Dr. Amy Lang
Associate Professor – Lab Director
Dr.Lang completed her bachelors degree in mechanical engineering at Michigan State in 1993. She then attended the California Institute of Technology for her post graduate studies where she received her Masters and PhD in aeronautical engineering in 1994 and 1997 respectively. She has been a member of UA’s faculty since 2005 and has authored or coauthored over 40 refereed journal and conference papers. Her research areas include experimental fluid dynamics with a focus on bio-inspired flow control, vortex dynamics, free shear flows and boundary layers, expertise using DPIV (digital particle image velocimetry).
Students
Jackson Morris, Master’s Student
Jackson Morris is a Master’s student of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, with an anticipated graduation date of December 2017. He graduated from UA in 2016 with a BSAEM. His research project is currently testing if the drag reduction effects of shark skin can be repeated in airflow. When not studying, he can be found in UA’s Huxford Symphony Orchestra on bass or part of UA’s engineering theatre group.
Sean Devey, Undergraduate Student
Sean has been working with Dr. Paul Hubner and Dr. Amy Lang on understanding the fluid dynamic benefits provided by the skin of the shortfin mako shark. Sean’s focus has been on applying the mako shark’s passive flow control mechanism to surfaces in air through wind tunnel studies and characterizing mako skin’s response to airflows. He hopes to earn his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering and thoroughly enjoy a research career in experimental aerodynamics.
Andrew Bonacci, Undergraduate Student
Andrew Bonacci is an undergraduate research student focusing on passive separation control in laminar flow using shark skin. He has been active the REU program for the past two years. Some of his hobbies include playing and listening to music, playing board games, and hanging out with friends!
Cassidy Elliott, Undergraduate Student
Cassidy Elliott is a senior majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in the Randall Research Scholars Program. She has been working in the lab since May 2016, and her current project focuses on how the roughness of butterfly scales impacts the development of the leading edge vortex produced during wing flapping. Over the course of this project, Cassidy has worked extensively in SolidWorks, to design her models, and Matlab, to analyze her data. Along with research, she is also an ambassador for the Honors College, a mentor to younger students in her research program, and the treasurer of the UA chapter of the Pi Tau Sigma mechanical engineering honor society.