Phillip J Ansell

For More Information

• Aerospace Faculty in Focus: Phillip Ansell
• Center for High-Efficiency Electrical Technologies for Aircraft
• Center for Sustainable Aviation
• Aerodynamics and Unsteady Flows Research Group Website

Education

• BS, The Pennsylvania State University, Aerospace Engineering, 2008
• MS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Aerospace Engineering, 2010
• Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Aerospace Engineering, 2013

Academic Positions

• Assistant Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Jan. 2015-Aug. 2021
• Associate Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Aug. 2021-Present

Resident Instruction

• AE 598 UA (Unsteady Aerodynamics)
• AE 515 (Wing Theory)
• AE 445 SA (Sustainable Aviation)
• AE 419 (Aircraft Flight Mechanics)
• AE 416 (Applied Aerodynamics)
• AE 311 (Incompressible Flow)

Research Interests

• Applied aerodynamics, sustainable aviation, distributed propulsion, flow control, aircraft electrification, atmospheric flight sciences, unsteady aerodynamics

Books Authored or Co-Authored (Original Editions)

• Stautner, E.W., Haran, K.S., Ansell, P.J., and Minas, C., "Aircraft Cryogenics," Springer Nature, Switzerland, 2024.

Selected Articles in Journals

• Waddington, E.G. and Ansell, P.J., "A definition, conceptual framework, and pathway towards sustainable aviation," Progress in Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 151, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2024.101050
• White, A., Waddington, E., Merret, J.M., Ansell, P.J., and Hall, D.K., "Trade-Space Assessment of Liquid Hydrogen Propulsion Systems for Electrified Aircraft," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 62, No. 2, 2025. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037773
• Lauer, M. and Ansell, P.J., "Aeropropulsive Shape Optimization of an Airfoil System in the Transonic Regime," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 62, No. 1, 2025. http://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037778
• Jois, H., Hong, A.S., and Ansell, P.J., "High-Lift Aerodynamics of Integrated Distributed Propulsion Systems with Thrust Vectoring," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 61, No. 6, 2024. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037902
• Shmilovich, A., Khodadoust, A., Colletti, C.R., and Ansell, P.J., "Steady versus Unsteady Pneumatic Flow Control and Aspects of Practical Integration," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 61, No. 5, pp. 1501-1516, 2024. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037673
• Collazo Garcia, A. and Ansell, P.J., "Airfoil Design Framework for Optimized Boundary-Layer Integral Parameters," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 61, No. 5, pp. 1412-1427, 2024. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037713
• Ansell, P.J., "Review of sustainable energy carriers for aviation: Benefits, challenges, and future viability," Progress in Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 141, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2023.100919
• Hristov, G.K., Ansell, P.J., Zimmerman, J.W., and Carroll, D.L., "Air Interactions of Magnetically Driven Plasma Discharges in Crossflow," AIAA Journal, Vol. 62, No. 2, pp. 530-541, 2024. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.J063052
• Waddington, E., Merret, J.M., and Ansell, P.J., "Impact of Liquid Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Electric Propulsion on Aircraft Configuration and Integration," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, No. 5, pp. 1588-1600, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037237
• Ortiz-Melendez, H.D., Long, E., Colletti, C.R., Toth, G., Perkins, C., Keely, K., Ansell, P.J., and Coder, J.G., "Design and Characterization of High-Lift Capabilities for Slotted, Natural-Laminar-Flow Airfoils," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, No. 4, pp. 1238-1256, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037160
• Yu, D.B. and Ansell, P.J., "Design of Rotary Wings with Passive Mitigation of Coherent Tip Vortex Roll-Up," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, No. 2, pp. 533-545, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C036857
• Perry, A.T., Bretl, T.W., and Ansell, P.J., "System Identification of a Sub-Scale Distributed Electric Propulsion Aircraft," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, No. 3, pp. 702-715, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C036616.
• Colletti, C.R. and Ansell, P.J., "Airfoil Morphed Leading Edge Design for High-Lift Applications using a Genetic Algorithm," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, No. 1, pp. 160-171, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C036755
• Podlaski, M., Vanfretti, L., Khare, A., Sumption, M., and Ansell, P.J., "Multi-Domain Modeling and Simulation of High Temperature Superconducting Transmission Lines under Short Circuit Fault Conditions," IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 3859-3869, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1109/TTE.2021.3131271.
• Collazo Garcia, A. and Ansell, P.J., "Design of Control-Assisted Transonic Pressure Recovery Profiles Using Vortex Generators," AIAA Journal, Vol. 60, No. 4, pp. 2207-2222, 2022. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.J060875
• Collazo-Garcia, A.R., Ranjan, P., Chen, K.J., James, K.A., and Ansell, P.J., "Flight Trajectory Optimization of a Sailplane after Rope Break," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 58, No. 6, pp. 1229-1241, 2021, https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C036013
