Recently, the Combustion Institute announced the 2021 class of Fellows of The Combustion Institute. The College of Engineering Associate Professor Zheng Chen was selected for “significant contributions to novel theory on ignition and propagation of premixed spherical flames, accurate flame speed measurement from outwardly propagating spherical flames, and advancements in understanding fast flame propagation and deflagration-to-detonation transition under engine-relevant conditions”.

The Combustion Institute is an international, non-profit, educational and scientific society. Founded in 1954, CI promotes and disseminates research activities in all areas of combustion science and technology for the advancement of many diverse communities around the world. Fellow of the institute is a lifetime honor to recognize dedicated members for outstanding contributions to combustion. The 32 fellows of the 2021 class include two from China.

Zheng Chen’s research focuses on the fundamental flame dynamics in combustion processes. His group has developed theory on ignition, flame propagation, and extinction of premixed flames. He won the CI Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award in 2020 and has served as associate editor of the journal Combustion and Flame since 2021.