Mark Drela Explained

Mark Drela (July 1, 1959) is an American aeronautical engineer, currently the Professor of Fluid Dynamics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an Elected Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He is primarily concerned with computational engineering, design, and optimization.^[1] Drela is famed for his work on aerodynamics softwares:

• XFOIL for airfoil analysis using a panel method^[2]
• Athena Vortex Lattice (AVL) for flight dynamic analysis using a vortex lattice method^[3]
• MISES for design and analysis of turbo machinery blading^[4]

In 2009, Drela was elected as a member into the National Academy of Engineering for creation of breakthrough aircraft designs and design software that enabled operation in new flight regimes.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Mark Drela . mit.edu . April 28, 2017.
2. Web site: Faculty profile: Mark Drela's research — and his teaching — offer beauty and functionality . mit.edu . April 28, 2017.
3. Web site: AVL Overview . mit.edu . November 26, 2018.
4. Web site: MISES - SOFTWARE FOR DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF TURBOMACHINERY BLADING . mit.edu . November 10, 2020.