Dr. Blunck’s research focuses on combustion, ignition, radiation, and energy. His group conducts research which seeks to understand the science associated with practical (e.g. gas turbine engine) and natural (e.g. forest fires) chemical energy conversion. He is the lead PI on more than three-million dollars of funded research at Oregon State and has many national and international collaborations.

Prior to joining MIME, he worked at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Turbine Engine Division, in Dayton, Ohio. Dr. Blunck was the lead investigator for fundamental combustion research efforts related to gas turbine combustors and pollutant formation. He helped to lead a team of engineers in designing and testing the world’s smallest combustor for use in advanced gas turbine engines. 

Dr. Blunck is the recipient of numerous honors and awards including the Welty Faculty Fellow, the AIAA Pacific Northwest Section Young Engineer of the Year (2014 – 2015), and the outstanding graduate student from the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University (2010).

He has been at Oregon State since 2013.