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People
Principle Investigator: David Forliti
Education:
Ph.D. University of Minnesota
M.S. Florida State University
B.S. University of Minnesota
all in mechanical engineering
Expertise:
fluid mechanics, propulsion applications, turbulent flows, experimental methods, hydrodynamic stability, model validation.
Expertise:
fluid mechanics, propulsion applications, turbulent flows, experimental methods, hydrodynamic stability, model validation.
Current Students
Madelyn Wick
Bio:
My name is Madelyn Wick. I am a Junior at the University of St. Thomas studying Mechanical Engineering and Physics. At St. Thomas I enjoy being involved in the Aerospace Club building rockets, as well as learning new games at the board game club. Outside of school I enjoy reading, stargazing, traveling, and using CAD to design 3D printed projects. After graduation I hope to pursue a Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering and eventually go into Aerospace R&D.
Project: Dynamics of fluidic oscillators for flow control applications
Awards: Minnesota Space Grant Consortium Summer Internship (summer 2023)
Savanah Speikers
Bio:
Savanah Speikers is a sophomore at the University of St. Thomas and is studying mechanical engineering. In their free time they enjoy crocheting, reading, and spending time outdoors. In the future they hope to work in the medical device field, creating new and bettering current technology.
Project: In-vitro study of blood flow through and downstream of aneurysms
Awards: UST School of Engineering Freshman Research Fellow (summer 2023)
Luke Freimuth
Bio:
Luke Freimuth is a Mechanical Engineering/Physics major at the University of St. Thomas planning on graduating in 2026. He is involved with the UST Aerospace club, plays the trumpet in multiple bands for St. Thomas, and volunteers for the UST Shelter Crew. In his free time, Luke enjoys biking or skiing (whichever is appropriate for the season), playing games with friends, and getting involved on campus. After graduating, Luke intends to complete a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering.
Project: Impinging twin gas jet injectors
Awards: UST School of Engineering Freshman Research Fellow (summer 2023)
Xijun Tan
Bio:
Xijun Tan earned his master’s degree from University of St. Thomas. His research is focused on jets and cooling systems, and he is interested in thermal-fluid and Computational fluid dynamics.
Project: Impinging gas jets
Presentation video link
Joel Rodich
Bio:
Joel Rodich is a sophomore mechanical engineering student at the University of St. Thomas with an anticipated graduation year of 2024. He enjoys listening to music, being outdoors, and spending time with family and friends. In the future he hopes to continue researching while pursuing a graduate degree in Aerospace Engineering.
Project: Particle image velocimetry of jet/acoustic interactions
Awards: UST School of Engineering Freshman Research Fellow (summer 2021)
Sean Sticha
Bio:
Sean Sticha is a junior majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of St. Thomas. Sean is also involved in the Automotive Competition Club and is interested in the medical device field as well as the automotive industry. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, being outside, and spending time with friends and family
Project: In-vitro studies of blood flow in arteries
Abram Wiens
Bio:
Abram Wiens is a Sophomore currently studying Mechanical Engineering at St Thomas. He enjoys listening to music and playing the piano as well as working on projects at home utilizing SolidWorks and 3D printing. He is passionate about creative design and plans to go into Research and Development in the future.
Project: Twin-impinging jets
Past Students
Chantz Tessier
Bio:
Chantz Tessier is a senior mechanical engineering student at university of Saint Thomas. In my free time I enjoy golfing, playing guitar and fishing. My current research involves studying the characteristics of two phase coaxial flow. In the future I hope to pursue a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Project: The dynamics of liquid/gas coaxial jets
Awards: Young Scholar Grant (Summer 2016)
Jake Geiger
Bio:
Jake Geiger is a senior mechanical engineering student with a minor in physics. In his free time, he likes to run, Nordic ski, and play the clarinet. Other research projects he has worked on include a 4-bar linkage design program and an optical CT scanner at the University of Minnesota. In the future Jake hopes to pursue a graduate degree in either Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.
