SHORT BIO

Dr. Ernesto Benini graduated with honors and the Gold Medal “A. Sarpi” in Mechanical Engineering (1996) and obtained the PhD in Energy Science and Engineering (2000) at the University of Padova, Italy. After a Post-doc at Cranfield University (UK) in 2001, he joined the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, first as a Research Fellow (2004), later as an Assistant Professor  (2007) and later as an Associate Professor (2011). He is currently a Full Professor of Turbomachinery and Aircraft Engines at the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Padova and head of the “TEMPEST” research group, where he coordinates the activity of researchers working on numerical modelling and optimization of fluid machinery.

RESEARCH

He has more than twenty-five years of experience in the research and development of advanced methods for the design and analysis of turbomachines, with emphasis on gas turbines, aeroengines for sub-super-hypersonic air-breathing propulsion, high-speed propellers, waterjets and wind turbines. Author and co-author of more than 400 scientific publications in international peer-reviewed journals and owner of several international patents. He is the principal investigator of numerous private and European research projects, as well as a scientific advisor to major international companies in the propulsion sector.

Major Findings

• Optimization Methods for Turbomachinery Design. Dr. Benini has conceived and developed multi-objective, multi-point evolutionary optimization algorithms for highly nonlinear, constrained turbomachinery design problems. Key contributions include the GeDEA framework, simplex-based recombination operators, Kriging-assisted acceleration, and hybrid evolutionary–machine learning strategies. These methods enable efficient exploration of high-dimensional design spaces and have been systematically applied to subsonic/supersonic cascades, aerospace pumps, aeroengine compressors, turbines, propellers, and propulsive fans.
• Transonic Turbomachines. Dr. Benini has developed advanced aerodynamic design methodologies for full 3-D blade contouring of transonic rotors. His findings on the aerodynamic effect of blade lean and sweep in axial stages are widely used today as reference benchmarks. Further to this, key achievements include the development of active and passive flow control techniques for rotating-stall characterization and mitigation in axial flow compressors. These studies directly support the development of boundary-layer-ingesting (BLI) propulsion systems and ultra-high-bypass-ratio (UHBR) turbofan engines in installed configurations.
• Small Gas Turbine Engines. Dr. Benini has designed and developed turbojet engines in the <3 kN thrust class and turboshaft engines in the <120 kW power class for aircraft and helicopter applications. His primary interest focuses on expendable and attritable technologies for hyper thrust-to-weigh ratio performance and enhanced operability.
• Hypersonic Propulsion. Dr. Benini has designed and tested novel technologies for thrust vectoring in scramjets at flight Mach numbers of 7+ based on shock control. The development of such technologies is supported by means of RANS/LES simulations and lab testing.
• Innovative Outboard Waterjet Propulsion. Dr. Benini is the inventor of a patented high-speed outboard waterjet propulsion system for marine vehicles (>30–40 knots) featuring higher propulsive efficiency and superior cavitation performance compared to both conventional flush-intake waterjets and propellers. The system has been designed using multi-fidelity CFD and has been validated experimentally in real operating conditions up to TRL 7.
• Wind Turbines. Dr.  Benini has developed and tested several types of horizontal and vertical axis wind turbine rotors (HAWT and VAWT) from kW to MW sizes. Regarding HAWTs, his interest is directed toward multi-MW floating offshore installations and, in particular, to the aero-mechanical interaction of multi-rotor configurations. For VAWTs, his interest is focused on distributed generation with micro-rotors, for which he has been granted several patents.

Featured Projects

• HYPERMORPH—Synergistic Integration of Hyperconducting Electric Propulsion and Composite Structures with Intelligent Morphing for Hydrogen-Powered Aviation, Role: Scientific Responsibility of the Partner Unit, Horizon Europe, European Union EU.
• SUBLIME—Supporting Understanding of Boundary Layer Ingestion Model Experiment. Role: Coordinator (Principal Investigator), H2020, European Union EU.
• BIRD 2023 (SID): COMBER—Numerical modelling of fan blades aeroelasticity under inlet distortion conditions. Role: Coordinator (Principal Investigator), Università di Padova.
• IVANHOE—Installed Advanced Nacelle Hub Optimization and Evaluation. Role: Scientific Responsible of the Partner Unit, H2020, European Union EU.

Featured Publications

• A. Magrini, E. Benini, “Interaction Effects of Fan With Short Aero-Intake: A Multi-Objective Optimization Study With Modeling of Flow Coupling,” J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. July 2026, Vol. 148 (14 pages).
• F. De Vanna, E. Benini, “Wall-Modeled LES of a Transonic Gas Turbine Vane—Part II: Mach Number Effect and Losses Prediction,” J. Turbomach., 1-37 (37 pages), 2025.
• E. Benini, C. S. Mistry, “Aerodynamic Design of Fan Rotors for Ultra-High-Bypass-Ratio Turbofan Engines,” in S. R. Wellborn, T. I-P. Shih and V. Yang (Eds.) Gas Turbine Compressors and Fans: Fundamentals, Design, and Analysis, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., pp. 159-191, 2025.
• A. Magrini, E. Allegretta, A. Battiston, R. Ponza, E. Benini, and J. Alderman, “Development and Test of AFT-Fuselage BLI Propulsor Experiment,” AIAA J., 2025 63:5, 1940-1957.
• F. Avanzi, F. De Vanna, A. Magrini, and E. Benini, “Two-Objective Optimisation of an Intake Diffuser for Outboard Dynamic-Inlet Waterjets,” Ocean Eng., Volume 330, 30 June 2025, 121187.
• A. Arabgolarcheh, D. Micallef, E. Benini, “The Impact of Platform Motion Phase Differences on The Power and Load Performance of Tandem Floating Offshore Wind Turbines,” Energy (Oxf.), Volume 284, 2023, 129271.

Featured Books

• E. Benini, Fundamentals of Turbomachinery, 2026, CRC Press by Taylor & Francis.
• K.-Y. Kim, A. Samad, and E. Benini, Design Optimization of Fluid Machinery: Applying Computational Fluid Dynamics and Numerical Optimization, 2019, John Wiley & Sons.
• G. Saini, R. Kannan, E. Benini, K. Kumar, Enabling Methodologies for Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 2023, Taylor & Francis.
• E. Benini (Ed.), Progress in Gas Turbine Performance, 2013, InTech Open.
• E. Benini (Ed.), Advances in Gas Turbine Technology, 2011, InTech Open.
• E. Benini, Propulsione Aerea, 2006, CLEUP.

COURSES

• Aircraft Engines (Motori Aeronautici), M.Sc. Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• Turbomachinery (Turbomacchine), B.Sc. Degree in Aerospace Engineering.
• Advanced Methods for Machine Thermo-Fluid-Dynamics, M.Sc. Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

AFFILIATIONS

• Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
• Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).
• Member of the Gas Turbine Engine Committee, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
• Member of the Associazione Italiana delle Macchine a Fluido e dei sistemi per l’Energia e l’Ambiente (AIMSEA).
• Member of the Advisory Council for Aviation Research and Innovation in Europe (ACARE).

EDITORIAL ACTIVITY

• Associate Editor of ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power.
• Member of the Editorial Board of Progress in Aerospace Sciences.

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Included in the Top 2% most cited scientists worldwide according to the Stanford University ranking (since 2020).
• Best Lecturer of the Year Award for the Master’s Degree Programme in Mechanical Engineering (2022-2024).
• Numerous Best Paper and Outstanding Reviewer Awards.
• New York Academy of Sciences nomination for the “Outstanding Young Researchers” (2010).