Research Team

Faculty

Christopher Combs

Dr. Combs is the Dee Howard Endowed Associate Professor in Aerodynamics in the UTSA Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is also the Aerospace Engineering Program Director at UTSA, KCEID Associate Dean Fellow for Research, and Director of the Center for Advanced Measurements in Extreme Environments (CAMEE). Prior to starting at UTSA, Dr. Combs worked as a Research Assistant Professor at The University of Tennessee Space Institute. His primary area of research interest is in the development and application of non-intrusive diagnostic techniques for compressible flows and he also has extensive experience in investigations of hypersonic boundary layer and SWBLI flow physics. Dr. Combs is active with AIAA, ASME, and APS and is a current member of the AIAA Aerodynamic Measurement Technology Technical Committee.

E-mail: [email protected]
Google Scholar | Twitter | CV | Faculty Profile

Post-Docs and Associated Faculty

Jennifer Colborn

Jennifer Colborn joined UTSA Hypersonics as a post-doctoral fellow in August of 2024. Previously, she earned her doctorate in mechanical engineering at Pennsylvania State University where she focused on analyzing convective and radiative heat flux in gas turbine combustion environments using a variety of sensors and laser diagnostics. Her bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and MS in aerospace engineering were completed at the University of Dayton in Ohio. While there, Jennifer focused on understanding controlling physics of sustainable aviation fuels at the Air Force Research Laboratory. She will continue her work with laser diagnostics at UTSA.

Google Scholar | CV

Juan David Navarro

Juan David was born in Santiago de Cali, Valle del Cauca (Colombia). He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad EAFIT in 2015. Following his graduation, he received a scholarship from Universidad EAFIT to pursue a Master of Sciences in Engineering under the direction of Dr. Juan Camilo Isaza. During his masters’ studies, he visited Cornell University for a research internship with Dr. Gregory Paul Bewley. Upon graduation in 2019, Juan David joined the Advanced Materials and Mechanical Systems Laboratory at The University of Texas at San Antonio where he finished his doctorate in 2023 under the direction of Dr. David Restrepo. Juan David then continued at UTSA as Postdoctoral Fellow designing novel architected metamaterials for drag reduction and flow control in hypersonic vehicles.

CV

Graduate Students

Angelina Andrade

 Angelina was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She attended the University of North Texas from Fall 2016 to Fall 2019 and graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical and Energy Engineering. Following her undergraduate studies, Angelina continued her education as a graduate student at UTSA pursuing an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a thermal and fluid system concentration. She joined the Hypersonics Lab fall of 2021 and her current research interests are using laser diagnostics to study high-speed flows. She continued her research studies under Dr. Combs as a Ph.D. student starting fall of 2022.

Jonah Barbosa
Jonah Barbosa was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio in May 2025 with a B.S in Mechanical Engineering. Jonah first attended Texas A&M University where he graduated Spring of 2020 with a B.S. in applied exercise physiology. He joined the UTSA Hypersonic lab during spring of 2022 and since then he has helped with experimental and wind tunnel operation. During his time as an undergraduate, he spent his time leading research efforts under the University Consortium of Applied Hypersonics program. In addition to Hypersonic research Jonah interned at Auriga space where he focused on the development of specialized electric coil designs and recoil management systems to help further their pursuit of railgun like first stage rocket launches. He looks to work in the defense industry in a research and development capacity.

Geneva Ballard

 Geneva graduated from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in May 2024 with a B.S in Aerospace Engineering. During her undergraduate studies, she worked with the University of Tennessee Space Institute exploring hypersonic workforce development and RANS-based turbulence modeling of high-speed flows. Geneva worked at Mclaurin Aerospace performing advanced modeling and simulation of spacecraft and subsystems. She is currently working towards her M.S in Mechanical Engineering with the UTSA Hypersonics Lab.

Patrick Canez

 Patrick is a San Antonio native who graduated in May 2025 from St. Mary’s University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Applied Mathematics. During his time as an undergraduate, he conducted research focused on applying probabilistic methods and Bayesian statistics to model material pyrolysis behavior. Patrick is now pursuing a M.S. in Aerospace Engineering and is a Graduate Research Assistant at the Hypersonics Lab. In his free time, he enjoys working out, spending time with friends and family, and is an avid soccer fan.

Kevin Posladek

Kevin Posladek was born in San Diego, California and received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio, with an undergraduate research focus on subsonic wind tunnel design and testing. He joined the UTSA Hypersonics Lab in 2022 and worked as an Operations Engineering intern at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center that same year, where he worked towards calibration of the X-59 Low Boom Flight Demonstrator air data system. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering with a research focus in shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions.

