Computational Science Student of the Month – David Collao

Where are you from?

I was born and grew up in Lima, Peru. I came to the US in 2004 to attend college. I went to Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN, where I earned a bachelor’s degree and in 2009 I came to UT Chattanooga to work on a MS and, later, on a PhD.

What brought you to UTC?
Graduate school brought me to UTC. I was very interested in learning Computational Fluid Dynamics and was up for the challenge of graduate school. I was very impressed by the Computational Engineering program at UTC, but I also felt the charm of Chattanooga. So, I came to UTC in part because of Chattanooga.

What is your educational background?

I graduated from Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2009. Then I came to UTC to work on a master’s degree in Computational Engineering, which I finished in the Summer of 2011. Then I came back to UTC in 2012 for a PhD in Computational Engineering which I will finish in the Spring of 2017.

What research are you working on?

My work has been related to computational mesh generation and application of CFD (computational fluid dynamics) for turbomachinery simulations.

What are your plans for the future?

Work in industry. Ideally, I would love to be part of the design and development team of a company or institution that makes aircraft parts or propulsion systems. But in general, I’m interested in various applications of CFD, software development, and manufacturing.

What are your interests and hobbies?
I’m interested in cars (EV’s and ICE’s), hybrid propulsion for aircraft, and 3D printing. I like making things, cooking, exercise (soccer, crossfit, running), dancing. I’ve been part of the Chattanooga Choo Choo Chorus (barbershop style singing) and have participated with them in three concerts and a competition.

Does your experience at UTC meet or exceed your expectations?

My experience at UTC blew away my expectations. I have been challenged more than I ever thought I could handle but I also received a lot of support from both mentors and friends. For that matter, I have grown as a professional and formed great friendships.