Current PhD Students
We are actively looking for additional PhD students to add to the group!
Nikk Lao (Summer 2025 - current)
Project: Enceladus Plume Modeling
Contact: nlao at stevens.edu
I am from Marlton, NJ, and I graduated with my bachelor's degree from Stevens in Mechanical Engineering in the spring of 2025. Before starting my PhD, I was in the co-op program, and interned in biotech, oil, and construction. I started working on Enceladus plume modeling during the Summer of 2024 as an undergraduate student, and my research now focuses on modeling the subsurface ocean. In my free time, I enjoy exercising, cooking, and playing pool. Feel free to reach out with any questions about our research!
Zackary Miller (Summer 2026 - current)
Project: Shock/Droplet Aerobreakup and Impingement Modeling
Contact: zmiller4 at stevens.edu
I am from Hamilton, NJ, and I graduated from The College of New Jersey in the spring of 2026 with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. At TCNJ, I took part in NASA’s Human Lander Challenge (HuLC) for my capstone project, where our team designed a fluid transfer line for lunar surface operations. At Stevens, my research focuses on computational modeling of shockwave droplet interactions in highspeed flow. Beyond my research, I am interested in space engineering and space science, and in my free time I enjoy playing Magic: The Gathering and video games.
Andrew Sayad (Fall 2022 - current)
Project: Shock/Droplet Aerobreakup and Impingement Modeling
Contact: asayad1 at stevens.edu
I am from Wayne, NJ, and I earned my B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a minor in math and a focus in thermal-fluid physics. My research interests include computational modeling of highspeed multiphase flow and droplet effects on highspeed vehicles. I played baseball through high school and I’m a big New York Yankees fan. In my free time I enjoy working out, playing video games, and walking my dog Chewie.
Miranda Smith (Summer 2025 - current)
Project: Enceladus Plume Modeling
Contact: msmith5 at stevens.edu
My name is Miranda Smith, and I’m from Paterson, NJ. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Physics in the fall of 2024 and my master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in the spring of 2025, both from Stevens Institute of Technology. For my Ph.D. research, I study the ascent/eruption of fluid from Enceladus’ subsurface to the surface, and we are trying to understand the driving eruption mechanism(s) behind the Enceladus plume. More broadly, my research interests include aerospace and planetary science, with particular interests in geophysics, propulsion, and orbital dynamics. In my free time, I enjoy dancing, reading, and spending time with friends. Feel free to reach out with any questions!