• Dr. Eric Nielsen
  • NASA Langley
  • 104D Surge Building
  • 4:00 p.m.
  • Faculty Host: Dr. Seongim Choi

An overview of research based on the NASA Langley CFD solver FUN3D will be presented. Algorithmic development efforts towards adjoint-based error estimation, mesh adaptation, and design optimization will be shown for both steady and unsteady flows, including recent results for chaotic behavior typically observed in large scale eddy-resolving simulations. Analysis and design methodologies will also be demonstrated for a broad range of aerodynamic and multidisciplinary applications including flow control, fluid-structure interaction problems, rotorcraft, launch and re-entry vehicles, rotorcraft simulations, and sonic boom prediction and mitigation.  Related topics such as software development practices and high performance computing strategies will also be discussed.

Biography:

Dr. Eric Nielsen is a Senior Research Scientist with the Computational AeroSciences Branch at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. He received BS and PhD degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech and has worked at Langley for the past 22 years.  Dr. Nielsen specializes in the development of computational aerodynamics software for the world's most powerful computer systems.  The software has been distributed to thousands of organizations around the country, and supports major national research and engineering efforts at NASA, in industry,
academia, the Department of Defense, and other government agencies. He has published extensively on the subject and has given presentations around the world on his work.  Dr. Nielsen has received NASA's Exceptional Achievement Medal and was recently awarded Langley's 2014 HJE Reid Award for best research publication.