Joseph Rutherford

Joseph Rutherford was born and raised in Tennessee, where during high school he obtained a technical degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology from Northeast State Community College. He went on to attend The University of Tennessee, Knoxville where in 2023 he earned his B.S in Aerospace Engineering with an honors concentration. At the University of Tennessee, he worked as an undergraduate researcher under Dr. Uday Vaidya focused on Carbon-Carbon composites manufacturing research for hypersonic applications. He joined the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2024 for his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering under the guidance of Dr. Christopher Combs and Dr. Guillermo Araya working on high-speed analytics of hypersonic flows.

Nick Stegmeier

 Nick is from South Dakota and received his B.S. and M.S. in mathematics from South Dakota State University (SDSU) where he studied parallel numerical methods for partial differential equations. During his time at SDSU, he interned at Los Alamos National Laboratory and developed software for computational physics and high performance computing. Since graduating with his M.S. in 2019, he has interned at KBR/EROS working on machine learning for satellite imagery, Montana Space Grant Consortium launching high altitude balloons, and NASA Johnson Space Center analyzing spacecraft re-entry aerothermodynamic heating. Nick decided to return to SDSU to finish his B.S. in mechanical engineering, which he completed in May of 2023, and renewed his interest in fluid dynamics. He is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at UTSA and researching high speed flow as part of Dr. Chris Combs’ hypersonics research lab.

Undergraduate Students

David Cabillo

 David Calbillo is a third-year Mechanical Engineering undergraduate student at UTSA. He joined the UTSA Hypersonic Lab in the summer of 2025, where he has conducted research under the mentorship of Juan Navarro. His current project involves supporting research focused on delaying the boundary layer transition from laminar to turbulent flow using phononic metamaterials. David aims to gain valuable research experience in the aerospace field to support his future career in the industry.

Andrew Cervantes

Andrew Cervantes was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and is currently a fourth-year mechanical engineering undergraduate student at UTSA. He joined Dr. Combs’ Hypersonic Lab at the beginning of his junior year and has been working as an undergraduate research assistant. Andrew also serves as an officer of the AIAA chapter at UTSA. He hopes to further his interest in aerospace by pursuing a master’s program after graduation. In his free time, Andrew enjoys drumming, designing furniture, and driving while listening to music.

Jayson Garcia

 Jayson Garcia is a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering undergrad student. He grew up in Killeen, TX, where he attended an Early College High School and graduated with an associate’s degree in interdisciplinary studies before moving to San Antonio to attend UTSA for engineering. His dream career is working at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He joined Dr. Combs’s lab in the Fall of 2024, hoping to get hands-on experience with research in his field of interest, aerospace. In his free time, Jayson practices making Arduino projects, and he loves to take and edit photos.

Ricardo RJ” Garza

Ricardo “RJ” Garza is a third-year mechanical engineering undergraduate at UTSA and member of AIAA. He currently works in the Hypersonic Lab as an undergraduate research assistant, mentored by Juan Navarro. His most recent project consists of assisting in the research of architected materials for drag reduction and flow control in hypersonic vehicles. He plans to obtain an aerospace certificate and pursue a masters degree in aerospace engineering. In his free time, he enjoys working out, listening to music and watching documentaries.

Patrick Hughes

 Patrick Hughes is a third-year undergraduate student at UTSA majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in civic engagement. He joined the UTSA Hypersonics Laboratory in Fall of 2022, where he assists with facility operation, non-intrusive diagnostics, and data processing. Patrick interned at NASA Johnson Space Center in Summer 2024, where he worked to develop and prototype a two-stage recovery system for NASA’s HyperSTEP Project, a subscale Mid-L/D spacecraft designed as a low-cost hypersonic flight test platform for advancing entry technologies. After graduating, Patrick hopes to obtain a Master’s Degree in aerospace engineering and work in the field of spaceflight. In his free time, he enjoys reading (Sci-Fi/History), camping, and making coffee.

Rafael Lopez

 Rafael is a second-year mechanical engineering undergraduate at UTSA. He was raised in Washington state where he earned his associates degree in Aviation Maintenance. He transferred to UTSA in fall 2022 to pursue a bachelors in mechanical engineering. Rafael currently works in the Hypersonics Lab as an undergraduate research assistant, mentored by Kevin Posladek. In his free time, he likes working on his Miata, playing video games, and thrifting. Rafael is also the secretary for the UTSA chapter of AIAA.

Alexandria Lopez-Boor

Alexandria Lopez-Boor was born and raised in San Antonio, TX. She is currently a third-year Chemical Engineering student at UTSA involved in multiple organizations such as the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and the Aeronautics and Rocket Club (ARC). Since joining the Hypersonics Lab in Spring 2024 as an undergraduate research assistant, she has been involved in research with phononic metamaterials to decrease shock-wave/boundary layer interactions and hopes to continue her career into the defense industry. She hopes to further her knowledge in vehicle design and thermal protection systems, but in her free time, she enjoys playing golf and spending quality time with friends.

Alexis Reed

 Alexis Reed was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida but was raised for most of her life in San Antonio, Texas. She graduated from San Antonio College with an associate of science for mechanical engineer and an associate of liberal arts in May 2025 as the SAC Distinguished Graduate for Engineering. She transferred to UTSA and joined the Hypersonics Lab in Summer of 2025. She spends her time at UTSA helping graduate students at the Hypersonics Lab, participating in the Aeronautics and Rocketry Club (ARC) as part of the Avionics sub team, and enjoys participating in campus activities and events. Alexis plans on becoming a GNC engineer after graduation and caters her extracurricular learning towards GNC subsystems and components. In her free time, Alexis likes to volunteer as a robotics mentor for a local FIRST Robotics team, help her NASA Proposal team from L’SPACE NPWEE, and go to the campus gym.

Michael Shova

 Michael Shova was born and raised in an Air Force family, and is currently a Junior mechanical engineering student at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He began college at Wayne Community College studying Civil engineering, and transferred to UTSA shortly after. He joined as an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Christopher Combs’ Hypersonics Lab in the spring of his sophomore year. Beyond research, Michael is an active member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity and has served as Scholarship Chairman, promoting academic excellence within his chapter. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in aerospace or defense research. In his free time, Michael enjoys weight training, listening to music, and road tripping.

Neil Sawant

 Neil Sawant is a second-year mechanical engineering undergraduate at UTSA. He is from India and came to UTSA for his undergraduate studies in 2021. He joined Dr. Combs’ lab in the Summer of his Freshman year as a Citymester intern. He currently works with the Hypersonics Lab as an undergraduate research assistant, helping run experiments and designing equipment for the lab. After graduating, Neil hopes to complete a Master’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering from a prestigious institution. In his free time, he likes playing video games, occasionally mountain bikes, and works with the FSAE club at UTSA.

Mackenzie Vargas-Lebron

 Mackenzie Vargas was born in Tucson, Arizona, but grew up in San Antonio most of her life. She is a first-generation Honors student pursuing a bachelor’s mechanical engineering and a minor in astrophysics and astronomy. Mackenzie started her aerospace career as a private aircraft mechanic and has been working as an undergraduate research assistant in the Hypersonic Lab since Fall 2024. Aside from her academics, Mackenzie is actively working toward her private pilot’s license, and a project participant in the service-based organization, Engineers Without Borders. In her free time, she loves to dance, hang out with friends, and listen to house music.

Alumni

Graduate: Stephanie Cottier (MS ’19, St. Mary’s U.); Prince Dukuze (MS ’20, CPS Energy); Raj Patel (MS ’21, Axiom Space); Diego Bass (MS ’21, Navistar); Dean Kaialau (MS ’21, Aerospace Corp.); Matt Garcia (MS ’22, US Navy); Valeria Delgado (MS ’22); Brandon Donald (MS ’22, Firefly Aerospace); Eugene Hoffman (PhD ’23, Southwest Research Institute); Mark Angiuno (MS ’25, Southwest Research Institute); David Balderas (MS ’25), David Kendhammer (MS ’25), Elijah Lalonde (PhD ’25 Florida State University), Katherine Kim (ME ’25), Nathan Strasser (MS ’25)

Undergraduate: George Gonzalez (BS ’19, Boeing), DJ Bell (BS ’19, Boeing), Christopher Kunz (BS ’19, Boeing), Anmar Jabbar (BS ’19, Pike Corp.), Jordan Foster (BS ’20, L3 Harris), Dean Kaialau (BS ’20), Tomas Bello (BS ’20, HEB), Diana Magana (BS ’20, HEB), Raj Patel (BS ’20), Matt Garcia (BS ’20), Michael Rittenberry (BS ’20), Natasia Upadhaya (BS ’20), Ivana Chen (BS ’22, Rolls Royce), Hayden Bilbo (BS ’22), Austin Rendon (BS ’22, JHU-APL), Veronika Granado (BS ’23), Edward Gonzalez Rebollar (BS ’24, Pratt & Whitney), Brenda Perez (BS ’24, Southwest Research Institute)