Daniel Simmons Email & Phone Number

Dayton, Ohio, United States

Notre Dame, IN

• Designed and conducted a series of benchmark flow separation experiments for NASA Langley under a $600K grant aimed at computational fluid dynamics (CFD) validation and turbulence model improvement, paving the way for.
• Performed detailed documentation and uncertainty analysis according to ASME PTC 19.1 standards, providing one of the first highly documented two-dimensional separation studies of its kind
• Conducted surface flow visualization on a 2D ramp geometry to exam flow separation patterns, and their inherent sensitivity, and link their structure to that commonly seen in inlet ducts/diffusers
• Investigated the effects that streamwise surface curvature has on the turbulent stress development
• Supervised and taught undergraduates manual machining and custom fabrication as a teaching assistant in the Student Fabrication Lab

Philidelphia, PA

• Utilized SolidWorks to design custom high voltage slip rings capable of transferring 30kV to centrifugal turbomachinery leading to US Patent # 9793669 and the procurement of two $20K slip rings
• Supported experimental test development of a research centrifugal lift fan platform by performing structural, electrical, and material design and analysis for rapid prototyping
• Led the installation of thermal, fluid, and mechanical sensors meeting AMCA fan test facility standards and designed five-hole probe calibration equipment to support flow-field diagnostics

Tucson, Arizona

• Designed and documented a novel active flow control system, complete with power amplifier and transformer characterization, to implement AC plasma actuators on a centrifugal lift fan
• Investigated the suitability of Accura 60, an additive manufacturing material, as a potential dielectric for ac-DBD plasma actuators
• Performed wind tunnel testing on a canonical (NASA) wall mounted hump model
• Constructed portable, blow-down wind tunnel for laser induced plasma flow control testing

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Investigated a new means to improve turbomachinery performance & efficiency by the novel application of (ac-DBD) plasma actuators
• Conducted introductory design work including analyzing the feasibility of installing plasma actuators on a centrifugal lift fan
• Preformed structural finite element analysis in ANSYS on a centrifugal lift fan design

University Of Arizona College Of Engineering

• Developed a MATLAB program to numerically map out the electro-thermal forces and predict the motion of a fluid stimulated by an electric field, for the application of lab-on-a-chip technology
• Investigated the application of non-uniform Chebyshev grids and their effect on the accuracy of spectral methods, showing their allowance for greater boundary condition placement with only minor accuracy lost

The University Of Arizona

• Conducted MATLAB simulations, of the oscillatory instability that occurs in double diffusive convection, as a means of validating an in-house code developed for the design of thermal energy storage systems
• Modeled, designed, built and tested a portable solar updraft tower as a proof of concept, with the successful prototype yielding experimental tests within 2% of our model
• Demonstrated and presented the Van de Graaff generator to middle school children as an outreach presenter at Flandrau Science Center

Doctor Of Philosophy (Phd), Aerospace And Mechanical Engineering, Gpa 4.00

Master Of Science In Aerospace Engineering, Gpa 4.00

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Mechanical Engineering, Minors In Mathematics And Business Administration, Gpa 3.96

Activities and Societies: Tau Beta Pi, ASME, CRCF, Tau Sigmasumma cum laude

Associate Of Science (A.S.), Physical Sciences, Gpa 3.96

Activities and Societies: Aztec Football2012 National Football Foundation Athletic Academic Scholar 2011 Superior Athletic Academic.