Laura Villafane Roca

Laura Villafane Roca
Laura Villafane Roca
Assistant Professor

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Education

  • Ph.D. Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI) Belgium / Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain, 2014 Thesis: "Experimental Aerothermal Performance of Turbofan Bypass Flow Heat Exchangers", Advisor: Prof. Guillermo Paniagua
  • Research Master in Fluid Dynamics, Aeronautics and Aerospace, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI), Belgium, 2008
  • B.S./M.S. Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering, Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), Spain, 2007

Academic Positions

  • Affiliate Assistant Professor (0% Appointment), Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, August 2023 - present
  • Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering Department, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, January 2019 - present
  • Research Engineer, Center for Turbulence Research (CTR), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, January 2018 - December 2018
  • Postdoctoral Researcher, Center for Turbulence Research (CTR), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, September 2014 - December 2017, Advisor: John K. Eaton
  • Postdoctoral Researcher, Aeronautics and Aerospace Department, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics 2014, Advisor: Guillermo Paniagua.

Research Interests

  • Particle-laden flows
  • Turbulence and heat transfer
  • Compressible flows
  • Measurement techniques (instrumentation design and non-intrusive optical diagnostics)
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging for fluid mechanics

Selected Articles in Journals

Articles in Conference Proceedings

Other Publications

Journal Editorships

  • Editor of Measurement, EES Journal, April 2023 - present
  • Associate Editor of Measurement, EES Journal, February 2018 - April 2023
  • Editor of Results in Engineering (RINENG), Elsevier, March 2020 - present

Professional Societies

  • American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, AIAA, Associate Fellow 2024-present , Member since 2010
  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME, 2013 - 2016
  • Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellows, 2013 - present
  • American Physical Society, APS, Division of Fluid Dynamics, 2014 - present
  • AIAA Fluid Dynamics Technical Committee - May 2022 -present
  • US National Committee for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics - Young Observer -2024

Research Honors

  • Ph.D Thesis Award, Summa cum laude, Polythechnic University of Valencia (02/2014)
  • Amelia Earhart Fellowship, Zonta International Foundation (04/2013)
  • Outstanding Graduate Thesis Award, Polythechnical University of Madrid (06/2007)

Public Service Honors

  • AIAA Illinois Section-Student Branch Partnership Award 2024 - First place (07/2024)
  • AIAA Illinois Communications Award 2024 - First place (07/2024)
  • AIAA Illinois Section Outstanding Activity Award Recipient 2024, Section Chair (07/2024)
  • AIAA Illinois Outstanding Section Award 2024 - First place, Section Chair (07/2024)
  • USNC/TAM Young Observer, 2024 (02/2024)
  • AIAA Illinois Section-Student Branch Partnership Award 2023 - First place, (08/2023)
  • AIAA Illinois Communications Award 2023 - Second place, (08/2023)
  • AIAA Illinois Outstanding Section Award 2023 - Third place, Section Chair (08/2023)
  • AIAA Illinois Outstanding Section Award 2022, Section Chair (08/2022)

Other Honors

  • NATO fellowship - von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (Ph.D) (10/2008 - 12/2013)
  • NATO fellowship - von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (Research Master) (09/2007 - 06/2008)

Recent Courses Taught

  • AE 311 - Incompressible Flow
  • AE 514 - Boundary Layer Theory