SOAR-Hy ERC Overview
SOAR-Hy will bring together leading researchers and educators in aviation, vertical lift, cryogenics, composites, hydrogen safety, climate and transportation modeling, as well as industry stakeholders, entrepreneurs, professional societies, aviators, and public policy experts within a diverse and inclusive center environment to prepare for nationwide deployment of H2 aviation ecosystems in support of all H2-based transportation systems.
SOAR-Hy Vision: First-of-its kind hydrogen-based aviation ecosystems that meet the ever-increasing global demand for sustainable transportation systems.
The Sustainable Opportunities for Aviation Research with Hydrogen (SOAR-Hy) ERC team is comprised of researchers and students from the University of Maryland, Washington State University, North Carolina A&T State University, and the University of Texas at Austin. Together, and with industry and government laboratory collaborators, SOAR-Hy will achieve the proposed vision by setting the research precedents needed to establish key enabling technologies and essential guidelines for hydrogen (H2) safety rules and regulations needed to achieve the 2050 target for the energy demands and emissions of the U.S. aviation sector.
SOAR-Hy will establish a center environment for promoting and providing workforce training and to demonstrate the feasibility of investing in H2 for powering transportation systems as a disruptive technology that will dramatically reduce U.S. reliance on hydrocarbon fuels and batteries.
SOAR-Hy Mission
The mission of the Sustainable Opportunities for Aviation Research with Hydrogen (SOAR-Hy) ERC is to create new knowledge and leverage current and future technologies that are essential for achieving aviation industry goals of reducing energy consumption and advancing the electrification of the transportation sector. SOAR-Hy will address and overcome current science, engineering, educational and societal barriers to building hydrogen-based aviation ecosystems.
SOAR-Hy Impact
Liquid-hydrogen (LH2) technologies are projected to replace batteries and provide the breakthrough needed to make eVTOL and other modes of electric aviation economically viable. The U.S. national hydrogen strategy predicts 100,000 new domestic jobs in the H2 sector by 2030 and cites estimates of a staggering 30 million jobs globally by 2050. eVTOL alone may be as transformative as automobiles in the 20th century and commercial airlines after World War II. Currently, 1,000+ eVTOL configurations are being evaluated worldwide with fierce international competition to capture this market. The SOAR-Hy ERC will be at the forefront of innovative technologies and delivering education and workforce training in areas needed for realization of H2-based aviation ecosystems.
SOAR-Hy Team
 Anubhav Datta, PI Aerospace Engineering University of Maryland |  Katrina Groth, ERC Director Mechanical and Reliability Engineering University of Maryland |
Core and Lead: University of Maryland
James Baeder, Aerospace Engineering
Christopher Cadou, Aerospace Engineering
Inderjit Chopra, Aerospace Engineering
Rob Cohen, Tech Ventures/I-Corps
Steve Fetter, Public Policy
Alison Flatau, Aerospace Engineering
Jiehong Lou, Public Policy
Mohammad Modarres, Mechanical and Reliability Engineering
Shuna Ni, Fire Protection Engineering
John Slaughter, UAS Research & Operations
Paige Smith, Women in Engineering
Peter Sunderland, Fire Protection Engineering
Yunfei Zhao, Mechanical and Reliability Engineering
Core: Washington State University
Jacob Leachman, Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Konstantin Matveev, Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Kathleen McAteer, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs & Student Affairs
Satyajit Mojumder, Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Arezoo Zare, Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Core: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Hiba Ahmad, Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Paul Akangah, Mechanical Engineering
John Kizito, Mechanical Engineering
Ram Mohan, Mechanical Engineering
Kunigal Shivakumar, Mechanical Engineering
Core: University of Texas at Austin
Sergio Castellanos, Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Michael Lewis, Center of Electromechanics
Jayant Sirohi, Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics
Questions? Please contact SOAR-Hy at soar-hy@umd.edu.