AE faculty member Ansell included among Forbes 30 Under 30

Phil Ansell is taking his inclusion on Forbes 30 Under 30 List with stride.

“People have been getting really excited about it; I’m just happy to be here, doing my job,” has been his modest reaction.

Forbes identified the 28-year-old assistant professor for Aerospace Engineering at Illinois among individuals under 30 years old as this country’s brightest game changers, movers and makers in 20 different fields. Ansell was included in the Science category.

“For me, it’s less about my age and what I’ve done over the past 28 years and it’s more about what comes next,” Ansell said. “I do appreciate the recognition, but I hope that I can use it more as a motivation to pursue excellence in the future.”

Ansell and his students are currently working with the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on a variety of research programs.  These programs involve studying complex flow physics about aerodynamic bodies, instituting active methods for increasing the aerodynamic capabilities of aircraft, developing ultra-low drag wing sections, and analyzing system configurations for the next generation of hybrid-electric aircraft.

Ansell joined the AE faculty at Illinois soon after earning his master’s degree (2010) and PhD (2013) from the department. Since then, he has hit the ground running, earning an AFOSR Young Investigator Award in 2015, and, locally, an Engineering Council Outstanding Advising Award the same year.