Dr. Georgios Koutsakis, Mechanical Engineering

Name:

Dr. Georgios Koutsakis

Title:

Assistant Professor

Department:

Mechanical Engineering

Describe your research in about 200 words.

I  obtained my PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2022, after completing my diploma at the University of Western Macedonia, Kozani, Greece in 2016. I developed techniques to maximize in-cylinder heat insulation while ensuring coating durability under the extreme and unsteady conditions of a diesel engine. My expertise was recognized in 2020 when I received the Society of Automotive Engineers Myers Award for Outstanding Student and Young Professional Paper. Furthering my research, I served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University and as a Visiting Scientist at the University of Virginia. My research then was centered on characterizing and modeling radiative and conductive heat transfer of high-temperature radiation barrier coatings and thermal protection systems, with applications ranging from advanced gas turbines to spacecrafts. I am a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. My current research focuses on problems involving heat transfer, materials science, and fracture mechanics, particularly in the contexts of propulsion and power generation systems.

What’s the most interesting thing you have learned from a student?

Academic intelligence isn’t everything.