Faculty Directory

Oran, Elaine S.

Oran, Elaine S.

Glenn L. Martin Professor
Aerospace Engineering
3232 Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building
Website(s):

EDUCATION

  • Ph.D., Yale University, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences (1972)
  • M.Ph., Yale University, Department of Physics Yale University (1968)
  • A.B., Bryn Mawr College, Physics and Chemistry (1966)

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • Docteur Honoris Causa, Institut National Scientifique Appliquées, Rouen, 2015
  • Hoyt C. Hottel (Plenary, Keynote) Lecture, the International Combustion Symposium, August 2014
  • American Physical Society Fluid Dynamics Prize, 2013
  • Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2012
  • Honorary Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2011
  • Honorary Doctorate of Science, Leeds University, 2010
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, District of Columbia Council of Engineering and Architectural Societies, 2010
  • Fellow, Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics, 2009 (charter member)
  • AIAA Propellants and Combustion Award, 2008
  • Docteur Honoris Causa, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 2006
  • Member, National Academy of Engineering, 2003
  • Honorary Professor, Department of Physics, University of Wales Aberystwyth, 2001
  • Zeldovich Gold Medal, 2000, given by the Combustion Institute for "outstanding contributions to the theory of combustion and detonations."
  • Oppenheim Prize, 1999, given by the Institute for the Dynamics of Energetic and Reactive Systems, for "outstanding contributions to the theory of the dynamics of explosions and reactive systems."
  • Fellow, American Physical Society, 1996
  • Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1990

Professional Service

  • Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB) of National Research Council
  • Publications Comittee, AIAA; 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

Professional Memberships

  • American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • The Combustion Institute
  • American Physical Society
  • Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics
  • National Academy of Engineering
  • Society of Women Engineers 
  • Women in Aerospace
  • Sigma Xi
  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers
  • American Geophysical Union
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science
  • US Association for Computational Mechanics

Reactive flows; Fluid dynamics; Turbulence in reacting and nonreacting flows; Computational fluid dynamics; Chemically reactive flows; Dynamics of flames, deflagrations, and detonations in gases; Physics and chemistry of energetic materials; Shocks and shock interactions in gases and condensed phases; incompressible, and nonequilibrium flows; Astrophysical phenomena, particularly supernovae and jets; Computations of rarefied gas flow, such as reentry flows; microdynamical flows; Biological flows in complex networks; Micro fluidics for design of biosensors; Computational sciences and numerical analysis; High-performance computing and parallel architectures; Molecular dynamics of multiphase surfaces.

2015

  • Boundary-Accelerated Flames in Microchannels, E.S. Oran, V.N. Gamezo, and R. Houim, pp. 29-54, in Microscale Combustion and Power Generation, Eds Y. Ju, C. Cadou, and K. Maruta, Momentum Press LLC, ISBN-13: 978-1-60650-306-5 (print), 2015.
  • A Tribute to Dr. George H. Markstein (1911–2011), E.S. Oran, Combustion and Flame, 162 (1), 1-2, 2015.
  • Understanding Explosions – From Catastrophic Accidents to the Creation fo the Universe, E.S. Oran, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 35 (1), 1-35, 2015. 
  • Large-Scale Experiments and Absolute Detonability of Methane/Air Mixtures, E.S. Oran, V.N. Gamezo, V.N., and R.K. Zipf, Jr., Combustion Science and Technology, 187 (1-2), 324-341, 2015. 
  • Structure and Flame Speed of Dilute and Dense Layered Coal-Dust Explosions, Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, available in proof form, doi.org/10.1016/j.jlp.2015.01.015. 2015.

2014

  • Transverse Waves Resulting from Pulsating Instability in Two-Dimensional Flames, V.N. Gamezo, A.Y. Poludnenko, E.S. Oran, E.S., F.A. Williams,Combustion and Flame, 161, 950-957, 2014.
  • Deflagration-to-Detonation Transition in Natural Gas-Air Mixtures, R.K., Zipf, Jr., V.N. Gamezo, K.M. Mohamed, E.S. Oran, D.A. Kessler,  Combustion and Flame, 161, 2165-2176, 2014.

