Mechanical and aerospace engineering professor receives National Science Foundation CBET Fluid Dynamics Grant
Friday, September 16, 2016
(STILLWATER, Okla., September 16, 2016) – Brian Elbing, Ph.D. and assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) award totaling $297,234 from CBET Fluid Dynamics.
His project, Modification of Near-Wall, High-Reynolds Number Velocity Profiles with Polymer Solutions, focuses on improving the understanding of how polymer solutions modify the velocity field and its dependence on specific polymer properties. He and his students designed a custom-designed, re-circulating water tunnel which uses a pump to move water at a high speed through a section where different measurements are taken to study drag on a plane, car or bike.
Elbing says that this project aims to provide extensive student exposure and involvement in research at all levels.
“We have already had our first three students participate in OSU’s Upward Bound program, which has low-income or first-generation high-school students participate in a six-week job shadowing experience in our laboratory,” explains Elbing. “Undergraduate involvement will be extensive with planned senior capstone design projects, creation of polymer drag reduction-based projects in experimental fluid dynamics classes and summer research experiences.”
In addition, the project will fund at least one Ph.D. student who will be responsible for conducting the planned research activities.
“Beyond the technical advances that will be generated from this grant, I am excited for the research opportunities for our high-school, undergraduate and graduate students,” says Elbing. “Exposure to laboratory research is critical because many students, like myself respond well in a less-structured and exploratory research environment.”
The NSF CBET Fluid Dynamics sector typically funds below 10 percent of the proposals that make to their review process. This is the second award for the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering at OSU within the last two years. The first award was granted to MAE assistant professor Arvind Santhanakrishnan.
For more information on Brian Elbing’s award, visit: https://nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1604978&HistoricalAwards=false
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