• Perry, A.T., Bretl, T.W., and Ansell, P.J., "Aero-Propulsive Coupling Effects on a General-Aviation Aircraft with Distributed Electric Propulsion," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 58, No. 6, pp. 1351-1363, 2021, doi: 10.2514/1.C036048
• Chen, S., Chamorro, L.P., and Ansell, P.J., "On the H-type transition to turbulence - Laboratory experiments and reduced-order modeling," Physics of Fluids, Vol. 33, 2021.
• Gupta, R. and Ansell, P.J., "Flow Evolution and Unsteady Spectra of Dynamic Stall at Transitional Reynolds Numbers," AIAA Journal, Vol. 58, No. 8, 2020, pp. 3272-3285. doi: 10.2514/1.J059040
• Hristov, G., Ansell, P.J., Zimmerman, J.W., and Carroll, D.L., "Experimental Characterization of a Novel Cyclotronic Plasma Actuator," AIAA Journal, Vol. 58, No. 2, 2020, pp. 747-756. doi: 10.2514/1.J058708
• Ansell, P.J. and Mulleners, K., "Multi-Scale Vortex Characteristics of Dynamic Stall from Empirical Mode Decomposition," AIAA Journal (Invited), Vol. 58, No. 2, 2020, pp. 600-617. doi: 10.2514/1.J057800
• Collazo Garcia, A. and Ansell, P.J., "Characterization of a Griffith-Type Transonic, Laminar-Flow Airfoil," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 56, No. 4, 2019, pp. 1597-1609. doi: 10.2514/1.C035221
• Andreu Angulo, I. and Ansell, P.J., "Influence of Aspect Ratio on Dynamic Stall of a Finite Wing," AIAA Journal, Vol. 57, No. 7, pp. 2722-2733, 2019. doi: 10.2514/1.J057792
• Wroblewski, G.E. and Ansell, P.J., "Mission Analysis and Emissions for Conventional and Hybrid-Electric Commercial Transport Aircraft," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 56, No. 3, 2019, pp. 1200-1213. doi: 10.2514/1.C035070
• Gupta, R. and Ansell, P.J., "Unsteady Flow Physics of Airfoil Dynamic Stall," AIAA Journal, Vol. 57, No. 1, 2019, pp. 165-175. doi: 10.2514/1.J057257
• Ranjan, P., Ansell, P.J., and James, K., "Optimal Hyper Elliptic Cambered Span Configurations for Minimum Drag," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 56, No. 1, 2019, pp. 356-368. doi: 10.2514/1.C034992
• Thirumalaisamy, M.R. and Ansell, P.J., "Fast and Adaptive Empirical Mode Decomposition for Multidimensional, Multivariate Signals," IEEE Signal Processing Letters, Vol. 25, No. 10, 2018, pp. 1550-1554. doi: 10.1109/LSP.2018.2867335
• Dean, T.S., Wroblewski, G.E., and Ansell, P.J., "Mission Analysis and Component-Level Sensitivity Study of Hybrid-Electric General Aviation Propulsion Systems," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 55, No. 6, 2018, pp. 2454-2465. doi: 10.2514/1.C034635
• Perry, A.T., Ansell, P.J., and Kerho, M.F., "Aero-Propulsive and Propulsor Cross-Coupling Effects on a Distributed Propulsion System," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 55, No. 6, 2018, pp. 2414-2426. doi: 10.2514/1.C034861
• Hong, J. and Ansell, P.J., "Influence of Freestream Velocity on Tiltrotor Fountain Effect," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 55, No. 4, 2018, pp. 1742-1745. doi: 10.2514.1.C034599
• Ranjan, P. and Ansell, P.J., "Computational Analysis of Vortex Wakes without Near-Field Roll-Up Characteristics," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 55, No. 5, 2018, pp. 2008-2021. doi: 10.2514/1.C034782
• Hristov, G. and Ansell, P.J., "Post-Stall Hysteresis and Flow Field Unsteadiness on an NACA 0012 Airfoil," AIAA Journal, Vol. 56, No. 7, 2018, pp. 2528-2549. doi: 10.2514/1.J056774
• Gupta, R. and Ansell, P.J., "Closed-Loop Trailing-Edge Separation Control System using Empirical Mode Decomposition," AIAA Journal, Vol. 56, No. 1, 2018, pp. 121-131. doi: 10.2514/1.J056157
• Ansell, P.J. and Balajewicz, M.J., “Separation of Unsteady Scales in a Mixing Layer using Empirical Mode Decomposition,” AIAA Journal, Vol. 55, No. 2, 2017, pp. 419-434. doi: 10.2514/1.J055120
• Wroblewski, G.E. and Ansell, P.J., “Prediction and Experimental Evaluation of Planar Wing Spanloads for Minimum Drag,” Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 54, No. 5, 2017, pp. 1664-1674. doi: 10.2514/1.C034156
• Perry, A.T. and Ansell, P.J., “Crossflow Fan Power Requirements for Boundary-Layer Suction in Transonic Flow,” Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 54, No. 3, 2017, pp. 1217-1220. doi: 10.2514/1.C034193
• Ansell, P.J. and Bragg, M.B., "Unsteady Modes in Flowfield About Airfoil with Horn-Ice Shape," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 53, No. 2, 2016, pp. 475-486. doi: 10.2514/1.C033421
• Ansell, P.J. and Bragg, M.B., "Characterization of Low-Frequency Oscillations in the Flowfield about an Airfoil with a Horn-Ice Shape," AIAA Journal, Vol. 53, No. 3, 2015, pp. 629-637. doi: 10.2514/1.J053206
• Pomeroy, B.W., Diebold, J.M., Ansell, P.J., and Selig, M.S., "A Study of Burst Wakes in a Multielement Airfoil Flowfield," AIAA Journal, Vol. 52, No. 4, 2014, pp. 821-831. doi: 10.2514/1.J052680
• Ansell, P.J. and Bragg, M.B., "Measurement of Unsteady Flow Reattachment on an Airfoil with a Leading-Edge Ice Shape," AIAA Journal, Vol. 52, No. 3, 2014, pp. 656-659. doi: 10.2514/1.J052519
• Ansell, P.J., Kerho, M.F., and Bragg, M.B., "Application of a Hinge-Moment-Based Envelope Protection System on a Wing," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 51, No. 6, 2014, pp. 2038-2042. doi: 10.2514/1.C032703
• Ansell, P.J., Bragg, M.B., and Kerho, M.F., "Stall Warning Using Flap Hinge Moment Measurements," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 48, No. 5, 2011, pp. 1822-1844. doi: 10.2514/1.C031435.

