Our Team

Faculty

Agastya Balantrapu

Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Utah
Phone: 801 581 3932 | Email: agastya.balantrapu@utah.edu

Research Interests: Experimental fluid dynamics, high Reynolds number turbulent flows, atmospheric flows, aero/hydro dynamics, aeroacoustics

Graduate Students

Manish Timsina

Namaste! I come from Nepal. And, other than doing research my interests revolve around literature, history and hiking.

Alexander Tschinkel

I am a PhD Student from Minneapolis, MN interested in experimental fluids, aerodynamics, and aerospace design. Outside the lab you can find me skiing, climbing, or playing hockey.

Carson Brashear (MS)

Hello! I am from Salt Lake City, UT. I earned my bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Utah in 2025 and am currently pursuing a master's degree. I am focusing on the development and characterization of a novel flow facility capable of replicating complex 3D gusts that exist in urban environments to test the flight performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

Undergraduate Students

Samuel Dyrr

I am an undergraduate student at the University of Utah currently studying Mechanical Engineering from Northern California. I have a distinct interest in aerospace and hands-on projects. In my free time I enjoy golfing and snowboarding.

Bowen Fjord

Hey! My name is Bowen and I'm from Boerne, Texas. I'm currently an undergraduate student pursuing my degree in mechanical engineering. I'm mainly interested in the aerospace industry but take an interest in all things mechanical. I love history, outdoors, and building things, as well as spending quality time with family and friends.

Ryan Park

Hi, my name is Ryan Park. I am a junior Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Utah with an emphasis in aerospace engineering. Outside of school, I like to snowboard, climb, and play guitar.

Jack Pfeifle

I'm currently perusing my bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, with an emphasis in aerospace engineering. I'm interested in fluid mechanics and thermodynamics, with special interests in aircraft design and functionality. I'm originally from Nebraska but skiing, fishing, hiking, and school brought me out to Utah. I also enjoy flying drones and scale remote control airplanes.

Hobey Pollack

My name is Hobey and I am an undergraduate mechanical engineering student with a concentration in aerospace at the University of Utah. Fluid dynamics, and in particular aerodynamics, is exciting to me because of its complexity and applicability to new technologies. Besides academics, I enjoy reading and riding my bike.

Interested in joining us?

Email Prof. Balantrapu with your CV, academic transcript and a short summary of research interests