Taaresh Taneja Awarded 2025 Pui Best Dissertation Award
Taaresh Taneja, a Ph.D. graduate in Mechanical Engineering advised by Assistant Professor Suo Yang, has received the 2025 Pui Best Dissertation Award. His research uses computational modeling to drive innovations in sustainable propulsion, energy generation, and pollution control, addressing key challenges in climate change mitigation.
Established by Professor David Pui, the Pui Best Dissertation Award recognizes the time, dedication, and exceptional scholarship required to complete a doctorate of the highest caliber. Only one awardee is selected each year, underscoring the significance of Taneja’s achievement.
Taneja’s dissertation focused on multi-fidelity modeling and simulation of plasma-assisted combustion (PAC). His research unraveled the complex interplay between chemical kinetics, plasma dynamics, and thermodynamics in PAC systems. By bridging fundamental science with practical engineering, his work lays the foundation for the design, optimization, and control of future PAC technologies—advancing cleaner, more efficient propulsion and energy systems, from modern scramjets and gas-turbine jet engines to internal combustion engines.
Reflecting on Taneja’s journey, his advisor Assistant Professor Suo Yang praised his exceptional contributions:
"Taaresh is without doubt one of my best students, and I'm very proud of him. His voracious desire to gain and disseminate knowledge resulted in a truly productive and impactful Ph.D. journey. He has always been passionate about solving fundamental scientific problems while keeping a keen eye on practical technological applications. His dissertation will be a great asset to the scientific community in modeling plasma-assisted combustion."
Taneja expressed his gratitude for the support he received throughout his academic journey:
"It is a great honor to have received the prestigious Pui Best Dissertation Award. I am immensely grateful for the support I have received throughout my Ph.D. research, graduate coursework, and professional development opportunities at the University of Minnesota. They have been crucial in molding me into a capable researcher in plasma and reacting flows. This award has motivated me to continue pushing the boundaries of plasma science, with my current focus on the fundamentals and applications of low-temperature plasma for semiconductor manufacturing."
Through his pioneering research, Taaresh Taneja is not only advancing our scientific understanding of plasma-assisted combustion but is also contributing to sustainable innovation in propulsion, energy generation, pollution control, and climate change mitigation.