Emily Diorio: Experimental Investigation of Collision Statistics of Aerosols

What I Did

During my project, I worked in Dr. Meng's lab, focusing on the study of particle properties during turbulence. We used equipment that allowed us to put microscopic particles into a chamber with fans, creating turbulent flow. With lasers, cameras, and advanced computed programs, we could analyze the movements of the particles. I was mostly involved in post-processing of data. I worked on simulations in MATLAB and Python to show collisions of particles and help visualize the forces that could be causing the observed extreme clustering. Turbulence is everywhere in our everyday life, and this could be applied into may fields. I am proud of the simulations I created, and I find that it was very rewarding to help people outside of the lab understand the research that was being conducted. My biggest takeaway was the value of inter-disciplinary teamwork. As a double major in physics and electrical engineering, I myself am an example of that, but it was truly being applied in this lab.    

What I Learned

This experience has helped me understand how hands on research and development works. I think this will help me acclimate to any other jobs and positions I secure in the future. I hope to be part of great teams in the future, and this was a phenomenal introduction. I think other students should get involved because it shows us what we are working towards. It breaks up the monotony of textbooks and homework problems, and gets students involved in new and exciting things that haven't yet been figured out. 

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