2013

  • Numerical Study on Flame Acceleration and DDT in an Inclined Array of Cylinders using an AMR Technique}, T. Ogawa, V.N. Gamezo, E.S. Oran, Computers and Fluids, 85, 63-70, 2013.
  • Detonation Initiation and Shock-Flame Interaction in Hydrogen-Air Mixtures, B. D. Taylor, R.W. Houim, D.A. Kessler, V. N. Gamezo and E.S. Oran. AIAA Paper No. 2013-1171, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA. 2013.
  • Pulsating Flame Instability in Two Dimensions, V.N. Gamezo, A.Y. Poludnenko, E.S. Oran, and F.A. Williams, Paper No. AIAA-2013-0292, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA 2013.
  • Flame Acceleration and Transition to Detonation in an Array of Square Obstacles, T. Ogawa, V.N. Gamezo, E.S. Oran, Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 26, 355-362, 2013.
  • Methane-air detonation experiments at NIOSH Lake Lynn Laboratory, R.K. R.K., V.N. Gamezo, M.J. Sapko, W.P. Marchewka, K.M. Mohamed, E.S. Oran, D.A. Kessler, E.S. Weiss, J.D. Addis, F.A. Karnack, D.D. Sellers. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 26 (2), pp. 295-301, 2013.
  • Numerical Simulations of Hydrogen Detonations with Detailed Chemical Kinetic Mechanisms, B.D. Taylor, D.A. Kessler, V.N. Gamezo, E.S. Oran, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 34 (2), pp. 2009-2016, 2013.
  • Analysis of the Monotonic Lagrangian Grid as an Air Traffic Simulation Tool, C. Kaplan, J. Dahm, E. Oran, N. Alexandrov, J. Boris, Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 36 (1), pp. 196-206, 2013.
  • Flame Acceleration and Deflagration-to-Detonation Transition of Hydrogen-Oxygen in Microchannels R.W. Houim , V.N. Gamezo, and E.S. Oran Proceedings of the 24th International Colloquium on the Dynamics of Explosive and Reactive Systems, 2013.
  • DDT in Natural Gas-Air Mixtures on Large Scales: Experiments and Simulations V. N. Gamezo1, R. K. Zipf, Jr., D. A. Kessler, E. S. Oran, Proceedings of the 24th International Colloquium on the Dynamics of Explosive and Reactive Systems, 2013.
  • Scale-Space Analysis of High-Speed Turbulent Flames, A.P. Jackson, A.Y. Poludnenko, and E.S. Oran, Proceedings of the 24th International Colloquium on the Dynamics of Explosive and Reactive Systems, 2013.
  • Estimates of Vibrational Nonequilibrium Time Scales in Hydrogen-Air Detonation Waves, B.D. Taylor, D.A. Kessler, and E.S. Oran, Proceedings of the 24th International Colloquium on the Dynamics of Explosive and Reactive Systems, 2013.

2012

  • The Physics, Chemistry, and Dynamics of Explosions, The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, Special Issue, Edited by E.S. Oran and F.A. Williams, 379, 531-799, February, 2012.
  • Gas-Phase Detonation Propagation in Composition Gradients, D.A. Kessler, V.N. Gamezo, and E.S. Oran, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 370, 567-596. 2012.
  • Evidence for Type Ia Supernova Diversity from Ultraviolet Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope, X. Wang, L. Wang, A.V. Filippenko, G.A. Pierre Antilogus, D. Arnett, D. Baade, E. Baron, B.J. Barris, S. Benetti, P. Bouchet, A.S. Burrows, R. Canal, E. Cappellaro, R. Carlberg, E. di Carlo, P. Challis, R. Chornock, A. Clocchiatti, A. Crotts, R. Cumming, J.I. Danziger, M.D. Valle, D. Jack, R.J. Foley, , C. Fransson, A. Gal-Yam, P. Garnavich, C.L. Gerardy, M. Hamuy, W. Hillebrandt, P.A. Hoeflich, S.T. Holland, D.E. Holz, J.P. Hughes, D. Jeffrey, S.W. Jha, D. Kasen, A.M. Khokhlov, R.P. Kirshner, R. Knop, C. Kozma, K. Krisciunas, B.C. Lee, B. Leibundgut, E. Lentz, D.C. Leonard, W.H. G. Lewin, M. Livio, P. Lundqvist, D. Maoz, G.H. Marion, T. Matheson, P. Mazzali, , P. Meikle, G. Miknaitis, P. Milne, S. Mochnacki, K. Nomoto, P.E. Nugent, E. Oran, N. Panagia, F. Patat, S. Perlmutter, M.M. Phillips, P. Pinto, D. Poznanski, C.J. Pritchet, M. Reinecke, A.m Riess, P. Ruiz-Lapuente, R. Scalzo, E.M. Schlegel, B. Schmidt, J. Siegrist, A.M. Soderberg, J. Sollerman, G. Sonneborn, J. Spyromilio, R.A. Sramek, S.G. Starrfield, L.G. Strolger, Ni.B. Suntzeff, R. Thomas, J.L. Tonry, A. Tornambe, J.W. Truran, M. Turatto, M. Turner, S.D. Van Dyk, K. Weiler, J.C. Wheeler, M. Wood-Vasey, S. Woosley, H. Yamaoka, T. Zhang, Astrophysical Journal, 749, 126, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/749/2/126, 2012.
  • Intermittency in Premixed Turbulent Reacting Flows, P.E. Hamlington,, A.Y. Poludnenko, and E.S. Oran, Physics of Fluids, 24, 07511, 2012.
  • Detonability of Natural Gas-Air Mixtures, V.N.. Gamezo, R.K. Zipf, Jr., M.J. Sapko, W.P. Marchewka, K.M. Mohamed, E.S. Oran, D.A. Kessler, E.S.. Weiss, J.D. Addis, F.A. Karnack, D.D Sellers, Combustion and Flame, 159, 870-881, 2012
  • The Influence of Chemical Kinetics on the Structure of Hydrogen-Air Detonations, B.D. Taylor , D.A. Kessler, V.N. Gamezo, and E.S. Oran. AIAA Paper AIAA-2012-0979, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA, 2012.
  • Patent: Fast Tracking Methods and Systems for Air Traffic Modeling Using a Monotonic Lagrangian Grid, C.R. Kaplan, E,S. Oran, N. Alexandrov, and J.P. Boris, US Patent 8,229,716B2, issued July 24, 2012.

