Education

Ph.D., Aeronautics and Applied Mathematics, 1997.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, CA, U.S.A

M.Sc., Aeronautics, 1993.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, CA, U.S.A.

Diploma, Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering, 1991.
National Technical University of Athens, Greece.

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Professional Experience

Professor (2010 - present),
Associate Professor (2005 - 2010),
Assistant Professor (2002 - 2005),
University of Louvain,
Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.

Member of the Technical Staff (1998 - 2002)
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Pasadena, California,
U.S.A.

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Teaching Assignments

MECA1855: Thermodynamics and Energetics.
MECA2771: Irreversible Thermodynamics.
MECA2195: Gas Dynamics and Reacting Flows.
MECA2160: Combustion and Fuels.

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Research Interests

• Computational Fluid Dynamics.
• Modeling and simulation of reacting flows (premixed and non-premixed flames, detonations, explosions, etc)
• Algorithm development for partial differential equations.
• Modeling and simulation of dry and fluid-saturated granular materials.
• Modeling and simulation of flows in porous media.

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Awards and Distinctions

• Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA), 2009
• Chaire Tractebel, Pole Energie, UCL, 2002.
• Space Act Award, NASA, 2002.
• Space Act Award, NASA, 2003.
• NOVA Award of Excellence, NASA, 2000.
• William Balhaus Prize, Caltech, 1997.
• Russel Vought Scholarship, Caltech, 1992.
• Thomaidion Prize, National Technical University of Athens, 1990.
• National Prize of the Technical Chamber of Greece, 1990.
• National Prize of the Technical Chamber of Greece, 1991.
• Scholarship of the Greek Government, 1987- 1991.

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Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

1. Papalexandris M.V., (2012), 'Numerical study of detonation transmission in mixtures containing chemical inhibitors', Physics of Fluids, to appear.
2. Varsakelis C., and Papalexandris M.V., (2011), 'Existence of solutions to a continuum model for hydrostatics of granular materials', submitted.
3. Varsakelis C., and Papalexandris M.V., (2011), 'Low-Mach number asymptotics for two-phase flows of granular materials', Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 669, pp. 472-497.
4. Varsakelis C., and Papalexandris M.V., (2010), 'The equilibrium limit of a constitutive model for two-phase granular mixtures and its numerical approximation', Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 229, pp. 4183-4207.
5. Muppala S.P.R., Nakahara M, Aluri N.K., Dinkelacker F., Kido H., Wen J.X, and Papalexandris M.V., (2009), 'Turbulent Burning Velocity of Two-Component Fuel Mixtures of Methane, Propane and Hydrogen', International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 34, pp. 9258-9265.
6. Lessani B., and Papalexandris M.V., (2008), 'Numerical study of turbulent channel flow with strong temperature gradients', International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 18, pp. 545-556.
7. Noel C., Busegnies Y., Papalexandris M.V., and Goriely S., (2008), 'Hydrodynamical simulation of detonations in superbursts', Computer Physics Communications, Vol. 179, pp. 190-193.
8. Noel C., Goriely S., Busegnies Y., and Papalexandris M.V., (2008), 'A new reduced network to simulate detonations in superbursts from mixed H/He accretors', Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 483, pp. 7-12.
9. Deledicque V., and Papalexandris M.V., (2008), 'A conservative approximation to compressible two-phase flows in the stiff mechanical relaxation limit', Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 227, pp. 9241-9270.
