KRZYSZTOF J. FIDKOWSKI
Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering Department
University of Michigan
Education
2007
2004
2003
2003
MIT – Aeronautics & Astronautics, Ph.D.
MIT – Aeronautics & Astronautics, S.M.
MIT – Aerospace Engineering, S.B.
MIT – Physics, S.B.
Employment and Research Experience
2008-present:
Assistant Professor, Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Michigan
2007-2008:
Postdoctoral Associate, Aerospace Computational Design Laboratory, MIT
Advisor: Karen E. Willcox
Implemented large-scale parallel model reduction simulations for use in initial condition
inverse problems and Bayesian statistical inference applications. Performed model
reduction simulations with over 8.5 million degrees of freedom on a massively parallel
architecture. Additionally investigated methods for design under uncertainty, with the
particular application of a gust-load alleviation system for the next generation of high
wing aspect-ratio, low fuel-burn aircraft.
2004-2007:
Research Assistant, Doctoral Level, Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT
Advisor: David L. Darmofal
Investigated a triangular and tetrahedral cut-cell adaptive method for high-order
discontinuous Galerkin (DG) discretizations of the compressible Navier-Stokes
equations. The idea of cut-cell mesh generation addresses the well-known difficulty of
quality mesh generation around complex geometries. The use of triangular and
tetrahedral elements allows for the possibility of anisotropic adaptation in arbitrary
directions. In an output-based adaptive framework, an automatic geometry-to-solution
procedure is possible.
2004:
Fellowship Practicum, DOE Argonne National Laboratory
Explored and implemented a DG discretization of the unsteady incompressible NavierStokes equations. Studied the effect of discretization choices on the stability and
accuracy of steady and unsteady solvers.
2003-2004:
Research Assistant, Master’s Level, Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT
Implemented a p-multigrid solver for the DG discretization of the two- and threedimensional Euler equations. Developed a line creation algorithm for connecting
strongly-coupled elements together to relieve stiffness of the implicit solver.
2002-2003:
Undergraduate Researcher, Aerospace Computational Design. Laboratory, MIT
Analyzed a p-multigrid solver with element block and element line smoothing for the DG
discretization of the linear advection equation in one and two dimensions. Implemented
a DG discretization and studied the eigenvalue footprint of the smoothing and multigrid
operators.
2001-2002:
Undergraduate Researcher, Gas Turbine Laboratory, MIT
Studied heat-transfer properties of film-cooled gas turbine engine components using
computational methods. Designed time-effective, accurate, computational meshes for
performing parameter studies of the film cooling problem.
2001:
Research Experience for Undergraduates, University of Washington
Investigated a discrete inverse scattering problem on networks, the target application
being the ability to recover properties of a black-box system based solely on observations
at limited exterior nodes. Characterized the required structure of recoverable networks.
2000-2001:
Undergraduate Researcher, Laboratory for Nuclear Science, MIT
Explored the effect of gas composition on electron drift properties under varying electric
and magnetic fields, the application being drift tube particle detectors, in which a precise
relationship between electric field and drift velocity is sought for particle path
reconstruction. Conducted controlled experiments of different gases at the MIT
cyclotron facility.
2000:
Research Experience for Undergraduates, University of California, San Diego
Performed adaptive optics research at the Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences.
Wrote image processing code and performed data reduction on infrared images of a highredshift merging radio galaxy. Resulting data was used in a journal publication.
Professional Activities
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Associate Member, AIAA Fluid Dynamics Technical Committee
University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching Advisory Board
Reviewer for:
o SIAM Journal of Scientific Computing
o AIAA Journal
o Journal of Computational Physics
o International Journal of Numerical Methods in Fluids
o Mathematical Modelling of Natural Phenomena
Honors and Awards
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Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Award, 2011
Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship, 2003-2007.
Tau Beta Pi, Phi Kappa Sigma, Sigma Pi Sigma.
Salisbury Award for Superior Achievement in Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2003.
Boston Area Physics Contest Winner, 2001.
National Merit Finalist, 1999.
Teaching Experience
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Winter 2009, Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Fall 2010, Winter 2011: Undergraduate Aerodynamics, AE
325, University of Michigan
Fall 2008: Graduate Computational Fluid Dynamics, AE 523, University of Michigan
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Spring 2008: Undergraduate Computational Methods for Aerospace Engineering , 16.90, MIT
(co-instructor)
Spring 2007: Undergraduate Aerodynamics, 16.100, MIT (co-instructor)
2004-2007: Graduate Resident Tutor at MIT. Among other responsibilities, assisted students
individually with homework in freshman-level mathematics and physics.
