Carl Knowlen received his Ph.D. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Washington in 1991 and is currently a Research Associate Professor with the UW William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He has a strong background in modeling gas dynamics, chemical kinetics, heat transfer and fluid flow systems and extensive experience in experimental techniques for internal ballistics, subsonic and supersonic wind tunnel testing, cryogenic systems, rocket propulsion systems, and flow field diagnostics. Prof. Knowlen served for four years as the manager of the Kirsten Wind Tunnel, which is the largest commercial subsonic wind tunnel on the west coast operated in a university setting. He was also the faculty mentor of the UW high-powered sounding rocket team that competed in nine annual international intercollegiate rocket engineering competitions under his supervision. His current research activities include; ram accelerator mass drivers for direct space launch, rotating detonation rocket engines for space propulsion, and cryogenic energy storage systems for zero emission vehicle propulsion. He has taught aerospace engineering courses for over 20 years, including introductory courses on aerospace technology for non-engineering majors and incoming first year students.