CCS Monthly Forum

Abstract: Underwater vehicles are vital for monitoring coastal environments, yet conventional designs struggle to operate effectively in the turbulent, wave-swept waters of the coast. This seminar will highlight recent research by the Fluid & Adaptive Structures (FASt) Lab to realize bio-inspired robotic swimmers with flexible bodies that harness the remarkable swimming performance of biology.

Bio: Patrick Musgrave, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Florida, leads the Fluids and Adaptive Structures (FASt) Lab which aims to realize intelligent structures that can think and respond to their fluid environment. Musgrave’s work has been supported by AFOSR, NSF and DOE, and he has been recognized with the AFOSR Young Investigator award and the NSF CAREER award.

Abstract: Subtidal estuarine mass transport affects sediment and contaminant dispersion. Using numerical simulations, the understudied effects of the Gulf Stream on subtidal estuarine mass transport is examined. Preliminary results show that the Gulf Stream reduces riverine and tidal oscillatory transport and increases shear dispersion.

Bio: Scott Lee Young is a Ph.D. candidate in Civil and Coastal Engineering at the University of Florida, studying estuarine hydrodynamics and its influence on hypoxia. His work combines statistical analysis and numerical modeling towards predicting water quality. He is a Melnick Scholar, and former CERF Rising Tides Fellow and Fulbright Scholar.