Professor Benjamin Jorns Receives Recognition from U-M College of Engineering

Benjamin Jorns, Professor of Aerospace Engineering

Congratulations to Aerospace Engineering Professor Benjamin Jorns who has added onto his outstanding professional portfolio by receiving the 2024-25 College of Engineering Faculty Departmental Award. These awards are given annually to recognize faculty for outstanding contributions to the College, the University and the profession through their teaching, service and research.

Professor Jorns has conducted groundbreaking work throughout the University of Michigan and internationally through his Plasmadynamics and Electric Propulsion Laboratory (PEPL), which focuses on advancing research in space propulsion systems, particularly electric propulsion. In 2024, Professor Jorns and PEPL were awarded a DURIP equipment grant for a new vacuum chamber specifically designed for testing to pump reactive gases such as nitrogen and oxygen.

This resumé of accomplishments also includes six “Best Paper” recognitions from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the AFOSR Young Investigator Program award, the DOE Early Career Award, the AIAA Sperry Award, and seven NASA technical achievement awards.

In addition to his work within PEPL, he also heads the new $35 M Space Power and Propulsion for Agility, Responsiveness and Resilience (SPAR) Institute, one of the nation’s largest efforts to advance space power and propulsion.

Along with his many laboratory achievements, he is also co-director of the Joint Advanced Propulsion Institute (JANUS) and has 150 journal articles and conference proceedings published. Professor Jorns’ work in electric propulsion has received significant recognition and has shown his commitment to advancing this area of study.