Nicholas Tsolas

Mechanical Engineering
Associate Professor
Ginn Faculty Achievement Fellow
3450 Wiggins Hall
334.844.5496

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Education

Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University
M.A.Sc. Mechanical Engineering, University of Toronto
B.A.Sc. Mechanical Engineering, University of Toronto

Research Interests

Developing sustainable energy technologies with decreased net environmental impact
Experimental techniques, including laser-based optical diagnostic methods
Low temperature combustion and plasma-assisted combustion
Conventional and alternative fuels
Internal combustion engines, gas turbines and propulsion systems

In The News

Auburn Engineering faculty named to 2024 promotion, tenure list

Auburn University Provost Vini Nathan recently announced the names of faculty awarded promotion, tenure or both for 2024, including 19 faculty in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.
Mechanical Engineering professor earns NSF CAREER Award for low-temperature plasma research

Mitigating the environmental impact of meeting the world's rapidly increasing transportation energy demands is a problem. The National Science Foundation thinks Nick Tsolas may have a solution. The assistant professor of mechanical engineering recently received a $518,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award to investigate low-temperature plasma-assisted combustion of oxygenated fuels as a potential alternative to achieving a cleaner and sustainable future for the transportation sector. 
FAA invests $3 million in Auburn University additive manufacturing research

Thanks to a recent $3 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Center for Additive Manufacturing Excellence (NCAME) at Auburn University will soon initiate a two-year project focused on improving commercial air travel through the use of 3D-printed (or additively manufactured) metal components. 
Auburn Engineering posts banner year in research

The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering brought in $59.6 million in externally sponsored research awards from Oct. 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2019. The college has also placed in the top 10% of engineering institutions in the nation for research expenditures for the past 15 years.

Mechanical Engineering researcher awarded major NSF grant

Nicholas Tsolas, assistant professor in mechanical engineering, was recently awarded a nearly $700,000 grant from the National Science Foundation under the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, to study how non-equilibrium plasmas can be used to address some of the toughest challenges that combustion scientists face today.
Auburn-led effort awarded $1.2M to create additive manufacturing standards

The America Makes investment will allow Auburn University researchers to help develop consensus-based best practices for the additive manufacturing industry.