For the past two years, UMW Physics majors have traveled to Conway, SC, for a research experience, similar to our UMW on-campus Summer Science Institute. They live on the campus of Coastal Carolina University and work in the Environmental Fluids Laboratory (EFL) co-directed by Erin Hackett, Ph.D. Dr Hackett is a Professor of Physical Oceanography in the Department of Marine Science. In the past, projects in her lab have ranged from weather effects close to the ocean’s surface to the hydrodynamics of swimming organisms. In all projects, there is a generous combination of experimental and computational fluid dynamics.
Senior Joe Haun, a double major in Applied Physics and Music, explained the outline of his project this summer.
To better understand weather phenomenon, sensors are required to detect atmospheric conditions at the marine atmospheric boundary layer (right above the ocean surface). This project aims to evaluate and quantify the accuracy of cost-efficient weather sensors in comparison to more expensive, industry-standard sensor.
Elijah Harrington, a junior, also worked with marine atmospheric boundary layer data from across the world’s oceans in an attempt to characterize the relationships of pressure, temperature, and humidity as they vary with height above the ocean’s surface.
The work at Coastal supplements the research offerings at UMW and provides the students with unique experiences. Physics thrives on making connections across and within other science disciplines. At the EFL, UMW Physics majors get to experience that first-hand through the interplay between biological, environmental, chemical, and physical processes within the ocean. “One of the things that I appreciate about this program is that I get to work on a part of a large-scale project,” Joe explains. Elijah agrees, “It has been fun talking to all the graduate students here to get different views on careers and paths, as well as learning a lot more about specifics of the field from them.” Unlike the undergraduate focus at UMW, the students in the EFL are part of a team that involves other faculty, graduate researchers, and other undergraduate students. Because there are several different projects ongoing simultaneously, the students get to see and experience physics applications beyond their own project. Elijah was surprised “to help with work in a wind tunnel to look at the aerodynamics of a snail.” UMW Physics is able to support student participation in these projects at the EFL through the generous support of the Margaret Duke Fund. Building and developing student expertise and awareness of potential STEM careers fulfills the Physics Program mission.
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