Georges Henri Akiki, from the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI), won first place in the Masters Division at the 2011 Southeastern Regional Student Conference of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). The conference, held in Tuscaloosa, AL on April 4-5, was attended by over 200 delegates from 13 universities in the Southeastern Region.

Akiki’s award winning paper entitled “New Framework for Modeling the Bidirectional Vortex Engine Flowfield with Arbitrary Injection” was coauthored by his advisor, Joseph Majdalani. The paper introduces a groundbreaking framework for modeling cyclonic motions with arbitrary injection patterns inside a simulated, swirl-dominated, vortex rocket engine. Despite its importance to the modeling of trapped vortex engines, the same work may be extended to meteorological and industrial applications such as the modeling of hurricanes, twisters, cyclonic furnaces, and centrifugal flow separators.

The award was presented by George F. Sowers, Vice President of Business Development for United Launch Alliance and Alan Lowrey, AIAA Southeastern Regional Director.

Akiki is from Kesrouan, Lebanon and received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Notre Dame University, Louaize. He joined UTSI in 2009 where he is pursuing a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering.