Current Members

David received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez in May 2020 and December 2022, respectively. In spring of 2020, David joined High Performance Computing & Visualization Lab Team as an Undergraduate Research Assistant, where he assumed the responsibility of large-scale, direct numerical simulations (DNS) data post-processing and visual representation using Virtual Reality. Since he joined the team, he has worked on continuously optimizing the Virtual Wind Tunnel by improving data manipulation within the visualization process for subjects like: spatially-developing turbulent boundary layers (SDTBL) subject to very strong favorable pressure gradient (FPG), and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) for SDTBLs subject to strong concave-convex surfaces to study flow separation. From 2016 through 2019, David was member of Aero Design RUM-Air Team where besides reaching Team Captain position in his last year, he also achieved collective top-places awards in every yearly international competition. David also had Engineering Internship/Co-op experiences in aerospace industry with Collins Aerospace and Honeywell Aerospace. Currently visiting scholar at UTSA.

Christian received his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez in 2019. Christian is a PhD Student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. From 2015 through 2017, he performed numerical analysis of experimental data obtained from highly-loaded composite materials. From 2017 through 2018, he performed applied research on the detection of micro-bubbles using artificial intelligence techniques. In 2016, he performed an internship for GE Aviation as part of the EID program. He also conducted applied research as part of the US Government during 2017 as part of a 6-month COOP experience and during the 2019 summer period. He joined the HPCVL in spring of 2019 where his current research includes large-scale, direct numerical simulations (DNS) of supersonic/hypersonic, spatially-developing turbulent boundary layers (SDTBL) at high Reynolds numbers and the development of massively parallel DNS post-processing algorithms (Aquila-CFD) tailored for heterogenous, distributed-memory computing environments. As an undergraduate, he received the PR-LSAMP scholarship for his work studying compressibility effects of a supersonic SDTBL via DNS. He is an NSF Bridge to the Doctorate Fellow, and his PhD research is aimed at advanced turbulence modeling in hypersonic flows subject to very strong curvatures via DNS-data-driven methods and physics-informed Machine Learning. He received his Doctoral Candidacy in April 2020. Christian was awarded the prestigious 2021 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF), the project title is “Towards advanced turbulence modelling in reacting hypersonic flows and complex geometries via Direct Numerical Simulation and Machine Learning.”

Arian Ghods earned his M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tehran and furthered his studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). His background in mechanical engineering, coupled with expertise in computer simulation and renewable energy, positioned him as a notable researcher in fluid mechanics and sustainable energy.
At UTSA, Arian undertook significant tasks, including the post-processing of large-scale DNS data. He gained deep insights into flow separation phenomena and passive scalar transport, emphasizing the movement of heat and pollutants. Adept at CFD simula􀆟ons, Arian u􀆟lized the RANS methodology with OpenFOAM so􀅌ware and honed his post-processing skills using tools like Python and ParaView.
Throughout 2014 to 2019, Arian embarked on a myriad of research projects, such as designing Kaplan turbines using Ansys CFX and studying the thermal resistance of various heat sink designs. His undergraduate dissertation on simulating pressure distributions in reverse osmosis membranes using MATLAB earned him an impeccable A+ grade, further solidifying his passion for research. As part of his Master’s journey at the University of Tehran, Arian delved into sustainable energy research, specifically the domain of electric vehicles. His Master’s dissertation revolved around the dynamic simulation and environmental effects of Li-ion bateries in EVs using machine learning techniques.
With a strong academic foundation, Arian is now keen on extending his research journey. Inspired by the collaborative atmosphere and distinguished professors, he joined the University of Texas at San Antonio, a hub for global scholars, to further his endeavors in the realm of Mechanical Engineering.

Akshay attained his bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from Rajasthan Technical University (India) in 2014. He held the position of Software Engineer at various firms for approximately over five years. Presently, he is doing a master’s in Computer Science at the University of Texas at San Antonio. During his time at the university, he is focusing on data analytics and visualization in AR and VR in his research endeavors.

Brandon has been an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Computational Turbulence and Visualization Lab (CTV Lab) since March 2023. He is a full-time student at UTSA, pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. His future plans involve obtaining a Masters in Aerospace Engineering, specializing in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Hypersonic Boundary Layer Research. During the summer of 2023, he interned at StandardAero working on RB211 engines and conducted an independent study under Dr. Araya. Brandon is scheduled to graduate in the Fall of 2024.

Sean joined the CTV Lab in Fall 2022 as a student assistant to aid with development and maintenance of the CTV lab website.

When not working with Dr. Araya on website matters, Sean conducts research within the Multifunctional Electronics Materials and Devices Researcher Laboratory. Sean is pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering.

Former Members