Christopher Douglas

Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Christopher Douglas' research and teaching in MEMS concentrate on thermo-fluid mechanics and nonlinear dynamics. He develops theoretical and numerical methods to analyze, understand, and engineer the behavior of high-dimensional nonlinear systems where fluid motion couples with thermal, chemical, acoustic, elastic, and other physical effects. These complex problems arise in engineering applications like turbines, rockets, and other propulsion and energy systems; in natural phenomena ranging from weather systems to supernovae; and in medical procedures such as laser lithotripsy. His broader research interests include energy conversion and pollutant emissions abatement, with particular attention to alternative energy carriers like hydrogen and ammonia.

Appointments and Affiliations

  • Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Contact Information

Education

  • B.S. Bradley University, 2014
  • Ph.D. Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021

Courses Taught

  • ME 591: Research Independent Study in Mechanical Engineering or Material Science
  • ME 392: Undergraduate Projects in Mechanical Engineering
  • ME 391: Undergraduate Projects in Mechanical Engineering
  • EGR 244L: Dynamics

Representative Publications

  • Douglas, C. M., A. Gupta, E. Knipping, T. D. Martz, and D. R. Noble. “Leak Detection and SOx Emissions Tradeoffs With Odorized Hydrogen-Natural Gas Fuel Blends in Gas Turbines.” Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power 148, no. 1 (January 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4069471.
  • Douglas, C. M., H. Lai, M. Ostadi, W. Shin, L. Bromberg, and G. Zang. “Techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment of methanol synthesis plants using renewable hydrogen and carbon dioxide feedstocks.” Energy Conversion and Management 347 (January 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2025.120374.
  • Douglas, Christopher, and Pierre Jolivet. “ff-bifbox: A scalable, open-source toolbox for bifurcation analysis of nonlinear PDEs.” ArXiv, September 22, 2025. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2509.18429.
  • Douglas, C. M., S. Shanbhogue, A. Ghoniem, and G. Zang. “Well-to-wake cost and emissions assessments for the Western Australia–East Asia green shipping corridor.” Applied Energy 384 (April 15, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.125465.
  • Douglas, C. M., A. Gupta, E. Knipping, T. D. Martz, and D. R. Noble. “Leak detection and SOx emissions tradeoffs with odorized hydrogen natural gas fuel blends in gas turbines.” In Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, Vol. 4, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1115/GT2025-151912.