Dr. Josette Bellan Receives JPL Magellan Award for Excellence

Josette Bellan, Caltech Visiting Associate in Mechanical and Civil Engineering as well as Senior Research Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), has received the Magellan Award for Excellence for the development of new Large Eddy Simulation methodologies for particle laden and supercritical mixing layers. The Magellan Award is the highest JPL award presented to an individual for her scientific or technical accomplishments.

Dr. J. Bellan investigates the physics of high-pressure multi-species turbulent reactive. Her research has shown that the dynamics and thermodynamics of these flows is very tightly coupled, the smallest scales are of thermodynamic origin and molecular diffusion is intertwined with thermodynamics; all unlikely for atmospheric-pressure flows. Her results have far-reaching consequences for understanding planetary atmospheres (e.g. Venus) and for controlling automotive and aviation-related engine-combustion processes directly relevant to Climate Change.