Elaine Petro

Elaine Petro is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at Cornell University. Her research focuses on Space Science and Engineering. She can be contacted via email at emp245@cornell.edu, and her profile page is available at https://www.duffield.cornell.edu/people/elaine-petro/.

Elaine Petro is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University, specializing in electric propulsion, plasmas, electrospray thrusters, and alternative propellants. Her research focuses on the characterization and modeling of electrospray ion emission, propellant-surface interactions, and the development of advanced propulsion systems for space applications. She investigates the effects of alternative propellants, such as water-vapor, on thruster performance and explores molecular dynamics simulations to understand ionic liquid-surface interactions. Her work also includes experimental studies on collision-induced dissociation and the design of compact, integrated propulsion systems for small satellite missions.