Mark H. Ross, senior research scientist at NDTL Propulsion & Power, recently stepped out of the lab and into a local high school. Ross, who received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Notre Dame in 2014, visited the computer science and engineering magnet program at South Bend's Riley High School.

Ross spoke about his own academic journey as well as his current research NDTL. He also spoke about upcoming opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in aerospace engineering through NDTL's internship program.

Seth Ponder, who teaches computer science and engineering at Riley High School, said, "We are immensely grateful to Mark for sharing his expertise and experiences with our students. His insights broadened our students' understanding of aerospace engineering, especially as we start studying different airplane and jet engines in aerospace class at Riley High School."

Joshua Cameron, director of NDTL and concurrent research assistant professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering in Notre Dame’s College of Engineering, said, "NDTL is proud to be home to researchers like Mark, who contribute their technical expertise to solve engineering problems daily and also make time to share NDTL’s exciting work with members of the local community."

Ross said, "At NDTL, we are excited to do research that translates directly into real-world benefits—through improved products, better designs, and more effective and efficient use of resources. This research can also help students and members of the public see examples of the University's commitment to 'seek discoveries that are significant because of the achievement they represent in a given academic field, but also because they yield benefits for the common good.'"

Local teachers or administrators interested in having a similar talk at their school can contact NDTL at ndtl@nd.edu.

Undergraduate students interested in hands-on learning in aerospace or mechanical engineering can learn more about the Summer Internship Program at NDTL by visiting https://ndtl.nd.edu/get-involved/internship/.

About NDTL

NDTL is a University of Notre Dame and South Bend, Indiana-based research and development facility that combines the benefits of a vibrant academic research program with a mid-TRL development and validation test facility serving the aerospace and power generation industries. NDTL’s staff expertise includes internal and external aerodynamics, structural dynamics, instrumentation, combustion, computational fluid dynamics, acoustics, and tribology.

Contact: Brett Beasley / Writer and Editorial Program Manager

Notre Dame Research / University of Notre Dame

bbeasle1@nd.edu / +1 574-631-8183

research.nd.edu / @UNDResearch

About Notre Dame Research:

The University of Notre Dame is a private research and teaching university inspired by its Catholic mission. Located in South Bend, Indiana, its researchers are advancing human understanding through research, scholarship, education, and creative endeavor in order to be a repository for knowledge and a powerful means for doing good in the world. For more information, please see research.nd.edu or @UNDResearch.

Originally published by Brett Beasley at ndtl.nd.edu on May 02, 2024.