Elaine S. Oran
Adjunct Professor

ADDRESS: Naval Research Laboratory, Code: 6004
Laboratory for Computational Physics and Fluid Dynamics
Washington, DC 20375-5344
PHONE: (202) 767-2960
FAX:(secure) (202) 767-4859
EMAIL: oran@lcp.nrl.navy.mil
PHONE: (734) 764-7202
FAX:(secure) (734) 936-0106

Professor Oran, Gas Dynamics Laboratories, designs numerical methods for simulating complex fluid dynamic processes, and then uses these methods to solve complex fluid dynamic processes. These methods and computer codes are then then used to solve a wide variety of scientific and engineering problems. Her recent research interests include combustion and propulsion, rarefied gases and microfluidics, fluid turbulence, materials engineering, high-performance computing and parallel architectures, computational science and numerical analysis, biophysical fluid dynamics, wave equations, and astrophysical phenomena such as supernova explosions and jets. She is author of over 300 refereed journal articles as well as many conference papers and presentations. She is also the coauthor of the book Numerical Simulation of Reactive Flow (2nd edition, Cambridge Press, 2001).

Specializations & Research Interests
Computational Fluid Dynamics, Computational Combustion, Shocks and shock interactions, Rarified Gas Flow, Fluid and Particle Dynamics, and Astrophysics.

Education
Ph.D. Yale University
M.Ph. Yale University
A.B. Bryn Mawr College

Society Memberships
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA, Honorary Fellow)
American Physical Society (APS, Fellow)
Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (Fellow)
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (Fellow)
National Academy of Engineering (NAE, Member)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (Member)
American Geophysical Union (Member)
Combustion Institute (Member)
Society of Women Engineers (Member)
Sigma Xi (Member)

Honors and Awards
Honorary Doctorate of Science, Leeds University (2010)
Docteur Honoris Causa, Ecole Centrale de Lyon (2006)
Lifetime Achievement Award, District of Columbia Council of Engineering and Architectural Societies (2010)
AIAA Propellants and Combustion Award (2008)
Louis Clark Vanuxum Public Lecture, Princeton University (2006)
Presidential Rank Award, Distinguished Senior Professional (2007)
Presidential Rank Award, Meritorious Senior Professional (2003)
Dryden Distinguished Lectureship in Aerospace Research (AIAA, 2002)
Zeldovich Gold Medal (Combustion Institute, 2000)
Hall of Fame, Women in Technology International(WITI, 2000)
Oppenheim Prize (Institute for the Dynamics of Energetic and Reactor Systems, 1999)
Women in Science and Engineering Award in Science (WISE, 1988)
Arthur S. Flemming Award (US Government, 1979)

Recent Board Memberships and Service Activities
Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB) of National Research Council
Editor-in-Chief, AIAA Journal (2003 -- 2008)
Advisory Board, Acta Mechanica Sinica
Advisory Board, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering,
Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California
Advisory Council, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
Chair, Search Committee for National Academy of Engineering, Aerospace Engineering Section

Teaching Interests
Directed Study (Aero 490)
Directed Study (Aero 590)

Positions Held at Michigan
Adjunct Professor of Aerospace Engineering, 2005-Present

Positions Held at Naval Research Labortory
Head, Center for Reactive Flow and Dynamical Systems, 1986-1988
Research Physicist, 1973-1986
Presidential Intern, 1972-1973

Positions Held at Leeds University
Visiting Professor

Positions Held at the University of Wales Aberystwyth
Honorary Professor of Physics