Doctor of Philosophy

Aerospace Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
2020

Master of Science

Aerospace Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
2017

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Aerospace Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
2015

Integrated Zero Emissions Aviation (IZEA) ULI

Sponsor: NASA
Role: Technical Co-Lead for CFD/Aircraft Design
Project Overview: Multi-disciplinary conceptual design and analysis of a 2050 liquid hydrogen + electric/fuel cell powered blended wing body concept for zero emissions

Zero Impact Aviation

Sponsor: NASA
Role: Technical Lead for Strut Braced Wing Development/CFD Analysis/Optimization
Project Overview: Development of common research models for a liquid hydrogen blended wing body and a strut braced wing concept powered by an open rotor

Supersonic Inlet Performance Modeling

Sponsor: FAA
Role: Technical Co-Lead for Code Development/CFD
Project Overview: Development of a supersonic inlet performance prediction code as part of an effort to analyze changes in inlet design on overall vehicle performance and noise footprint

Lowering Emissions and Environmental Impact from Civil Supersonic Transport ULI

Sponsor: NASA
Role: Technical Contributor for Supersonic Transport Design and Systems Anlysis
Project Overview: Design and experimental testing of a lean prevaporized premized combustor, with integration of experimentally derived emissions correlation equations within the multi-disciplinary design and optimization of a supersonic transport aircraft

Sustainable Flight Demonstrator

Sponsor: NASA
Role: Technical Lead for Blended Wing Body (BWB) Aircraft System Modeling (JetA and Liquid Hydrogen variants)
Project Overview: System level studies of several advanced configurations and alternate fuel sources for a 2030s timeframe replacement of current tube and wing aircraft, collaborating with JetZero for the BWB systems analysis

Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors

Sponsor: DARPA
Role: Technical Contributor for CFD and CAD
Project Overview: Conceptual design proposal of an advanced unmanned aerial vehicle leveraging active flow control for performance enhancement

Overwing Engine Placement Evaluation

Sponsor: FAA
Role: Technical Contributor for CFD/Aerodynamic Optimization/Propulsion System Modeling
Project Overview: Performance assessment of the overwing nacelle (OWN) concept using a combination of CFD, mission analysis, and engine thermodynamic cycle analysis codes

Supersonic Transport Modeling

Sponsor: FAA
Role: Technical Co-Lead for CFD/Aerodynamic Optimization
Project Overview: Conceptual design proposals of a fleet of supersonic commerical transport aircraft involving both high-fidelity aerodynamic optimization and system level modeling

Parametric Noise Modeling for Boundary Layer Ingesting Propulsors

Sponsor: FAA
Role: Technical Contributor for CFD and CAD support
Project Overview: Development of a parametric noise model for a tailcone mounted boundary layer ingesting propulsor

Transonic Truss Braced Wing (TTBW) System Level Modeling

Sponsor: NASA
Role: Graduate Research Assistant
Project Overview: System level performance estimates of the TTBW concept with an emphasis on aerodynamic design and optimization of the airframe

High Aspect Ratio Wing Study

Sponsor: NASA
Role: Graduate Research Assistant
Project Overview: Investigate tow-steered structures, natural laminar flow (NLF), and active flow control (AFC) technology applications on a high aspect ratio wing

Boundary Layer Ingestion Concept Systems Analysis

Sponsor: NASA
Role: Graduate Research Assistant
Project Overview: System level performance modeling of a notional STARC-ABL like boundary layer ingesting aircraft

Models Based Systems Engineering Enables Outer Airframe Design

Sponsor: Airbus
Role: Graduate Research Assistant

Over Wing Nacelle Configuration Study

Sponsor: Airbus
Role: Graduate Research Assistant
Project Overview: Sensitivity analyses of the over-wing nacelle (OWN) concept to changes in nacelle location and engine operating setting, as well as perform aerodynamic shape optimization to improve airframe aerodynamics

Smart Energy Campus Initiative

Sponsor: Georgia Tech
Role: Graduate Research Assistant

Boundary Layer Ingestion Modeling

Sponsor: SAFRAN
Role: Graduate Research Assistant
Project Overview: Model the impacts on boundary layer ingestion on engine performance

Non-Terrestrial Aircraft Design Environment

Role: Faculty Advisor
Project Overview: Development of an aircraft design environment for non-Earth atmosphere vehicles, demonstrated with a Titan based mission and aircraft

Blended Wing Body Tanker Grand Challenge

Sponsor: Air Force
Role: Faculty Advisor
Project Overview: Development of a system level model of a BWB refueling tanker considering aspects like engine design, multi-fidelity aerodynamic analysis and design for performance and stability, and internal layout

