Principal Investigator
Contact
maclarke@illinois.edu
Talbot Laboratory, Room 321-A
UIUC Affiliations
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Center for Sustainable Aviation
Center for Power Optimization of Electro-Thermal Systems (POETS)
Matthew Clarke is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Howard University. He is a V/STOL Aircraft Systems Technical Committee member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Before joining UIUC, Professor Clarke was a Boeing Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has also worked on the advanced concepts team at A3 by Airbus and briefly as a battery modeling data scientist at Toyota Research Institute in the Accelerated Materials Design & Discovery Division.
Professor Clarke is the Principal Investigator of the Laboratory for Electric Aircraft Design and Sustainability (L.E.A.D.S.). The core research interests of L.E.A.D.S. are electric propulsion architecture design and aircraft noise modeling. These efforts position L.E.A.D.S. to address some of the technical challenges at the intersection between the key domains of energy and noise that impede progress toward sustainable aviation.
Graduate Students
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Matteo Guidotti
Ph.D. Candidate
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Sai Sankalp Shekar
Ph.D Student
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Cade Boggan
Ph.D. Student
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Aidan Molloy
M.S. Student
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Madison Carter
M.S Student
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Yair Guerrero
Ph.D Student
Undergraduate Students
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Nicole Artemyev
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Ava Cipriani
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Grace Ducharme
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Annalise Goodman
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Aadit Kolar
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Dhairya Mehta
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Anshrin Srivastava
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Mihir Venkatakrishnan
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Chris Zhang
Outside the Lab
Lab Alumni
Niranjan Nanjappa, Current PhD Candidate at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Jin (Flora) Fan, Current MEng Student at Cornell University
Jared Dost, B.S. Aerospace Engineering, UIUC May 2025
Shared Values
As a group, we value:
Open science: We strive to open-source our data and code to facilitate reproducible science and help move the field forward.
Inclusivity: We are committed to maintaining an inclusive and supportive atmosphere within the group where each voice is heard. Diversity of thought and background is celebrated in our lab, and all are welcome.
Mutual respect: We believe in treating each other with respect and kindness.
Growth and reflection: We continuously learn, adapt, and strive to improve together. We will agree on shared values, which may change and grow over time.
Work-life balance: Creative researchers need breaks. Research is a marathon, not a race, so please take your weekends, evenings, and vacations to enjoy your life and refresh your mind for creative thinking!
Open Positions
Postdoctoral Associates
L.E.A.D.S. invites qualified individuals holding a Ph.D. to apply for an open postdoctoral position focused on battery systems modeling efforts. Anticipated responsibilities include 1) assisting the construction of the L.E.A.D.S experimental facilities and the development of operating processes for students, 2) leading experimental test campaigns to characterize battery cells and modules, 3) simulating both nominal and failure state operating loads of all/hybrid/parallel electric aircraft powertrains simulations to inform future aircraft certification and 4) develop a computational to validate experimental data and accelerate data mining.
Candidates are expected to be self-motivated and able to work independently and as an integral team member. The postdoctoral appointment will entail performing research, mentoring students, and helping with project management and fundraising activities, including presentations to sponsors and the preparation of proposals. Strong oral and written skills are essential, as evidenced by refereed journal publications and conference presentations.
Excellent postdoctoral candidates are encouraged to email me with the subject line including the words "Prospective Postdoc" to discuss current openings. In your email please include:
Your CV with a publication list
Short description of past and future research interests
Names and contact info of 2 academic references
I encourage you to apply for a postdoctoral fellowship, and I am happy to work with you on this.
Graduate Students
L.E.A.D.S. is looking for highly motivated students seeking to pursue a PhD in either emerging electrochemical systems for aircraft propulsion or aeroacoustics modeling of multi-rotor aircraft. Students should be willing to work in teams, mentor undergraduate students, engage in technical writing and oral presentations, and engage with their respective academic communities. Students with a background in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Materials Science are encouraged to apply. No prior experience is required; however, presentation of demonstrated competency (academic publication) in relevant research is highly encouraged. Interested students should contact Prof. Clarke.
It is recommended that prospective PhD students apply to graduate fellowships since this will give you more flexibility throughout your Ph.D. For domestic students, the most common fellowships are the NSF GRFP and the NDSEG. For a broader list of fellowships, please see UIUC's page on graduate fellowships.