Project: The design of a gas-phase coaxial jet facility
Destination: U of Washington, TLG Aerospace
Justin Eayrs
Bio:
Justin Eayrs is a senior mechanical engineering student at the University of St. Thomas. He enjoys and is involved with mentoring in mechanics based engineering labs and enjoys the thermal sciences. He worked as an intern in the 3D printing industry at Stratasys helping to validate gauges using Gage R&R and developing data outlier tools. His involvement and research with David Forliti investigates the nature and control of instabilities in low density elliptic jets.
Project: Instabilities of low-density jets
Awards: Collaborative Inquiry Grant (Fall 2016)
Destination: TSI Inc.
Benjamin Boucher
Bio:
Ben Boucher is entering his second year of his mechanical engineering Master's program at St. Thomas. He is transitioning into engineering after earning a bachelor's degree from the University of North Dakota in finance, with minors in chemistry and biology. His graduate coursework and contribution to the gas-phase coaxial jet has largely been focused on finite element analysis, and computer modeling. Following graduation, Ben hopes to pursue career in product design within either the medical device or defense industry.
Project: Mixing of gas-phase coaxial jets
Taylor Fortmeyer
Bio:
Taylor Fortmeyer is a senior mechanical engineering student at the University of Saint Thomas. He worked as an intern at Carter Day International, studying flow rates through industrial water removal systems and developed systems to aid in the construction of large scale machinery. In his free time he enjoys jet skiing, watching motorsports, and downhill skiing.
Project: Shear layer instabilities in coaxial jets
Awards: Collaborative Inquiry Grant (Fall 2016)
Brandon Wallace
Bio:
Brandon Wallace is a senior mechanical engineering student at the University of St. Thomas. He has mentored statics and graphics and design courses. He is also involved in summer research projects for multiple professors at St. Thomas. Projects include a soap film tunnel, choking of bubbly flows (with Dr. Tom Shepard), and gas bubble transfer through membranes (with Dr. Tom Shepard).
Project: Design of a soap film tunnel, interactions between spatially-offset wakes
Destination: Medtronic
Roumany Phan
Bio:
Roumany Phan is a Cambodian-born, American-raised, engineering student. Upon completing his bachelor degree at the University of St. Thomas as a Gates Millennium Scholar, Phan is thriving to challenge himself to earn the highest degree in engineering. Phan wishes to be among those underrepresented scholars who will have successfully persevered against the odds to proudly obtains his doctoral degree in civil engineering with an emphasis on sustainability and design. He has conducted a personal research project under the support of the Excel! Research Scholar and currently work as a research assistant at the University of St. Thomas.
Project: Design of a soap film tunnel, interactions between spatially-offset wakes
Awards: Gates Millennium Scholar, Excel! Research Scholar
Destination: Daikin Applied, Penn State University
Taylor Lewis
Bio:
I am Taylor Lewis from Lincoln, Nebraska. I am a senior mechanical engineering student here at St. Thomas. I play volleyball for the Tommies and love spending time with my family.
Project: Experimental study of effervescent atomization (primary advisor is Dr. Tom Shepard).
Chad Helland
Bio:
He is a senior mechanical engineering and environmental studies student at the University of St. Thomas. The highlight of his college career was when he solved a complicated math problem on a chalkboard in the hallway of OSS while working as a janitor, and his best friend was Ben Affleck. His motivation comes from MythBusters and the Shrek soundtrack. He plans to utilize his skills, after graduate school, by studying the oceans via the thermal sciences.
Project: Acoustic/injector flow interactions
Awards: Collaborative Inquiry Grant (Fall 2016)
Destination: HGA
Bryan Tierney
Bio:
Bryan is a Mechanical Engineer from the class of 2018 at UST. He didn’t know what he could do as an engineering until taking Thermodynamics. He is an avid fan of the Minnesota Vikings and finds much of his motivation from the team. In his free time when not working on research projects, he enjoys talking with Dave about the Minnesota Vikings and Marvel superheroes. Bryan has joined the US Navy and after graduation will become a Nuclear Propulsion Officer on a nuclear submarine.
