Lab Director / Associate Professor

Michael P. Kinzel

Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Michael P. Kinzel is Interim Associate Dean of Research for the College of Engineering and an Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Central Florida. He is graduate-trained in aerospace engineering at Penn State, with expertise in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), CFD development, and multiphase CFD, originally applied to rotorcraft and high-speed torpedoes. His research has since expanded to CFD-driven design and fluids analysis across rotorcraft, hypersonics, small-scale biological flows, and in-space manufacturing, with an overarching emphasis on marine, air, and space applications.

Computational fluid dynamics, multiphase flow, rotorcraft and hypersonic aerodynamics

Projects

active2018–2026 (multiple phases)

Dragonfly Fuselage

Aerodynamic design and analysis supporting the fuselage of NASA's Dragonfly rotorcraft lander, which will fly to Saturn's moon Titan. CFAL's work spans rotor-fuselage interaction, heatshield/backshell separation aerodynamics, in-ground-effect and outwash/saltation behavior on Titan's surface, and wind-tunnel uncertainty quantification.

NASA (subcontract through Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory)

active2024–2027

BRITE PIVOT

Development of functional, light-matter-interaction-based sensors manufactured and characterized in low-gravity and microgravity space environments, in support of in-space manufacturing capability.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

active2025–2027

Atmospheric Flight Path Prediction

Real-time and near-real-time CFD-based prediction of atmospheric flight trajectories, supporting rapid decision-making for aerospace systems operating in complex, evolving atmospheric conditions.

DARPA (subcontract through Mississippi State University)

active2025–2027

Aerothermal Cargo Downmassing

Design and analysis of thermal protection systems for high-speed atmospheric entry vehicles used to return cargo to Earth, addressing aerothermal loading during hypersonic reentry.

U.S. Air Force (subcontract through Cardinal Engineering)

completed2022–2025

Rocket Cargo Optimization

Aerodynamic and logistical optimization supporting rapid, point-to-point rocket-based cargo delivery, coupling CFD-based aerodynamic modeling with supply-chain and logistics optimization.

U.S. Space Force

completed2021–2024

Shock-Droplet Structural Loading

Multiscale simulation and experimental characterization of shock-droplet interactions at hypersonic conditions, including cavitation effects, to assess structural loading on high-speed vehicles encountering rain and atmospheric water droplets.

AFOSR (subcontract through Boston University)

completed2022–2024

eVTOL Aerodynamic Assessments

Computational aerodynamic assessment of an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft concept, conducted in two phases for two industry sponsors.

AiBOT; Maviate

completed2021–2022

Lens-Free Imaging in Microgravity

Development of lens-free imaging (LFI) methods to measure microfluidic fluid flow and its effect on bone cell activity under altered-gravity conditions, including a suborbital flight demonstration.

NASA (subcontract IMEC); Florida High Tech Corridor (FHTC); UCF Office of Research Commercialization (ORC)

completed2021–2024

Transpiration-Cooled Entry Trajectory Control

Numerical evaluation of using active porosity control of a transpiration-cooled thermal protection system to steer an atmospheric entry vehicle's trajectory.

NASA

completed2021–2023

STEM Readiness in Space Technology

Education and outreach project building STEM readiness pathways toward careers in space technology.

NASA

completed2020–2021

COVID-19 Airborne Transmission

Numerical and experimental study of airborne pathogen transmission via saliva droplets and sneezing, including classroom social-distancing guidance and mitigation strategies, spanning three related awards.

NSF; UCF/ORC Florida High Tech Corridor Council; International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA)

completed2015–2022

Sand-Blasting Nozzle Aeroacoustics

Computational fluid dynamics and computational aeroacoustics (CFD/CAA) analysis to optimize sandblasting nozzle designs for reduced noise generation.

ONR (SBIR, subcontract through NCE); Noise Control Engineering

completed2013–2019

Cavity-Rocket Interaction

High-fidelity prediction of the interaction between a rocket exhaust plume and a gaseous cavity for supercavitating high-speed underwater vehicles.

ONR

completed2005–2012

High-Speed Supercavitating Vehicle

CFD development and analysis in support of high-speed, supercavitating underwater vehicle design.

ONR

completed2008–2011

Rotorcraft Icing

High-fidelity computational prediction of ice accretion on rotorcraft surfaces, including discrete element roughness modeling of ice-roughened aerodynamic surfaces.

NASA

completed2011–2016

Ice-Roughened Heat Transfer (Rotorcraft)

Modeling of convective heat transfer on ice-roughened aerodynamic surfaces to improve helicopter ice-accretion prediction.

National Rotorcraft Technology Center (NRTC)

completed2016–2021

Ship-Airwake/Helicopter Interaction (ABL)

High-fidelity simulation of ship airwakes modified by atmospheric boundary-layer turbulence and their effect on helicopter flight dynamics during shipboard operations.

National Rotorcraft Technology Center (NRTC)

completed2009–2012

Wind-Turbine Loading

Large-eddy simulation study of wind turbine blade and shaft loading driven by atmospheric boundary-layer turbulence structure.

NSF

completed2025–2026

Rocket Cargo Supply Chain

Modeling and optimization of the logistics supply chain underlying rocket-based cargo delivery concepts, building on CFAL's aerodynamic and systems-engineering work in rocket cargo delivery.

AFRL (Phase I SBIR)

JT Asiatico, M Kinzel

AIAA SCITECH 2026 Forum, 0027, 2026

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