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Lubos Brieda

Part-Time Lecturer of Astronautical Engineering

Education

  • 2012, Doctoral Degree, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, George Washington University
  • 2005, Master's Degree, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Virginia Tech



Biography

Education:
Ph.D., Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The George Washington University, 2012
M.Sc., Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2005
B.Sc., Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2003

Professional Experience:
2012 - Present: President, Particle in Cell Consulting LLC, Westlake Village, CA
2020 - Present: Lecturer, Dept. of Astronautical Engineering, USC, Los Angeles, CA
2008 - 2012: Contamination Engineer, MEI Inc., NASA GSFC, MD
2005 - 2008: Research Engineer, ERC Inc., Air Force Research Laboratory, Edwards AFB, CA

Books:
Brieda, L., Plasma Simulations by Example, CRC Press, 2019
Brieda, L., Wang, J., Martin R., Introduction to Modern Scientific Programming and Numerical Methods, CRC Press, 2024

Teaching:
ASTE-404: Computational Programming and Numerical Methods
ASTE-546: Computational Plasma Dynamics
ASTE-591: Independent Research
AME-491: Undergraduate Senior Project, ASPEN


Research Summary

My primary focus is on using numerical simulation methods such as Particle in Cell and Direct Simulation Monte Carlo to model low density plasmas and rarefied gases. I have developed numerous high performance tools for modeling interaction between plasma electric propulsion spacecraft thruster plumes and spacecraft, as well as tools for modeling the evolution of molecular and particulate contamination during spacecraft testing, deployment, and operation. These codes have been used in support of numerous space missions, including MMS, GOES-R, JWST, and Dragonfly. My plasma codes have been used to model Hall effect and ion thrusters and also plasma dynamics in fusion reactors. I am also interested in emerging computational approaches, such as the use of embedded systems, or the direct use of CAD geometries for improving simulation realism.

Appointments
  • Astronautical Engineering
Office
  • OHE 550J
  • Olin Hall of Engineering
  • 3650 McClintock Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90089
Contact Information
  • brieda@usc.edu
Links