Project: The dynamics of globally-unstable helium jets using round and elliptical nozzles
Awards: Young Scholar Grant (summer 2017)
Destination: Naval Officer School
Troy Krizak
Bio:
Troy is a mechanical engineer from the class of 2018 at the University of St. Thomas. In his free time, he likes to snowboard, fish, and play basketball. Troy has worked as an intern for both Rockwell Automation and Molex, in both design and manufacturing roles. Troy has accepted a mechanical engineering role at Aerospace Fabrication and Materials in Farmington, Minnesota.
Project: The response of liquid, gas, and coaxial jets to acoustics
Destination: The Ohio State University
Andrew Smith
Bio:
Andrew Smith is a senior Mechanical Engineering student at the University of St. Thomas. He has worked with 3M Commercial Graphics Division for two years, as well as researching under Dr. Forliti for a year and a half. After graduation, Andrew will be working with 3M as an Applications Engineer, and hopes to attend grad school for both a Masters and PhD in Mechanical Engineering.
Project: RANS and LES modeling of coaxial jets
Destination: 3M
Amy Tinklenberg
Bio:
Amy is a senior mechanical engineering student at the University of St. Thomas, graduating in May 2019. In her free time she enjoys kayaking, basketball, and spending time with friends, family, and pets. After graduation she hopes to attend graduate school for a masters degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
Project: The dynamics of globally-unstable helium jets using round and elliptical nozzles
Awards: Collaborative Inquiry Grant (Fall 2018)
Destination: University of Minnesota, Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics
Cole Jernberg
Bio:
Cole Jernberg is a senior mechanical engineering student at UST. He has worked in the medical device engineering industry for 3 years and has worked with Dr. Forliti for 2 years. During his free time he enjoys spending time outdoors and repairing any vehicles that will fit in his garage. After graduation he hopes to attend grad school to get his Masters in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Project: The mixing dynamics of coaxial jets
Connor Sherod
Bio:
Connor is studying mechanical engineering and will be graduating in the spring semester of 2020. He started working with Dr. Forliti for his fluid mechanics curiosity project, alongside Kyra Boaz, on the structure of impinging jets with and without acoustic forcing. His previous work includes an UROP at the University of Tennessee Space Institute, research for Dr. Acton, and internships at 3M and Andersen Corp.
Project: Liquid Impinging Jets
Logan Scholla
Bio:
Logan is a senior mechanical engineering student graduating spring of 2020. His research projects currently involve CFD and heat transfer related problems. He is the president and co-founder of one of the university’s largest undergraduate clubs, Tommie Strength. He plans to go onto graduate school in aerospace engineering and continue research.
Project: Unsteady aerodynamic forces on bluff bodies
Destination: Northrup Grumman
Lucas Manke
Bio:
Lucas is a Mechanical Engineering major and Business Administration minor graduating in May of 2020. Lucas started working with Dr. Forliti in the Spring of 2019. Aside from academics, he is a captain of the UST swim team and a cadet in the Army ROTC Program at the University of Minnesota. Lucas is most interested in projects that relate to the aviation and aerospace fields. After graduation, he will commission as a 2LT in the U.S. Army but he eventually hopes to work in the Aviation/Aerospace industry.
Project: Hydrodynamic instabilities and flow/acoustic interactions
Destination: Minnesota National Guard Flight School
Kyra Boaz
Bio:
Kyra is a junior at St. Thomas studying mechanical engineering with an expected graduation of May, 2020. She enjoys spending her free time building and designing hydroponic systems and racing motocross. She has spent the last year working in the R&D field and hopes to continue working on research through grad school and into industry.
Project: The dynamics of impinging liquid jets
Destination: Andersen Corporation
Karl Wachter
Bio:
Karl is a Junior studying Mechanical Engineering, and is also a varsity athlete for Men’s Cross Country and Track programs. He has been an intern for two summers as a Manufacturing Engineer for Collins Aerospace, formerly known as UTC Aerospace Systems in Burnsville. Karl hopes to join the aerospace industry after graduation. He’s also a proud Packer fan, who has named his last two dogs after Reggie White and Vince Lombardi.
