent Aerospace Engineering at the annual SURE Poster Showcase, where they presented the research they conducted. We were thrilled to have our faculty and staff in attendance to support them and see the great work they have done throughout the summer!

Earlier this year, our department was proud to congratulate Professor Ilya Kolmanovsky, the Michigan Aerospace Pierre T. Kabamba Collegiate Professor of Aerospace Engineering, on being elected to the National Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) Class of 2026.

Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer, and we are proud to celebrate him on this momentous honor.

https://aero.engin.umich.edu/2026/02/11/professor-ilya-kolmanovsky-inducted-into-national-academy-of-engineerings-class-of-2026/

Professor Ilya Kolmanovsky Inducted into National Academy of Engineering's Class of 2026 - Michigan Aerospace Engineering Congratulations to Ilya Kolmanovsky, the Pierre T. Kabamba Collegiate Professor of Aerospace Engineering, who has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) Class of 2026. Prof. Kolmanovsky joins fellow University of Michigan 2026 NAE representatives Karen Thole, Dean of the Unive...

SAVE THE DATE: May 17-19, 2027: International Symposium on Active Flux & High Order Methods in CFD.

Michigan Aerospace & the Michigan Institute for Computational Discovery & Engineering are organizing a symposium to explore recent advances in active flux and other high-order accurate numerical methods for conservation laws. We honor the legacy of Phil Roe by bringing together leading experts in CFD and related fields to examine foundational ideas, emerging developments, and future directions.

We will also recognize the contributions of Bram van Leer to Active Flux and high-order methods and mark the 30th anniversary of the Godunov Symposium, which was also held in Ann Arbor.

We have a stellar lineup of confirmed speakers, and the list continues to grow. More information (including a form to record your intent to participate) can be found here: https://micde.umich.edu/active-flux-symposium/

Active Flux Symposium | Michigan Institute for Computational Discovery and Engineering Active Flux & High Order Methods in CFD An International Symposium in memory of Phil Roe May 17-19, 2027, Ann Arbor This Symposium will explore recent advances in active flux and other high order accurate numerical methods for conservation laws. We honor the legacy of Phil Roe by bringing together l...

At the beginning of the Fall 2025 semester, Professor of Practice George Halow unveiled the newest addition to the Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Lab and systems engineering leadership education x88 course series, the M8x Studio.

The new M8x Studio provides students with access to top-of-the-line tools, while allowing teams more space to meet with the lab’s numerous industry partners and build their team projects.

Learn more about the evolution of MBSE at the University of Michigan and new features of the M8x Studio here: https://aero.engin.umich.edu/2025/12/02/new-m8x-studio-unveiled/

New M8x Studio Unveiled - Michigan Aerospace Engineering Professor George Halow and U-M Department of Aerospace Engineering add new state-of-the-art space for students in the MBSE Lab/x88 course series