Education

• PhD Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, 1979
• BS, Chemistry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1974

Academic Positions

• Research Professor and lecturer, Department of Chemistry, George Washington University, May 1998-August 2000
• Associate Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, August 2000-June 2007
• Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, June 2007-August 2014
• Professor, Aerospace Engineering Department, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, August 2014-present

Other Professional Employment

• Research Staff Member, Task Leader, Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), Science & Technology and Systems Evaluation Divisions, 1979-May, 1998

Post-Doctoral Research Opportunities

A post-doctoral position is presently available in the Levin research group. Familiarity with computational techniques such as direct simulation Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics in a high performance computing environment is desirable.

Chapters in Books

• Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautic, Hypersonic Nonequilibrium Flows: Fundamentals and Recent Advances, Edited by Dr. Eswar Josyula, eISBN: 978-1-62410-329-2, DOI: 10.2514/4.103292, “Radiation from Hypersonic Bodies—A Window on Non-Equilibrium Processes,” D. A. Levin

Selected Articles in Journals

• A. Marayikkottu and D. Levin, “Eulerian-Lagrangian Modeling of Non-Dilute Particle-Laden Blast Wave systems.” submitted to Journal of Applied Physics, Feb. 2021.
• A. Marayikkottu, S. Sawant, D. Levin, C. Huang, M. Schoenitz, and E. Dreizin, “Numerical study of particle lifting mechanisms in an electrostatic discharge plasma,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 137, (2021) 103564.
• S. Sawant, V. Theofilis, and D. Levin, “Kinetic modeling of three-dimensional shock/laminar separation bubble instabilities in hypersonic flows over a double wedge,? Paper submitted to J. of Fluid Mechanics, Jan. 2021.
• S. Sawant, D. Levin, and V. Theofilis,”Analytical Prediction of Low-Frequency Fluctuations Inside a One-Dimensional Shock,? submitted to Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics, Jan 2021.S. Sawant, D. Levin, and V. Theofilis,”Analytical Prediction of Low-Frequency Fluctuations Inside a One-Dimensional Shock,? submitted to Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics, Jan 2021.
• Sawant, Saurabh; Levin, Deborah; Theofilis, Vassilis, ”A Kinetic Approach to Studying Low-frequency Molecular Fluctuations in a One-Dimensional Shock,” Submitted to Journal of Fluids Mechanics,” 18- Nov-2020.

Articles in Conference Proceedings

• Revathi Jambunathan and Deborah Levin, “Fully kinetic simulations of ion thruster plumes using PIC-DSMC,” Paper No., IEPC-2019-A-529, 36th International Electric Propulsion Conference, September 15-20, 2019, University of Vienna, Austria.
• Nakul Nuwal and Deborah Levin, “Plasma characteristics in the backflow region of ion thruster plumes using kinetic and Boltzmann models,” Paper No., IEPC-2019-A-367, 36th International Electric Propulsion Conference, September 15-20, 2019, University of Vienna, Austria.
• Neil Mehta and Deborah Levin, “Colloid thruster droplet evolution analysis using molecular dynamics,” Paper No., IEPC-2019-A-530, 36th International Electric Propulsion Conference, September 15-20, 2019, University of Vienna, Austria.
• Ozgur Tumuklu, Deborah A. Levin, and Vassilios Theofilis, “Use of particle methods for understanding hypersonic shock boundary layer interactions, “AIP Conference Proceedings 2132, 050001 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5119587Proceedings of the 31ST International Symposium on Rarefied Gas Dynamics: RGD31, 23-27, July 2018, Glasgow, UK, ISBN 978-0-7354-5, Yonghao Zhang, David Emerson, Duncan Lockerby and Lei Wu, Volume number: 2132.
• Neil A. Mehta and Deborah A. Levin, “Study of ionic liquid mixture droplet evolution in an external electric field using molecular dynamics, “AIP Conference Proceedings 2132, 050001 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5119535 Proceedings of the 31ST International Symposium on Rarefied Gas Dynamics: RGD31, 23-27, July 2018, Glasgow, UK, ISBN 978-0-7354-5, Yonghao Zhang, David Emerson, Duncan Lockerby and Lei Wu, Volume number: 2132.

Invited Lectures

• Modeling of Chemically Reacting Rarefied Gas Flows – Challenges and Opportunities
• Bow Shock Flight Instrumentation – Lessons Learned and Future Opportunities
• Direct simulation of Chemically Reacting Spacecraft Flows
• Direct Simulation of Spacecraft Reacting Flows
• Direct Simulation of Chemically Reacting Flows

Other Publications

• D. Levin, R. T. Loda, and R. J. Collins, “Instrumentation Considerations for a Bow Shock Radiation Experiment,” SPIE Paper Los Angeles Meeting, Vol. 1059, January 1989.
• R. T. Loda, D. A. Levin, and R. J. Collins, “Analysis of Laser Diagnostics in Plumes,” SPIE Paper at the Los Angeles SPIE Meeting, Vol. 1062, January 1989.
• D. Levin, R. J. Collins, and G. V. Candler, “Computations for Support Design Measurements of Radiation from Low Velocity Shock Heated Air,” AIAA-90-0132, 28th Aerospace Sciences Meeting, January 1990.
• D. Levin, R. T. Loda, G. V. Candler, and C. Park, “Theory of Radiation from Low Velocity Heated Air,” AIAA-90-0133, 28th Aerospace Sciences Meeting, January 1990.
• Christou, R. T. Loda, and D. A. Levin, “LIDAR Feasibility Studies on In-Flight Rocket Plumes,” AIAA-90-0138, 28th Aerospace Sciences Meeting, January 1990.

Teaching Honors

• AIAA Thermophysics TC David Weaver Best Student Paper, Co-recipient (2009)
• AIAA Thermophysics TC David Weaver Best Student Paper, Co-recipient (2010)

Research Honors

• Naval Research Laboratory (1995)
• Penn State Engineering Society (PSES) PSES Outstanding Research Award (2006)
• Penn State Engineering Society (PSES) Premier Research Award (2013)

Public Service Honors

• NASA Engineering and Safety Center Group Achievement Award (2006)

Other Honors

• AIAA Certificate of Merit for Best paper in 35th Thermophysics Conference, Anaheim California (2001)

Courses Taught

• AE 434 – Rocket Propulsion
• AE 485 – Spacecraft Environments
• AE 498 – Spacecraft Environment