Project: The mixing dynamics of coaxial jets
Destination: Collins Aerospace
Stephen Wagner
Bio:
Stephen Wagner is a Junior Mechanical Engineer set to graduate May 2020 from the University of St. Thomas. Currently he is working with Professor Ferlinghetti looking at acoustic interactions with air jets. He enjoys most everything outdoors, but especially fishing, camping, and backcountry skiing. He plans to graduate and work as a R&D Engineer for a biomedical firm. His plan B is to be a backcountry ski guide.
Project: Acoustic/injector flow interactions
Destination: Phase IV Engineering
Jacob Modjeski
Bio:
Jacob Modjeski is currently a senior mechanical engineering student at the University of St. Thomas. His current research project involves studying the interactions between acoustic waves and two-phase coaxial fluid flows. In the future, Jacob hopes to pursue a career in the aerospace or renewable energy industries. In his free time, Jacob enjoys traveling and doing outdoor activities like camping, hiking, climbing, and snowboarding with his friends and family.
Project: The response of two-phase coaxial jets to acoustic pressure fluctuations
Awards: Collaborative Inquiry Grant (Fall 2019)
Destination: Collins Aerospace
Cullen Hilliker
Bio:
Cullen is studying Mechanical Engineering and is on course to graduate in 2020. He started researching under Dr. Forliti halfway through his freshman year and is grateful for how much he has learned from his guidance. Cullen serves as an ambassador for the Green Bay Packers in the lab, and especially looks forward to the playoffs because he gets to ask Dr. Forliti who the Vikings are playing on Sunday (usually because they’re not). After graduation, Cullen hopes to pursue research through graduate school and eventually into the aerospace industry.
Project: Acoustic/injector flow interactions
Destination: Dominican Friars
Dmitri Mataya
Bio:
Dmitri is currently a freshman mechanical engineering student at the University of St Thomas. He enjoys canoeing, bicycling, and playing sand volleyball.
Project: The influence of inner jet recession on the dynamics of coaxial jet flows
Awards: Collaborative Inquiry Grant (Fall 2019)
Destination: University of Minnesota, Bioproducts & Biosystems Science
Tim Jaszewski
Bio:
Timothy Jaszewski is a Freshman studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of St Thomas. He enjoys working on cars and tinkering with 3D printers and CNCs in his free time. He enjoys talking about any nerdy things and he hopes to go to graduate school for Mechanical Engineering. His current research involves studying the effects of sound waves on injected fluids.
Project: Unsteady fluid-structure interactions
Gage O'Brien
Bio:
Gage is a first-year graduate student pursuing a master’s in mechanical engineering with an anticipated completion date of December 2021. Along with academics, he is a captain on the UST men’s track and field team and 2-time NCAA national finalist in the shotput and 1-time MIAC conference discus throw event champion. He hopes to work in the aerospace industry or academics in the future. He made a strong impression on Dave with his vocal displeasure with having to do interpolations in Thermodynamics class.
Project: CFD modeling of transverse jets
Destination: General Dynamics
Ben Tarrence
Bio:
Ben Tarrence is currently a Junior studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of St. Thomas. He currently runs the UST rocket team along with being a member of the UST orchestra. Outside of academics he enjoys playing violin and traveling. He is interested in potentially pursuing graduate school in thermofluid or physics related topics.
Project: Control of jet mixing via bleed injection
Ian McConeghy
Bio:
Ian McConeghy is a Senior majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of St. Thomas. Anticipating a graduation date of December 2021. He enjoys running, playing soccer, listening to music, and spending time with friends. He hopes to pursue a career following completion of his degree and is interested in attending graduate school down the road. Some of the fields that interest Ian are the aerospace, automotive, and manufacturing industries.
Project: Biomedical devices
Drew Vaillant
Bio:
Drew Vaillant is a junior mechanical engineering student at the University of St. Thomas. With minors in mathematics and electrical engineering, as well as study abroad experience where he studied the mathematics and mechanics of famous architecture, he is interested in going on to graduate school. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, soccer, and snowboarding.
