Dr. James Braun, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State University, has been named the 2025 recipient of the ASME IGTI Dilip R. Ballal Early Career Award, one of the most competitive early career honors presented by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Presented annually by ASME’s International Gas Turbine Institute, the award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of turbomachinery within the first seven years of earning their terminal degree. Braun is being honored for his pioneering research into novel supersonic propulsion concepts for air-breathing and aerospace applications, employing both wind tunnel experimentation and advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations.
The award includes a plaque, complimentary registration and housing for the annual ASME Turbo Expo, a $2,000 honorarium, and a five-year ASME membership.
“This recognition by ASME is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the support and collaboration I’ve received from the NC State community and my colleagues in the field,” Braun said. “I’m excited to continue exploring high-speed propulsion systems and their potential to shape future aerospace technologies.”
The award is named after the late Dilip R. Ballal, a former director of the Gas Turbine Laboratory at the University of Dayton and a key contributor to ASME’s turbomachinery initiatives. It is selected by a committee of representatives from eight ASME technical committees and endorsed by the IGTI Executive Committee.
Braun joins an elite group of researchers whose early career work has driven innovation in turbomachinery and inspired the next generation of engineers. His win underscores NC State’s growing impact in high-performance propulsion and aerospace engineering.
For more information on the ASME IGTI Dilip R. Ballal Early Career Award, visit https://event.asme.org/Turbo-Expo.