Zoltán S. Spakovszky

T. Wilson (1953) Professor in Aeronautics
Head, Air Sector
Director, Gas Turbine Laboratory
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Since I was a child, the smell of unburned hydrocarbons from jet aircraft on the tarmac sent a chill down my spine with the feeling that something exciting and powerful was going to happen.

Contact Info

Office Phone

617.253.2196

Email

zolti@mit.edu

Office

31-317

Website/Lab

Lab

Administrative Contact

Pam Fradkin
fradkin@mit.edu
617.258.9729

Financial Contact

Jennifer Leith
jennie@mit.edu
617.253.4929

Specialization and Research Interests

Propulsion and energy conversion, internal flows in fluid machinery, compressor aerodynamics and stability, micro-fluidics and rotordynamics, aero-acoustics, aircraft design for environment, electrified aviation

Teaching Interests

Thermodynamics and energy conversion; propulsion and fluid mechanics, aero-acoustics

Read my advising philosophy

Academic Degrees

Dipl. Ing., 1997, ETH Zürich; M.S., 1999, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Ph.D., 2000, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Society Memberships

Fellow, ASME; Associate Fellow, AIAA

Positions Held at MIT

Visiting Engineer, 1996-1997; Assistant Professor, 2001-2005; Associate Professor, 2005-2012; Professor, 2012 – present; Acting Director, Gas Turbine Laboratory, 2007; Director, Gas Turbine Laboratory, 2008 – present; Vehicle Sector Head, 2015 – 2018; Chair Graduate Committee, 2020 – 2021

Positions Held outside MIT

Propulsion Engineering, Swissair Technics, Zürich Airport, Switzerland, 1995; Research Staff, Turbomachinery Laboratory, ETH Zürich, Switzerland, 1996; Lead Engineer, Engine Preliminary Design and Performance, GE Aircraft Engines, 2000-2001; Technology Special Advisor, MHI R&D Center, 2009-2010; Senior Advisor for Strategy, Technology and Innovation, MHI Head Office, 2018-2019

Affiliated Labs

Awards & Honors

2021
International Gas Turbine Institute (IGTI) Scholar Award, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
2018
IGTI Aircraft Engine Committee Best Paper Award, ASME (also in 2016 & 2014)
2017
IGTI Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Committee Best Paper Award, ASME
2017
IGTI Turbomachinery Com. Best Paper Award, ASME (also in 2012, 2011, 2007, 2006, 2002 & 2000)
2016
ASME John P. Davis Gas Turbine Applications Award
2012
ASME Gas Turbine Award
2009
Ruth and Joel Spira Award for Excellence in Teaching
2005
AeroAstro Undergraduate Advising Award (also in 2003)
2003
ASME Melville Medal
2003
NASA Group Achievement Award
2000
IGTI Structures & Dynamics Committee Best Paper Award, ASME

Key publications