Research Interests
Interested in the development of robust, scalable, and adaptive solution techniques for computational
fluid dynamics. Sub-topics include numerical error estimation, large-scale model reduction, development
of parallel algorithms, and uncertainty quantification.
Current and recent research projects include:
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Unsteady output-based error estimation and mesh adaptation
Adaptive RANS calculations with the discontinuous Galerkin method
Gradient-enhanced response surface construction, applied to radiation hydrodynamics
simulations
Uncertainty quantification in nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics codes
Stochastic-space adaptive methods for uncertainty quantification
Entropy-adjoint approach to mesh refinement
Probabilistic approach to contaminant source inversion
Cut-cell mesh generation
Nonlinear model reduction for inverse problems
Publications
Journal Publications
10. K.J. Fidkowski and Y. Luo. Output-based Space-Time Mesh Adaptation for the Compressible
Navier-Stokes Equations. Journal of Computational Physics. In Review.
9.
K.J. Fidkowski. Output Error Estimation Strategies for the Space-Time Discontinuous Galerkin
Method. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering. In Review.
8.
K.J. Fidkowski, and D.L. Darmofal. Output-Based Error Estimation and Mesh Adaptation in
Computational Fluid Dynamics: Overview and Recent Results. AIAA Journal 2011, Accepted.
7.
K.J. Fidkowski, and P.L. Roe. An Entropy Adjoint Approach to Mesh Refinement. SIAM Journal on
Scientific Computing, 32(3), 2010, pp 1261-1287.
6.
D. Galbally, K. Fidkowski, K. Willcox, and O. Ghattas, Nonlinear Model Reduction for Uncertainty
Quantification in Large-Scale Inverse Problems. International Journal for Numerical Methods in
Engineering. 81(12), 2009, pp 1581-1603.
5.
K.J. Fidkowski and D.L. Darmofal. A triangular cut–cell adaptive method for high–order
discretizations of the compressible Navier–Stokes equations. Journal of Computational Physics. 225,
2007, pp 1653-1672.
4.
D.W. Milanes, D.R. Kirk, K.J. Fidkowski, I.A. Waitz. Gas turbine engine durability impacts of highfuel-air ratio combustors: near wall reaction effects on film-cooled backward-facing step heat
transfer. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 128-2, 2006, pp 318-325.
3.
K.J. Fidkowski, T.A. Oliver, J. Lu, and D.L. Darmofal. p-Multigrid solution of high-order
discontinuous Galerkin discretizations of the compressible Navier–Stokes equations. Journal of
Computational Physics. 207:1, July 2005, pp 92-113.
2.
A. Quirrenbach, J.E. Roberts, K.J. Fidkowski, W. de Vries, and W. van Breugel. Keck Adaptive
Optics Observations of the Radio Galaxy 3C294: A Merging System at z = 1.786? The
Astrophysical Journal, 556:108-112, 2001 July 20.
1.
J.J.Kirchner, U.J.Becker, R.B.Dinner, K.J.Fidkowski, and J.H.Wyatt. Optimization of drift gases for
accuracy in pressurized drift tubes. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, A474,
2001 February 16.
Conference Papers
11. K.J. Fidkowski, M.A. Ceze, and P.L. Roe. Drag Output Error Estimation Using the Entropy Adjoint
Approach. Submitted to the 2011 AIAA CFD Conference.
10. M.A. Ceze, and K.J. Fidkowski. An Optimization Approach for Solving the Steady-State Flow
Equations. Submitted to the 2011 AIAA CFD Conference.
9.
S.M. Kast, K.J. Fidkowski, and P.L. Roe. An Unsteady Entropy Adjoint Approach for Adaptive
Solution of the Shallow-Water Equations. Submitted to the 2011 AIAA CFD Conference.
8.
Y. Luo and K.J. Fidkowski. Output-Based Space Time Mesh Adaptation for Unsteady
Aerodynamics. AIAA Paper Number 2011-491, 2011.
7.
M.A. Ceze and K.J. Fidkowski. Output-Driven Anisotropic Mesh Adaptation for Viscous Flows
Using Discrete Choice Optimization. AIAA Paper Number 2010-0170, 2010.
