Dr. Engeling of Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Plasma is a collection of charged and neutral particles with the ability for collective motion using electric and magnetic fields. Conditions of plasma vary from fusion reactors such as the sun to low temperature applications such as surface treatments and plasma agriculture. This seminar will focus on the basics of what defines a plasma, temperature regimes of naturally occurring and human-made plasma systems, and then transition to low-temperature plasmas as a sub focus.  From there, more detail will be given regarding typical low temperature plasma experiment setups, diagnostic equipment, do’s and don’t’s of the lab, and plasma-chemical synthesis research applications at atmospheric and sub atmospheric pressures.

Biography:

Dr. Kenneth Engeling received his PhD in Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 2019 with a focus in plasma physics. Since 2020, he has performed research at Kennedy Space Center and focuses within plasma physics and plasma chemistry. Some of the work includes waste gasification, toxic gas abatement, lunar mining, fuel production, and advanced sensing techniques. Prior to joining NASA, he worked for the Air Force Research Laboratories as a contractor on high power microwave systems. He left NASA in 2025 to found Applied Plasma Innovations to commercialize the systems developed at NASA. He has authored over 24 publications, 34 NASA New Technology Reports, recipient of the NASA Early Career Achievement Award, and currently has two pending U.S. Patents.

Email:

Address:Applied Plasma Innovations, 1803 Corvina Way, Titusville, Florida, United States, 32780