Biofluid dynamics research conducted at Grove City College is highly interdisciplinary, involving biologically inspired robotics and the tracking of marine organisms – from tiny plankton to blue whales – to explore the link between their hydrodynamics and behavior.
In the lab, students collect and apply 3D data from live fish swimming in a water treadmill – or “flow tank” – designed by mechanical engineering students. This data is used to investigate universal resonant frequencies in the undulating propulsion of fish, which give clues to why fish swim the way they do and inform the development of biomimetic propulsion systems. Students also use laser-based flow visualization and other optical techniques to measure the flow of water over swimming organisms, whale tags and biomimetic systems, and even to understand the mechanics of the suction cups of remora fish.
Led by Dr. Erik Anderson (Department of Mechanical Engineering), this research has been recognized by Smithsonian Magazine and The New York Times. Alumni have moved on to graduate school and faculty position at institutions like Princeton, Baylor, and the U.S. Naval Academy after working in this lab.
Undergraduate research provides students with practical, real-world lab experience, preparing them for graduate school and careers in the fields of marine vehicles, marine resource management, and ecology. Research students also have opportunities to publish their findings and present at conferences, often winning awards in the process.
The work done in Dr. Anderson’s lab has led to opportunities for continued research with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Harvard. His students have collaborated with scientists at the University of Michigan, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, SeaWorld, Georgia Tech, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. They also collaborated with Grove City College professors in the departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biology.