Patents

• Ansell, P.J., "Rotary Wing Design for Wake Vortex Interaction Mitigation," United States Patent, US 20240242002A1.
• Zimmerman, J., Carroll, D.L., Ansell, P.J., and Hristov, G., "Cyclotronic Plasma Actuator with Arc-Magnet for Active Flow Control," EU Patent, EP3596343, 12 June 2023.
• Ansell, P. J., Hristov, G., Zimmerman, J. W., and Carroll, D.L., “Cyclotronic Plasma Actuator with Arc-Magnet for Active Flow Control – Continuation in Part,” U.S. Patent No. 10,446,373, 15 October 2019.
• Ansell, P.J., Hristov, G., Zimmerman, J.W., and Carroll, D.L., "Cyclotronic Plasma Actuator with Arc-Magnet for Active Flow Control," United States Patent, U.S. Patent No. 10,332,724, 25 June 2019.
• Kerho, M.F., Bragg, M.B., Ansell, P.J., “Detector Function and System for Predicting Airfoil Stall from Hinge Moment Measurements,” Unites States Patent, US 2013/0345910 A1.

Professional Societies

• AIAA Electrified Aircraft Technology Technical Committee, Chair (2020-2023)
• AIAA Aircraft Electrification of Propulsion and Power Working Group, Chair (2020)
• AIAA Aircraft Electrification of Propulsion and Power Working Group, Member (2016-2020)
• Sigma Gamma Tau (National Aerospace Engineering Honor Society), Member
• APS, Member
• AIAA Forums Advisory Committee (2018-2020)
• AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Technical Committee, Chair of Honors and Awards Subcommittee (2017-2020)
• AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Technical Committee, Member (2015-2020)
• AIAA, Associate Fellow

Teaching Honors

• Grainger College of Engineering Outstanding Advisor (2025)
• Rose Award for Teaching Excellence (2024)
• College of Engineering Teaching Excellence Award (2022)
• AIAA (University of Illinois Undergraduate Student Chapter) Teacher of the Year (2020)
• Engineering Council Outstanding Advising Award (2015)
• List of Teachers Ranked Excellent by their Students (Fall 2012, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2023, Spring 2024)

Research Honors

• Dean's Award for Excellence in Research (Associate Professor) (2025)
• AIAA Electrified Aircraft Technology Best Paper Award (2025)
• NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Fellow (2025)
• AIAA Electrified Aircraft Technology Symposium Best Paper (2024)
• AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award (2023)
• Allen Ormsbee Faculty Scholar (2022)
• Dean's Award for Excellence in Research (Assistant Professor) (2019)
• Allen Ormsbee Faculty Fellow (2019)
• ARO Young Investigator Award (2017)
• AFOSR Young Investigator Award (2015)

Other Honors

• NAE Frontiers of Engineering (2024, 2025)
• AIAA Associate Fellow (2024)
• Penn State Engineering Alumni Society Young Alumni Achievement Award (2021)
• Forbes 30 Under 30 (Science) (2016)