Meet the Team

Leadership

Wayne Strasser
Before entering academia, Dr. Wayne Strasser provided computational solutions to problems related to fluids, chemical reactions, and phase change for various global industry partners for 25 years, resulting in increased energy utilization and improved product yield valued at tens of millions (USD) annually. The thrusts of his current research include optimization of a transonic self-sustaining pulsatile airblast atomizer and hybrid RANS-LES modeling of primary atomization. He has 37 patents in the US, plus those abroad. He is a registered P.E. in three US states, an ASME Fellow, an Executive Director of Industrial Relations for ASTFE, and operates a private CFD consulting company. He previously chaired the ASME Fluid Applications and Systems Technical Committee, the ASME Honors and Awards Committee, and the ASME Fluid Mechanics Technical Committee. He is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Fluids Engineering and actively reviews articles for at least a dozen journals. He also enjoys lively philosophical debate on the origin and meaning of life.

Graduate Students

Kent Gingerich (PhD)
Kent “Newt” Gingerich is a Mechanical Engineering undergraduate student at Liberty University. He has helped Dr. Strasser create an introductory demonstration of the open source CFD program OpenFOAM and is currently involved in dolphin skin modeling. He plans on writing his honors thesis on modeling an airfoil with a movable flap, like that embedded in shark skin, to reduce stall by controlling the flow over the airfoil. It is only through the grace of God that he is studying at Liberty University, and he is very grateful to be a part of the FLUID group.
Robert Kacinski (PhD)
Robert Kacinski is a PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Liberty University. He grew up in Long Island, New York but currently resides in Lynchburg, VA. During his undergraduate studies, he participated in a directed research project with Dr. Wayne Strasser involving CFD and shark skin for boundary layer separation control. This study was instrumental in piquing an interest in the field that is now being pursued in graduate level research. Outside of his studies, playing the piano and golf are two of his favorite pastimes, as they provide a level of mental challenge along with the leisure of the two activities. I am resolute in my faith regarding frequent prayer and a firm belief that God works all things for good.
Babu Karra (PhD)
Newton Babu Karra is a dedicated research scholar who recently completed his Master’s in Thermal Engineering and Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering in India. He focuses on alternative fuels, energy systems, and CFD in his research. Additionally, Newton has a strong passion for theology & Psychology having earned both a Bachelor of Theology and a Master of Divinity from prestigious seminaries in India. While studying, he served in various church ministries across Andhra Pradesh, engaging in community service and youth educational initiatives. His volunteer work includes tutoring in orphanages and participating in a range of church activities. Newton’s dual commitment to engineering and theology showcases his potential for impactful contributions to society, blending technical proficiency with spiritual leadership.
Ryan Learn (PhD)
Ryan Learn is a mechanical engineering student at Liberty University. He has participated in research towards nanostructured alloy development for additive manufacturing as well as research into solid state metal foams using oxide reduction and intraparticle expansion. He is a part of his university’s Aero Competition Team and holds a strong interest in the aerospace industry. Ryan enjoys simulation-oriented and hands-on projects; in his free time, he can be found golfing, playing video games, spending quality time with friends, and more.
Caleb Miller (PhD)
Caleb Miller is a mechanical engineering student at Liberty University. He is working on developing meshes for modeling the launch conditions of LUSE’s Rocketry Competition Team. He has past experience with other computational simulations such as molecular dynamics but is looking forward to expanding into CFD. He is originally from Clinton, Mississippi, and enjoys spending time playing ultimate frisbee, hiking, and reading about apologetics/theology. Caleb plans to continue research after undergraduate studies and pursue a PhD.
Elijah Yoder (PhD)
Elijah Yoder is a Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate student interested in studying God’s creation and using that as inspiration for modern engineering. His F.L.U.I.D. research involves studying the Bombardier Beetle’s volatile spray defense mechanism and utilizing that in a fire extinguisher. He has been a part of Liberty’s Formula SAE team and has had various hands-on engineering experience through internships with PennDOT. In his free time, he enjoys working out, playing sports of various kinds, and catching up on the latest movies.