6.
K.J. Fidkowski and P.L. Roe. Entropy-based Mesh Refinement, I: The Entropy Adjoint Approach.
AIAA Paper Number 2009-3790, 2009.
5.
K.J. Fidkowski and D.L. Darmofal. Output-Based Error Estimation and Mesh Adaptation in
Computational Fluid Dynamics: Overview and Recent Results 47th AIAA Aerospace Sciences
Meeting. AIAA Paper Number 2009-1303, 2009.
4.
K.J. Fidkowski, F. Engelsen, K.E. Willcox and I. Kroo. Stochastic Gust Analysis Techniques for
Aircraft Conceptual Design AIAA Paper Number 2008-5848, 2008.
3.
K.J. Fidkowski and D.L. Darmofal. An adaptive simplex cut–cell method for discontinuous Galerkin
discretizations of the Navier–Stokes equations. AIAA Paper Number 2007-3941, 2007.
2.
T.A. Oliver, K.J. Fidkowski, and D.L. Darmofal. Multigrid solution for a high-order discontinuous
Galerkin discretization of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations. Third International Conference
on Computational Fluid Dynamics, Toronto, Canada, 2004.
1.
K.J. Fidkowski and D.L. Darmofal. Development of a higher-order solver for aerodynamic
applications. 42nd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting., AIAA Paper Number 2004-0436, 2004.
Presentations
11. Output-Based Space Time Mesh Adaptation for Unsteady Aerodynamics. 2011 AIAA Aerospace
Sciences Meeting, January 2011.
10. Entropy-Based Mesh Refinement, I: The Entropy Adjoint Approach. 2009 AIAA Computational
Fluid Dynamics Conference, June 2009.
9. Progress in Mesh-Adaptive Discontinuous Galerkin Methods for CFD, German Aerospace Center
Seminar, May 2009 (Invited). (Similar presentation at NASA Ames in June 2009)
8. Output-Based Error Estimation and Mesh Adaptation in Computational Fluid Dynamics: Overview
and Recent Results (Invited), 2009 AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, January 2009.
7. Towards Automated Mesh Adaptation Using Simplex Cut Cells. K.J. Fidkowski. Computational
Research in Boston Seminar (Invited), October 2007. (Similar presentation at NASA Ames in
December 2007, and at a Computation for Design and Optimization seminar in May 2008).
6. A Cut-Cell Adaptive Method for High-Order Discretizations of the Compressible Navier-Stokes
Equations. K.J. Fidkowski. 2007 Computational Science Graduate Fellowship Conference in
Washington D.C. June 2007.
5. An Adaptive Simplex Cut-Cell Method for Discontinuous Galerkin Discretizations of the NavierStokes Equations, K.J. Fidkowski and D.L. Darmofal. 18th AIAA Computational Fluid Dynamics
Conference in Miami Fl. June 2007.
4. An Automated, Adaptive Cut-Cell Method for Triangles and Tetrahedra. K.J. Fidkowski, University
of Michigan, February 1, 2007.
3. p-Multigrid solution of high-order discontinuous Galerkin discretizations of the Euler and
compressible Navier-Stokes equations. K.J. Fidkowski, D.L. Darmofal. 12th Copper Mountain
Conference on Multigrid Methods in Copper Mountain, Colorado. April 3, 2005.
2. Shock capturing and robust output-based adaptation for DG. G.E. Barter, K.J. Fidkowski, D.L.
Darmofal. 7th World Congress on Computational Mechanics in Los Angeles, CA. July 16, 2006.
1. Development of a higher-order solver for aerodynamic applications. K.J. Fidkowski, D.L. Darmofal.
42nd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit in Reno, NV. January 4, 2004.
Technical Reports
1.
K.J. Fidkowski and D.L. Darmofal. Output–based adaptive meshing using triangular cut cells.
M.I.T. Aerospace Computational Design Laboratory Report. ACDL TR-06-2, 2006
Dissertation
2.
K.J. Fidkowski. A simplex cut-cell adaptive method for high-order discretizations of the
compressible Navier-Stokes equations. MIT PhD Thesis. June 2007.
1.
K.J. Fidkowski. A High-order Discontinuous Galerkin Multigrid Solver for Aerodynamic
Applications. MIT Master's Thesis. June 2004.