2011

  • P.E. Hamlington, A.Y. Poludnenko, E.S. Oran, Interactions between turbulence and flames in premixed reacting flows, Physics of Fluids, 23 (12), no. 125111, 2011.
  • Kaplan, C., Dahm, J., Oran, E., Alexandrov, N., Boris, J. Evaluation of the monotonic Lagrangian grid and lat-long grid for air traffic management,11th Aviation Technology, Integration, and Optimization Conference (AIAA ATIO), AIAA Paper 2010-597, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA., 2011.
  • Spontaneous Transition of Turbulent Flames to Detonations in Unconfined Media A.Y. Poludnenko, T.A. Gardiner, and E.S. Oran, Physical Review Letters, 107, 054501, 2011.
  • The interaction of high-speed turbulence with flames: Turbulent flame speed, A.Y. Poludnenko, E.S. Oran, Combustion and Flame, 158 (2), pp. 301-326, 2011.
  • Interactions between Turbulence and Flames in Premixed Reacting Flows, P.E. Hamlington, A.Y. Poludnenko and E.S. Oran, Physics of Fluids, 23, 125111-1-18, 2011.
  • Stochasticity and Dynamics of High-Speed Reactive Flows, E.S. Oran, Recent Progress in Fluid Dynamics Research, Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Fluid Mechanics of the Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, ed. J. Li and S. Fu, American Institute of Physics, 2011
  • Large-Scale Transition to Detonation, E.S. Oran, pp. 79--92, Proceedings of the Sixth International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards, eds. D. Bradley, G. Makviladze, V. Molkov, Research Publishing, Singapore, 2011.
  • Optimizing Mixing in Lid-Driven Flow Designs through Predictions from Eulerian Indicators, K.L. McIlhany, D. Mott, E. Oran, Stephen Wiggins, Physics of Fluids, 23, 082005, 2011.
  • Multilevel detonation cell structures in methane-air mixtures, D.A. Kessler, V.N. Gamezo, E.S. Oran, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 33 (2), pp. 2211-2218, 2011.
  • Intermittency and Premixed Turbulent Reacting Flows, P. Hamlington, A. Poludnenko, E. Oran, AIAA paper AIAA-2011--0113, AIAA, Reston, VA.
  • Wave Structures and Irregular Detonation Cells in Methane-Air Mixtures with Concentration Gradients, D.A. Kessler, V.N. Gamezo, and E.S. Oran, AIAA paper AIAA-2011--0798, AIAA, Reston, VA.
  • Towards a Fast Dynamic Model of the Human Circulatory System, M.A. Green, C.R. Kaplan, J.P. Boris, E.S. Oran, Naval Research Laboratory Memorandum Report, NRL/MR/6040--11-9354, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 2011.