Journal Papers

1. Ahuja, J., Lee, C. H., Perron, C. P., and Mavris, D. N. Comparison of Overwing and Underwing Nacelle Aeropropulsion Optimization for Subsonic Transport Aircraft, Journal of Aircraft, 2023. Link to PDF
2. Ahuja, J., Renganathan, S. A., and Mavris, D. N. Sensitivity Analysis of the Over-Wing Nacelle Design Space, Journal of Aircraft, 2022. Link to PDF
3. Ahuja, J., and Mavris, D. N. Conceptual Design of a Boundary Layer Ingesting Aircraft Capturing Aero-Propulsive Coupling, Journal of Aircraft, 2022. Link to PDF
4. Renganathan, S. A., Maulik, R., and Ahuja, J. Enhanced Data Efficiency using Deep Neural Networks and Gaussian Processes for Aerodynamic Design Optimization, Aerospace Science and Technology, 2021. Link to PDF

Conference Papers

1. Patel, S., Ahuja, J., Ragauss, E., Gladin, J., and Mavris, D.N. Development of a Blended Wing Body Aircraft with Hydrogen-Electric Hybrid Distributed Propulsion, AIAA SciTech Forum. Orlando, FL, 2024. Link to PDF
2. Felix, B. S., Perron, C., Ahuja, J., and Mavris, D.N. Development of a Parametric Drag Polar Approximation for Conceptual Design, AIAA Aviation Forum. San Diego, CA, 2023. Link to PDF
3. Baltman, E. M., Tai, J. C., Ahuja, J., Stewart, B., Perron, C., De Azevedo, J. H., Vlady, T., and Mavris, D.N. A Methodology for Determining the Interdependence of Fuel Burn and LTO Noise of a Commercial Supersonic Transport, AIAA Aviation Forum. Chicago, IL, 2022. Link to PDF
4. Ahuja, J., and Mavris, D. N. A Method for Modeling the Aero-Propulsive Coupling Characteristics of BLI Aircraft in Conceptual Design, AIAA SciTech Forum. 2021. Link to PDF
5. Ahuja, J., and Mavris, D. N. Assessment of Propulsor On-Design and Off-Design Impacts on BLI Effects, AIAA SciTech Forum. 2021. Link to PDF
6. Ahuja, J., and Mavris, D. N. Sensitivity of Boundary Layer Ingestion Effects to Tube and Wing Airframe Design Features, AIAA SciTech Forum. Orlando, FL, 2020. Link to PDF
7. Pokhrel, M., Shi, M., Ahuja, J., Gladin, J. C., and Mavris, D. N. Conceptual Design of a BLI Propulsor Capturing Aero-Propulsive Coupling and Distortion Impacts, AIAA SciTech Forum. San Diego, CA, 2019. Link to PDF
8. Ahuja, J., Renganathan, S. A., Berguin, S. H., and Mavris, D. N. Multidisciplinary Analysis of Aero-Propulsive Coupling for the OWN Concept, AIAA Aviation Forum. Atlanta, GA, 2018. Link to PDF
9. Berguin, S. H., Renganathan, S. A., Ahuja, J., Chen, M., Tai, J., and Mavris, D. N. Sensitivity Analysis of Aero-Propulsive Coupling for Over-Wing-Nacelle Concepts, AIAA SciTech Forum. Kissimmee, FL, 2018. Link to PDF
10. Lewe, J.H., Duncan, S., Song, K., Oh, S., Solano, D., Yarbasi, E., Ahuja, J., Johnston, H., and Mavris, D. N. A Comprehensive Energy Monitoring Environment for District Energy Grid Systems, Propulsion and Energy Forum. Atlanta, GA, 2017. Link to PDF
11. Harish, A., Perron, C., Bavaro, D., Ahuja, J., Ozcan, M., Justin, C., Briceno, S., German, B., and Mavris, D. N. Economics of Advanced Thin-Haul Concepts and Operations, AIAA Aviation Forum. Washington, D.C., 2016. Link to PDF

Reports

1. Mavris, D. N., Crossley, W., Tai, J. C., Ahuja, J., et al., FAA Ascent Project 10 Aircraft Technology Modeling and Assessment Annual Report 2022, 2022. Link to PDF
2. Mavris, D. N., et al., FAA Ascent Project 10 Aircraft Technology Modeling and Assessment Annual Report 2021, 2021. Link to PDF
3. Berguin, S. H., Renganathan, S. A., Ahuja, J., Chen, M., Perron, C., Tai, J., and Mavris, D. N. CFD Study of an Over-Wing Nacelle Configuration, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2018. Link to PDF

Doctoral Dissertation

1. Ahuja, J. A Methodology For Capturing the Aero-Propulsive Coupling Characteristics of Boundary Layer Ingesting Aircraft in Conceptual Design, Ph.D. Thesis, School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 2020 Link to PDF

Journal Article Peer Reviewer

• AIAA Journal of Propulsion and Power
• ASCE Journal of Aerospace Engineering
• MDPI Aerospace
• MDPI Applied Sciences

Conference Paper Extended Abstract Reviewer

• AIAA Aviation Forum
• AIAA SciTech Forum