Undergraduate Students

Nathanael Breed
Nate Breed is a Mechanical Engineering undergraduate student at Liberty University. He has spent the past two summers interning with Los Alamos National Laboratory and plans to continue his research on scaling high-explosive events to simulate full-scale tests to be executed at the Nevada National Security Site by Los Alamos National Laboratory under the guidance of Dr. Wayne Strasser. While his engineering research is an important part of Nate’s story, the most important thing to know about him is that he is a follower of Jesus.
Jon Estes
I’m currently a junior in mechanical engineering at Liberty University with a minor in business. I’m a big fan of film, literature, camp, and most things outside. I got into engineering from a simple childhood desire to know how stuff works, and I’m pretty happy to say that desire has been ongoing. I am currently assisting Dr. Strasser in his research on reducing the drag of carrier ships by means of hydrofoil.
Cyrus Harris
Cyrus Harris is a rising Junior, majoring in both Mechanical and Civil Engineering. He lives in Forest, Virginia and has loved growing up in a city surrounded by a Christian community. He is passionate about design and the act of creating, whether that be through art, music, writing, or engineering - mimicking and taking inspiration from the Lord, the Creator. He is excited to start research under the guidance of Dr. Strasser and hopes to continue growing in the Lord and his skills through this experience.
Caleb Hellmund
Caleb Hellmund is currently studying computer engineering at Liberty University and is passionate about solving problems and acquiring knowledge. He is from Northern Virginia and enjoys a variety of hobbies, including chess, coding, playing guitar, and studying apologetics.
Luke Krick
Luke Krick is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Luke has previously worked in the refrigeration industry and will be an intern for BWXT. CFD and its applications for the space industry are Luke’s primary research interests. On the side, Luke loves to read, build rockets, and work on his car.
Daniel Lazor
Daniel Lazor is in his third year pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He enjoys working through different problems and finding solutions to new things. He is from Midland Park, New Jersey and some of his hobbies are soccer, playing the banjo, playing games with friends, and being outside.
Harry Rogish
My name is Harry Rogish and I’m in my fifth year pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. I enjoy many different engineering fields, including fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, manufacturing/machine design, and materials science. I’m from York, Pennsylvania and in my free time I enjoy reading, weightlifting, archery, mixed martial arts, learning guitar, and just being out in nature.
Aaron Ronaldson
My name is Aaron Ronaldson and I am a mechanical engineering student at Liberty University. I am passionate about making new discoveries and solving problems that haven’t been solved before. My hobbies and interests include rock climbing, playing music, and reading.
Johnny Sugarman
Johnny Sugarman is a third-year mechanical engineering student at Liberty University. He is working to model the shock wave location in a converging-diverging nozzle. He currently resides in Meridian, Idaho and will be interning for Micron there this coming summer. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, water skiing, and learning new songs on the piano.
Skylar Waechter
Skylar Waechter is a Mechanical Engineering student at Liberty University, graduating in Spring 2025. His research experience comes from analyzing fluid flow around competitive swimmers under the guidance of Dr. Shobayo. In his internships he has both designed truck components and conducted engineering reviews on submarine parts. This has provided a wide range of experiences, equipping Skylar to enter the engineering world. He is from Saint Cloud, Florida, and is a committed follower of Jesus Christ.

Alumni (Graduate)

Reid Prichard (PhD)
Employed by BWXT
Alex Strasser (PhD)
PhD student in Materials Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University
Eric Turman (MS)
Employed by General Motors
Daniel Wilson (PhD)
Employed by Clemson University

Alumni (Undergraduate)

Isabelle Ambrose
John Bailey
Christian Bernth
Eli Best
Josh Clayton
Hrishav Dey
Michael Diaz
Joel Dowdell
Sydney Gates
Joshua Glenn
Parker Harris
Emilie Hatton
Samuel Heath
Josh Ingram
Jacob Knollinger
Joseph Krahn
Isaac Liu
Matthew Marcinko
Clay McClintock
Micah Mutscheller
Brett Natelborg
Ethan Newkirk
Jonah Osterhus
Luke Phayre
Ryan Pritzkau
Tanner Randall
Elijah Reeves
Nathan Roberts
Nathan Rogers
Emily Schneidau
Samuel Springer
Serenity Sudbrock
Aleck Tilbrook
Ben Truxel
Tyler Ulmschneider
Nicholas Veeder
Arianna Verbosky
Jacob Walker
Liu Bo Wilkins
Abraham Wingfield
Aaron Young
Hayley Yukihiro