January 17, 2026

We are proud to announce that our research group presented seven technical papers at the 2025 AIAA SciTech Forum, held in Orlando, FL, from January 6–10, 2025. The AIAA SciTech Forum is one of the world’s premier conferences in aerospace research and innovation, and we were excited to contribute cutting-edge experimental studies spanning droplet-plasma interactions, additive manufacturing, and aerodynamic surface design.

Highlights from Our Presentations:

  • An Experimental Study on the Colloidal Droplet–Plasma Interactions and Final Deposit Formation in Plasma-Assisted Inkjet 3D Printing
    S. Kumar, H. Zhang, J. Ahumada, P. Lelikov, MDSB Sarwar, and Y. Liu
    This study explored how plasma affects the behavior and final deposition of colloidal droplets in advanced 3D printing processes.
  • An Experimental Study on the Deposition Dynamics of Colloidal Droplets Impacting and Freezing on Inclined Substrates
    H. Zhang, S. Kumar, and Y. Liu
    Investigates how freezing droplets behave on angled surfaces—key to improving the fidelity of cryogenic inkjet printing.
  • An Experimental Study on the Dynamic Behaviors of Droplets During In-Flight Interaction With DBD Plasma
    J. Ahumada, P. Lelikov, MDSB Sarwar, and Y. Liu
    Focused on droplet deformation and breakup dynamics under plasma exposure while airborne.
  • Characteristics of Electrospray-Generated Droplets During Interactions With Plasma Discharge
    J. Ahumada, MDSB Sarwar, P. Lelikov, and Y. Liu
    Examines how charged microdroplets behave in plasma environments—relevant for precision spraying and deposition.
  • Spreading and Fingering Instability of Droplets Impacting a Plasma-Covered Surface
    J. Ahumada, MDSB Sarwar, P. Lelikov, and Y. Liu
    Reports on the instability patterns that emerge when droplets strike plasma-treated surfaces.
  • Characterization of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma During Interaction With In-Flight Water Droplets
    P. Lelikov, J. Ahumada, MDSB Sarwar, and Y. Liu
    Provides experimental measurements of plasma field behavior during high-speed droplet interactions.
  • Development of a Novel Robotic Wave Morphing Surface for Assessing the Aerodynamics of Wing-in-Ground (WIG) Craft
    J. Albano, G. Zhang, L. Wang, and Y. Liu
    Introduces an innovative morphing surface system designed for aerodynamic testing of near-ground-effect vehicles.

We are proud of our team for contributing high-impact research to the aerospace community and for engaging in vibrant technical discussions at one of the year’s most important forums. Congratulations to all presenters!