Title: 1) Professor; 2) President
Company: 1) University of Miami; 2) Coflow Jet LLC
Location: Cutler Bay, Florida, United States
Gecheng Zha, Professor at the University of Miami and President at Coflow Jet LLC, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Higher Education and Aerospace Engineering.
Dr. Zha has established himself as an expert in aerospace engineering and mechanical innovation, marked by significant contributions to both academia and industry. Since 2016, he has served as the president of Coflow Jet LLC, a startup he helped form to commercialize his pioneering research from the University of Miami. Under his leadership, the company is actively seeking funding to advance its proprietary technology, which is designed to enhance aircraft efficiency and overall performance. The Coflow Jet technology, Dr. Zha’s most notable achievement, also holds promise for applications in maritime wind propulsion and clean energy for wind turbines, reflecting his commitment to advancing sustainable solutions across multiple sectors.
In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, Dr. Zha has been a full professor at the University of Miami since 2013, where he teaches aerospace engineering, aerodynamics, computational fluid dynamics and related subjects. His academic tenure at the university began in 2001 as an associate professor, a role he held until 2013. During this period, Dr. Zha contributed to the development of the department and mentored numerous students in advanced engineering concepts. From 2007 to 2009, Dr. Zha also served as the director of Miami Wind at the University of Miami, where he led research initiatives focused on wind energy and aerodynamic innovation.
Before his academic appointments, Dr. Zha gained industry experience as a senior engineer at Pratt & Whitney from 2000 to 2001, where he contributed to the development of advanced propulsion systems. He was previously a lead engineer at GE Aviation, now GE Aerospace, from 1998 to 2000, where he played a key role in engineering projects related to aircraft engines. Dr. Zha also served as a visiting scientist at the Air Force Research Laboratory of the U.S. Air Force between 1997 and 1999, engaging in research that supported national defense and aerospace advancements, specifically in the development and simulation of computational fluid dynamics software.
Dr. Zha’s academic background has been instrumental in shaping his professional trajectory. He earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in aerospace engineering at Northwestern Polytechnical University in his home country of China in 1983 and 1986, respectively. In 1994, he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in mechanical engineering from École Polytechnique at the Université de Montréal. Dr. Zha’s graduate studies provided a strong foundation in advanced engineering principles and research methodologies, preparing him for future success. Additionally, he completed postdoctoral research at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, from 1994 to 1997, setting the stage for his subsequent achievements in both academic and industrial settings.
Throughout his career, Dr. Zha has been recognized for his professional excellence and leadership within the engineering community. He is an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, a fellow of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and a fellow of the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts, now NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts.
As a seasoned researcher, Dr. Zha has been affiliated with numerous peer-reviewed journals as a referee and editor, including the Journal of Computational Physics and the Journal of Fluids and Structures. He has also contributed as an author to dozens of articles and chapters in books and served as a dissertation advisor for numerous graduate students. Moreover, Dr. Zha has been invited to multiple conferences to speak publicly, both locally and abroad, has secured hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding for research and holds 25 patents.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Dr. Zha is dedicated to making a meaningful impact, hoping to be remembered as someone passionate about contributing to the betterment of society through his work. Looking ahead, he aims for Coflow Jet technology to be adopted across aerospace, marine, shipping and wind energy sectors, further extending the reach and influence of his groundbreaking work.
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