10. Noel C., Busegnies Y., Papalexandris M.V., Deledicque V., and El Messoudi A., (2007), 'Hydrodynamical simulation of detonations in superbursts I. Hydrodynamical algorithm and some preliminary 1D results', Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 470, pp. 653-659.
11. Deledicque V., and Papalexandris M.V., (2007), 'An exact Riemann solver for compressible two-phase flow models containing non-conservative products', Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 222, pp. 217-245.
12. Papalexandris M.V., Thomas J.F., Jacobs C. and Deledicque V., (2007), 'Structural characteristics of detonation expansion from a small channel to a larger one', Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, Vol. 31, pp. 2407-2414.
13. Parys B., Papalexandris M.V., and Cornet A., (2006), 'Assessement of femtosecond temporal gating for imaging in biological medium by Monte Carlo simulations', IEE Proceedings, Vision, Image & Signal Processing, Vol. 153, pp. 181-184.
14. Deledicque V., and Papalexandris M.V., (2006), 'Computational study of three-dimensional detonation structures', Combustion & Flame, Vol. 144, pp. 821-837.
15. Lessani B., and Papalexandris M.V., (2006), 'Time-accurate calculation of variable-density flows with strong temperature gradients and combustion ', Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 212, pp. 218-246.
16. Papalexandris M.V., (2005), 'Influence of inert particles on the propagation of multidimensional detonation waves ', Combustion & Flame, Vol. 141, pp. 216-228.
17. Papalexandris M.V., (2004), 'A two-phase model for compressible granular flows based on the theory of irreversible processes', Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 517, pp. 103-112.
18. Papalexandris M.V., (2004), 'Numerical simulation of detonations in mixtures of gases and solid particles', Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 507, pp. 95-142.
19. Papalexandris M.V., (2004), 'Feedback control of thermal systems modeled via the network approach', Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, Vol. 126, pp. 509-519.
20. Papalexandris M.V., Milman M.H., and Shaklan S., (2003), 'A scheme for on-orbit calibration of the Space Interferometry Mission based on spacecraft maneuvering', Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Vol. 115, pp. 1236-1249.
21. Papalexandris M.V., and Walushka E., (2003), 'Numerical phase front propagation for a large-baseline space interferometer', Optical Engineering, Vol. 42, pp.1029-1037.
22. Politis K., Papalexandris M.V., and Athanassoulis G.A., (2002), 'A boundary integral equation method for oblique water-wave scattering by cylinders governed by the modified Helmholtz equation', Applied Ocean Research, Vol. 24, pp.215-233.
23. Papalexandris M.V., Leonard A., and Dimotakis P.E., (2002), 'Unsplit algorithms for multidimensional hyperbolic systems of conservation laws with source terms', Computers & Mathematics with Applications, Vol. 44, pp. 25-49.
24. Papalexandris M.V., Milman M.H., and Levine M., (2002), 'Nodal temperature estimation algorithms for nonlinear thermal network models', AIAA Journal, Vol. 40, pp. 1451-1461.
25. Papalexandris M.V., and Milman M.H., (2001), 'Active control and parameter updating techniques for nonlinear thermal network models', Computational Mechanics, Vol 27, pp. 11-22.
26. Papalexandris M.V., and Redding D.C., (2000), 'Calculation of diffraction effects on the average phase of an optical field', Journal of the Optical Society of America, A, Vol. 17, pp. 1763-1772.
27. Papalexandris M.V., (2000), 'Numerical study of wedge-induced detonations', Combustion & Flame, Vol. 120, pp 526-538.
28. Papalexandris M.V., Leonard A., and Dimotakis P.E., (1997), 'Unsplit schemes for hyperbolic conservation laws with source terms in one space dimension', Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 134, pp. 31-61.