Project: Jet/acoustic interactions
Awards: Collaborative Inquiry Grant (Spring 2021)
Harrison Fischer
Bio:
Harrison Fischer is a Junior majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of St. Thomas, graduating in May 2022. Harrison has worked in research for the physics department and currently for Dr. Forliti. In his free time, he enjoys skiing and playing guitar. In the future, Harrison hopes to continue research while pursuing a graduate degree in Aerospace Engineering.
Project: Experimental study of instabilities of impinging twin jets
Destination: Safran
Skyler Rudelius-Palmer
Bio:
Going into my senior year majoring in Mechanical Engineering, pursuing a minor in Electrical Engineering. Currently plays football for the University of St. Thomas. Interested in working in the renewable energy field in the future and possibly going to graduate school.
Project: Biomedical devices, turbulent shear flows
Mary Seifert
Bio:
Mary Seifert is a senior mechanical engineering student graduating in spring 2022 with a minor in peace engineering. She is interested in the intersection of engineering applications, community integrity, and environmental justice. She is the Treasurer of the UST Society of Women Engineers and team leader for VISION. She will be starting her career at Boston Scientific as a manufacturing engineer. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, painting, and tennis.
Project: In-vitro studies of blood flow in arteries
Destination: Boston Scientific
Aaron Fernandes
Bio:
Aaron Fernandes is a senior mechanical engineering student at The University of St. Thomas. He will be pursuing his master's at the University of Minnesota in the field of robotics, and he hopes to work in automation or the biomedical field. In his free time he enjoys bouldering and spending time outdoors.
Project: CFD modeling of twin impinging jets
Destination: Mechanical Engineering grad program at the U of MN
Megan Zurbay
Bio:
Megan Zurbay is a first-year graduate student pursuing her Master’s in Mechanical Engineering. She completed her undergrad at the University of St. Thomas in Mechanical Engineering. During her undergrad, she was involved in research in the physics department and was a captain of the track and field team. She is interested in working in the biomedical field in the future.
Project: CFD modeling hemodynamic applications
Zachary Lovdahl
Bio:
Zachary is currently a St Thomas Sophomore in Mechanical engineering and intends to graduate with a minor in mathematics. He tends to play games and listen to music in his free time but also likes to do 3D modeling and game modding. Projects he has worked on so far include the numerical analysis of backward facing step flows.
Project: CFD modeling turbulent flows, biomedical device applications
Awards: UST School of Engineering Freshman Research Fellow (summer 2020)
Adrian Brietzke
Bio:
Adrian Brietzke is a sophomore mechanical engineering student at the University of St. Thomas with an anticipated graduation year of 2023. He enjoys listening to music, studying fluid flows, participating in sports, and being outdoors. Adrian does not know what he wants to do in the future.
Project: Globally-unstable low-density jets
Will Eagan
Bio:
Will Eagan is a Mechanical Engineering major at the University of St. Thomas graduating in December 2022. Will previously worked in research for the St. Thomas Physics department under Dr Marie Lopez del Puerto but began work with Dr Forliti in November of 2021. In his free time Will enjoys trout fishing, weightlifting, and traveling! His personal research interests include jet flow stability, hypersonic propulsion, pyro shock propagation analysis, and novel space mission design. Following the conclusion of his undergraduate degree Will hopes to continue his schooling and pursue a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering.
Project: Interactions between rectangular jets and transverse acoustic waves
Awards: MN Space Grant Consortium Scholarship (spring 2022), Collaborative Inquiry Grant (fall 2022)
Destination: Virginia Tech
Alex Bailey
Bio:
My name is Alex Bailey. I am a Junior at the University of St. Thomas studying Mechanical Engineering. I am interested in many things involving mechanical engineering specifically: 3D modeling, 3D printing, machining, the thermal sciences, manufacturing, and engineering materials. Outside of school I enjoy weightlifting, hanging out with friends, watching sports (my favorite team is the Vikings), playing sports, playing fantasy football, being outdoors, and traveling. I am unsure what I want to pursue in the future, but I have interest in the medical device field and projects related to the thermal sciences. I hope to pursue my master’s degree in mechanical engineering sometime after I graduate.
Project: In-vitro studies of blood flow in arteries
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