2010

  • The Interaction of High-Speed Turbulence with Flames: Global Properties and Internal Flame Structure, A.Y. Poludnenko, E.S. Oran, Combustion and Flame, 157, 995-1011, 2010.
  • A Multiscale, Multiphysics Method for the Simulation of Rarefied Gas Flows, D.A. Kessler, E.S. Oran, C.R. Kaplan, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 661, 26-293, 2010.
  • The Monotonic Lagrangian Grid for Fast Air-Traffic Evaluation, C. Kaplan, E. Oran, N. Alexandrov, J. Boris, AIAA Paper 2010-597, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA.
  • A Coupled Multiscale Multiphysics Method (CM3) for Rarefied Gas Flow, D.A. Kessler, E.S. Oran, and C.R. Kaplan, AIAA Paper 2010-823, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA.
  • Optimizing the Arrangement and Shape of Grooves in Microfluidic Components, D.R. Mott, K.S. Obenschain, D.A. Schwer, and E.S. Oran, AIAA Paper AIAA-2010-909, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA.
  • Simulations of Flame Acceleration and Deflagration to Detonation Transitions in Methane-Air Systems, D.A. Kessler, V.N. Gamezo, and E.S. Oran, Combustion and Flame, 157, 2063-2077, 2010.
  • Microfluidic-Component Optimization Based on Lagrangian Diagnostics and Eulerian Indicators of Mixing, D. Mott, K. McIlhany, G. Voth, S. Wiggins, and E. Oran, Proceedings of the 16th US National Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, 2010.
  • Optimizing the arrangement and shape of grooves in microfluidic components, D.R. Mott, K.S. Obenschain, D.A. Schwer, E.S. Oran, AIAA Paper 2010-0909, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA, 2010.
  • The Monotonic Lagrangian Grid for Rapid Air-Traffic Evaluation, C. Kaplan, J. Dahm, E. Oran, N. Alexandrov, and J. Boris, 10th Aviation Technology, Integration, and Optimization Conference (AIAA ATIO), AIAA Paper 2010-597, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA., 2010.
  • Signatures of Turbulence in Atmospheric Laser Propagation, P.E. Hamlington and E.S. Oran, Proceedings of the Active and Passive Signatures Conference, SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing Meeting, 2010, Article No. 76870M, SPIE.
  • Turbulence and Scalar Gradient Dynamics in Premixed Reacting Flows, P.E. Hamlington, A.Y. Poludnenko and E.S. Oran, AIAA paper AIAA-2010-5027, AIAA, Reston, VA.
  • Numerical Simulation of Deflagration-to-Detonation Transition in Obstructed Spaces, T. Ogawa, V.N. Gamezo, E.S. Oran, Proceedings of the Korea-Japan CFD Workshop, 2010, on November 19, 2010, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Korea
  • Evaluation of Stationary versus Moving Grids for Air Traffic Management, C. Kaplan, J. Dahm, E. Oran, N. Alexandrov, J. Boris, Aviation Technology, Integration, and Optimization Conference (AIAA ATIO), AIAA Paper 2010-597, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA., 2010.
  • Extinction of premixed methane/air flames in microgravity by diluents: Effects of radiation and Lewis number, L. Qiao, Y. Gan, T. Nishiie, W.J.A. Dahm, E.S. Oran, Combustion and Flame, 157 (8), pp. 1446-1455, 2010.

UMD Researchers Identify Structure of Blue Whirls

Phenomenon could lead to improved oil spill remediation and provide a source of clean energy.

Zhang and Chung Receive Aerospace Engineering Department Research Awards

Recipients represent the department in the annual Clark School Research Award Competition.

Elaine Oran Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Oran is one of two UMD faculty members elected to the academy's 2018 class.

UMD Researchers Receive Funding to Further Study ‘Fire Whirls’

Drs. Michael Gollner and Elaine Oran will lead the effort.

The Blue Whirl: Clark School Research in the News

A team of researchers in the A. James Clark School of Engineering say their discovery of a type of fire tornado they call a blue whirl could lead to beneficial new approaches in reduced carbon emissions and improved oil spill cleanup.

Newly Discovered Blue Whirl Fire Tornado Burns Cleaner for Reduced Emissions; Could Lead to Better Oil Spill Cleanup

Clark School researchers describe a previously unobserved flame phenomenon in a new peer-reviewed paper.

Oran Recognized with Honorary Doctorate from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées Rouen

Aerospace Engineering Professor Elaine Oran to receive honorary doctorate during Institut National des Sciences Appliquées' 30th Anniversary Program.

UMD Professors Receive APS Awards

Four Clark School professors honored by American Physical Society

Aerospace Engineering Faculty Honored at University Celebration of Scholarship and Research

15 Aerospace Engineering faculty were recognized for their research and scholarly achievements.

Oran Receives APS 2013 Fluid Dynamics Prize

Aerospace Engineering Professor Elaine Oran awarded American Physical Society prize for work in reactive flows.

Aerospace Department Welcomes New Faculty Member Elaine Oran

Dr. Elaine Oran has joined the Department of Aerospace Engineering as a Glenn L. Martin Institute Professor of Engineering.

Other professional society fellows

  • AIAA, APS, ASME, NAE, SIAM

National Academy of Engineering (NAE)

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

American Physical Society (APS)

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)