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Articles in Conference Proceedings

1. Antoniadis P.D., and Papalexandris M.V., (2012), 'Numerical simulation of a flow over and through porous layers of large porosity', 9th National Congress on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Brussels, Belgium.
2. Papalexandris M.V. and Steisel Q., (2011), 'Numerical study of detonation suppression with chemical inhibitors', 23rd International Conference on the Dynamics of Explosions and Reactive Systems,Irvine, CA, 24-29 July 2011.
3. Varsakelis C., and Papalexandris M.V., (2009), 'Low-Mach number expansion and equilibrium behavior of two-phase granular mixtures', 8th National Congress on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Brussels, Belgium.
4. Varsakelis C., and Papalexandris M.V., (2009), 'The derivation of low-Mach number expansion for two-phase flows of granular mixtures', EUROTHERM-84 : Thermodynamics of Phase Changes, Namur, Belgium.
5. Kuborn X., Papalexandris M.V., and Jeanmart H., (2009), 'Modeling shrinkage of a fibrous porous medium during thermal decomposition of one of its constituents', EUROTHERM-84 : Thermodynamics of Phase Changes, Namur, Belgium.
6. Dutrieue R., and Papalexandris M.V., (2008), 'Numerical studies on displacement of fire smoke in a road tunnel with a T-junction', 4th International Conference 'Tunnel Safety and Ventilation', Graz, Austria
7. Noel C., Busegnies Y., Papalexandris M.V., and Goriely S., (2007), 'Hydrodynamic simulations of detonations in superbursts', 10th International Symposiumon Origin of Matter and Evolution of Galaxies, APS, Sapporo, Japan.
8. Deledicque V., and Papalexandris M.V., (2007), 'A conservative approximation of compressible flow models of heterogeneous mixtures in the stiff mechanical relaxation limit', 3rd European Combustion Meeting, Chania-Crete, Greece.
9. Kuborn X., Papalexandris M.V., and Jeanmart H., (2007), 'Modelling transport phenomena and shrinkage during wood drying and pyrolysis', 3rd European Combustion Meeting, Chania-Crete, Greece.
10. Muppala S.P.R., and Papalexandris M.V., (2006), 'A modelling approach for hydrogen-doped lean premixed turbulent combustion', ASME World Congress, Chicago, IL.
11. Deledicque V, and Papalexandris M.V., (2006), 'A non-linear Riemann solver for hyperbolic non-conservative two phase flow models', 11th National Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Mons, Belgium.
12. Lessani B., and Papalexandris M.V., (2005), 'Numerical study of turbulent channel flow with strong temperature gradients ', Numerical Heat Transfer 2005, EUROTHERM 82, Cracow, Poland.
13. Papalexandris M.V., (2005), 'The multidimensional structure of detonation waves in heterogeneous mixtures containing inert solid particles', 2nd European Combustion Meeting, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
14. Deledicque V., and Papalexandris M.V., (2005), 'Numerical analysis of the rectangular and diagonal structures in three-dimensional detonations', 2nd European Combustion Meeting, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
15. Papalexandris M.V., (2003), 'Development of high-accuracy beam propagation algorithms for metrology applications', PHOTOMEC-02, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
16. Papalexandris M.V., and Walushka E., (2002), 'Numerical phase front propagation for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna', SPIE Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA. Proceedings: SPIE Vol. 4777, pp. 168-176.
17. Walushka E., and Papalexandris M.V., (2002), 'LISA telescope sensitivity analysis', SPIE Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA. Proceedings: SPIE Vol. 4767, pp. 114-122.
18. Papalexandris M.V., Milman M.H., and Shaklan S., (2002), 'Description of a proposed on-orbit calibration procedure for SIM based on spacecraft maneuver', SPIE Conference on Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, Waikoloa, HA, Proceedings: SPIE Vol. 4852.
19. Shaklan S.B., Milman M.H., Catanzarite J., Basdogan I., Papalexandris M.V., Sievers L., and Swartz R., (2002),'Overview of SIM external calibration', SPIE Conference on Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, Waikoloa, HA, Proceedings: SPIE Vol. 4852.
20. Sievers L., Korechoff R.P., Milman M.H., Shaklan S.B., Catanzarite J., Basdogan I., Papalexandris M.V., and Swartz R., (2002),'Overview of SIM wide angle astrometric calibration strategies', SPIE Conference on Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, Waikoloa, HA, Proceedings: SPIE Vol. 4852.
21. Papalexandris M.V, Milman M.H., and Levine M., (2001), 'Optimization methods for thermal modeling of optomechanical systems', SPIE Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. Proceedings: SPIE Vol. 4444, pp. 66-77.
22. Papalexandris M.V, Basinger S., and Redding D.C., (2000), 'Average-phase calculations with near-field diffraction algorithms for the Space Interferometry Mission', SPIE Conference on Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, Munich, Germany. Proceedings: SPIE Vol. 4006, pp. 800-805.
23. Mosier G.E., Femiano M., Parrish K., Redding D.C., Papalexandris M.V., Kissil A., and Ha K.}, 'Integrated modeling results for the next generation space telescope yardstick model', Conference on Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, Munich, Germany. Proceedings: SPIE Vol. 4006.
24. Milman M., Needels, L., and Papalexandris M.V., (1998), 'Thermal modeling of space telescopes', TFAWS-AIAA, Cleveland, OH.
25. Makrakis G.N, Athanassoulis G.A., and Papalexandris M.V., (1992), 'Numerical evaluation of half-plane Green functions for the acoustic and modified Helmholtz equations', 3rd National Congress in Mechanics, Hellenic Society for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Athens, Greece. Proceedings: pp. 621-628.

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Technology Disclosures

1. 'Tilt Sensitivity Analysis of Space Telescopes', (2003),
   NASA Technical Brief, Vol. 27 (7).
2. 'Optimal Feedback Control of Thermal Networks', (2003),
   NASA Technical Brief, Vol. 27 (2).
3. 'Nodal Temperature Prediction for Thermal Networks', (2002),
   NASA Technical Brief, Vol. 26 (7).
4. 'Parameter Identification of Thermal Networks', (2001),
   NASA Technical Brief, Vol. 25 (7).
5. 'Integrated Modeling of Optical Systems', (2001),
   NASA Technical Brief, Vol. 25 (3).
6. 'Integrated Modeling of Optical Systems', (2000),
   NASA Technical Brief, Vol. 24 (11).

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Members of the Research Team

• Mr. Xavier Kuborn, doctoral student.
  Modelling and simulation of porous media undergoing pyrolysis
• Mr. Christos Varsakelis, doctoral student.
  Modelling and simulation of flows of heterogeneous fluid - solid mixtures
• Mr. Panagiotis Antoniadis, doctoral student.
  Algorithm development and numerical simulation of fire propagation in porous media

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