Photo of Christopher Axten

Christopher Axten

Assistant Teaching Professor

Affiliation(s):

  • Aerospace Engineering

309 ECoRE Building

cja5217@psu.edu

 
 

 

Education

  • PhD, Aerospace Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, 2024

Publications

Journal Articles

  • Mark Maughmer, Leonard P. Metkowski, Christopher Axten and Dan M. Somers, 2025, "Exploration of a Low-Speed, Flapped, Slotted, Natural-Laminar-Flow Airfoil", Journal of Aircraft, 62, (2), pp. 341-348
  • Pierce L. Hart, Christopher Axten, Mark Maughmer and Sven Schmitz, 2023, "Drag Decomposition Using Partial-Pressure Fields: Ventus-3 and NASA Common Research Model", Journal of Aircraft, 60, (6), pp. 1798-1810
  • Mark Maughmer, Christopher Axten and Leonard P. Metkowski, 2023, "Experimental Results for a Low-Reynolds-Number Airfoil in a Low-Turbulence Wind Tunnel", Journal of Aircraft, 60, (6), pp. 1739-1745

Conference Proceedings

  • Christopher Axten, Yisehak Keflemariam and James Coder, 2025, "Assessment of a Slotted, Natural-Laminar-Flow Airfoil for Advanced Air Mobility Applications", The Vertical Flight Society, pp. 1-14
  • Mark Maughmer, Leonard P. Metkowski, Christopher Axten and Dan M. Somers, 2024, "Application of a Slotted, Natural-Laminar-Flow Airfoil to an 18-Meter High-Performance Sailplane", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Mark Maughmer, Leonard P. Metkowski, Christopher Axten and Dan M. Somers, 2023, "Exploration of a Low-Speed, Flapped, Slotted, Natural-Laminar-Flow Airfoil", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Christopher Axten and Mark Maughmer, 2023, "Comparison of Tail Rotor Performance with a Slotted, Natural-Laminar-Flow Airfoil", The Vertical Flight Society, pp. 1-10
  • Christopher Axten, 2023, "Demonstrations of Design Cases with Transition Modeling in Helios", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Cody L. Perkins, Zhi Yang, Dimitri J. Mavriplis, James Coder, Lawton Shoemake and Christopher Axten, 2023, "Effect of Transition Modeling for Analysis of a Slotted, Natural-Laminar-Flow Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Aircraft Configuration", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Christopher Axten and Mark Maughmer, 2023, "Utilizing a Spalart-Allmaras Turbulence Model Correction with a Transition Model", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Pierce Hart, Christopher Axten, Mark Maughmer and Sven Schmitz, 2022, "Drag Decomposition of Full Aircraft Configurations Using Partial-Pressure Fields", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Leonard P. Metkowski, Christopher Axten and Mark Maughmer, 2022, "A Computational and Experimental Performance Comparison for a Low-Reynolds Number Airfoil", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Cody L. Perkins, Zhi Yang, Ilker Topcuoglu, Dimitri J. Mavriplis, James Coder, Ethan Hereth and Christopher Axten, 2022, "Coupled Analysis of a Slotted Natural-Laminar-Flow Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Aircraft Configuration", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Christopher Axten and Mark Maughmer, 2021, "An Investigation of Goertler Vortices on Slotted, Natural-Laminar-Flow Airfoils", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Mark Maughmer, Christopher Axten and Leonard Metkowski, 2021, "Low-Turbulence Wind Tunnel Results for a Low-Reynolds Number Airfoil", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Christopher Axten and Mark Maughmer, 2020, "Demonstrating the Potential of CFD Transition Modeling for Racing Sailplane Design", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Research Projects

Honors and Awards

Service

Service to Penn State:

  • Assistance to Student Organizations, Co-Advisor, Penn State Soaring Club, August 2025

Service to External Organizations:

  • Organizing Conferences and Service on Conference Committees, Co-Organizer, Overset Grid Symposium 2026, January 2026
  • Participation in Community Affairs, Other, Vice President, Vice President, Central Pennsylvania Soaring Association, January 2026
  • Service to Governmental Agencies, Member, International Scientific and Technical Soaring Organisation, Sailplane Development Panel, January 2025
 


 

About

The Penn State Department of Aerospace Engineering, established in 1961 and the only aerospace engineering department in Pennsylvania, is consistently recognized as one of the top aerospace engineering departments in the nation, and is also an international leader in aerospace education, research, and engagement. Our undergraduate program is ranked 15th and our graduate programs are ranked 15th nationally by U.S. News & World Report, while one in 25 holders of a B.S. degree in aerospace engineering in the U.S. earned it from Penn State. Our students are consistently among the most highly recruited by industry, government, and graduate schools nationwide.

The department is built upon the fundamentals of academic integrity, innovation in research, and commitment to the advancement of industry. Through an innovative curriculum and world-class instruction that reflects current industry practice and embraces future trends, Penn State Aerospace Engineering graduates emerge as broadly educated, technically sound aerospace engineers who will become future leaders in a critical industry

Department of Aerospace Engineering

308 Engineering Collaborative Research and Education (ECoRE) Building

556 White Course Drive

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802

Phone: 814-865-2569