Chloe Dedic joined the UW-Madison Department of Mechanical Engineering as an associate professor in August 2026. With her research, she aims to improve understanding of combustion and nonequilibrium systems to further develop technologies related to clean energy use, aerospace propulsion and hypersonic aerothermodynamics.
Dedic grew up in Mason City, Iowa, and earned her BS and PhD degrees in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University in 2012 and 2017, respectively. After graduation she worked as a visiting scientist with the National Institute of Aerospace at NASA Langley Research Center and joined the University of Virginia Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering as an assistant professor in 2018. She is the recipient of a DARPA Young Faculty Award, a NASA Early Career Faculty Award and the AFOSR Young Investigator Program. In addition, Dedic is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Class of 2027 AIAA Associate Fellows.
In this Q&A, Dedic discusses her research and why she’s excited to join UW-Madison.
What is the focus of your research?
My research is focused on the development and application of advanced, laser-based measurements and optical sensors to study reacting gas-phase flows, such as combustion systems or the flow around high-speed aerospace vehicles. These types of environments are characterized by extremely high temperatures, reactive chemical species, a large range of pressures and a large amount of spatial and temporal variability. It is challenging to accurately measure these types of reacting flows using traditional probe-based techniques or sensors. Instead, my research group develops ways to use the interaction between light and molecules to measure macroscale “engineering” quantities like temperature or pressure within a fluid. And we focus on making these measurements as accurate, resolved and reliable as possible.
What are some key applications of your research?
My research contributes to improving propulsion technologies and designing more efficient energy utilization systems. As an example, to design a new engine for high-speed flight that is robust and reliable, we need to understand everything about how a fuel breaks down, mixes with air or another oxidizer, reacts, and transfers energy to the rest of the system. And, unfortunately, this problem is particularly challenging to study because it involves harsh (high temperatures, sometimes high pressures) and dynamic conditions. This is why we need better experimental measurements—to validate models that are used to simulate reacting flows and to study the performance of new systems.
What attracted you to the UW-Madison Department of Mechanical Engineering?
There is so much impressive research already ongoing within the department, including at the Engine Research Center—which I am very excited to join. On top of that, the department is actively growing and expanding its aerospace engineering research and teaching capabilities. I am looking forward to collaborating with colleagues here who are working on similar research problems, are excited about their work and are invested in student success.
What achievements are you most proud of in your career?
My favorite part about my job is getting to work with students—both undergraduate and graduate students—in classes and within the research laboratory. Each student approaches a problem differently, and I enjoy learning from their point of view as well as figuring out the most effective way to communicate to them individually. I am most proud when I am able to help a student succeed—whether that be in publishing their first research paper, defending their thesis or finally grasping a concept they have been struggling with in class.
What’s one thing you hope students who take a class with you will come away with?
I hope that students leave a class with an appreciation for both the complexity and impact of the course they just completed. It’s completely normal, in my opinion, not to remember everything from every class, but you want to remember why that material is important. When they need to review that material again in five years working as an engineer, then hopefully they will know where to find the right resources and, after a quick review, will be able to digest and use the material quickly.
What are your hobbies and other interests?
Outside of the lab, most of my time is spent trying to keep up with my children: a 3-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old cockapoo. I also enjoy cooking, gardening and swimming!