The Kakhovka dam, a key piece of infrastructure on the Dnieper River in Ukraine, collapsed this week, prompting scientists, politicians, and military personnel to speculate about potential causes. The New York Times reached out to experts in engineering and explosives to inform their coverage of the dam’s collapse. Among those quoted was Nick Glumac, a professor of mechanical science and engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Glumac is the Research Area 3 Lead in the MSEE URA. His current focus involves metal combustion as it relates to the military and aerospace industries. Other areas of Glumac’s research include the combustion synthesis of materials, combustion diagnostics, catalysis and catalytic combustion, chemical vapor deposition, and reactive flow modeling.

The New York Times has quoted Glumac in the past for their coverage of explosions in Beirut and Crimea. His work makes him a valuable resource for reporters looking to gain a better understanding of the science behind these types of events, as well as an integral part of the MSEE URA.