Dickerson | FaST Lab | UCF | United States

Fluids and STructures Laboratory

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

University of Central Florida

Andrew K. Dickerson, PhD

My Work

How do citrus jets work?

2018, PNAS

Commonplace, but a wonder of nature. Material properties and geometry work in concert to produce hair-sized jets that can travel faster than 20 m/s.

How much paper is enough?

2018, Physics of Fluids

The presence of penetrable fabric atop a liquid surface (toilet paper in this case) induces cavity-forming impacts and greater splash heights when compared to the impacts of identical hydrophilic impactors hitting clean water.

How mosquitoes cope with slippery takeoffs?

2018, Bioinspiration & Biomimetics

With a swift kick of the hind leg, a mosquito combats slippage when pushing off from smooth, slippery takeoff platforms.

Organisms exhibit fluidic behaviors

2019, Bioinspiration & Biomimetics

When in groups, creatures large and small, including locusts, midges, starlings, ants, and humans display characteristics that have analogs in fluid mechanics. We can prescribe density, viscosity, surface tension, and phase change to such aggregations.

Mosquitoes (and other small insects) survive raindrop impacts

2012, PNAS

When it comes to rain, sometimes being small has it's advantages. Not only to mosquitoes not get wet in rainfall, but survive violent collisions with raindrops because they are so small.

BIO

I am a fluid dynamicist with expertise in the mechanics of interfaces and interested in the biomechanics of animal locomotion. My work in these areas has generated broad interest across the fields of engineering, biology and robotics, resulting in publications in a number in high-impact interdisciplinary journals such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal of the Royal Society Interface, as well as popular journals such as Physics of Fluids.

Over the years, my research has also played a role in educating the public in science and engineering. I have been an invited guest on numerous television and radio shows to discuss my research, including Good Morning America, National Public Radio, The Weather Channel, and Discovery Channel.

APPOINTMENTS

University of Central Florida, Assistant Professor, August 2016
Meggitt PLC, Senior Engineer, Global Programme Jan 2014 – July 2016

EDUCATION

Georgia Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering, PhD 2014
Georgia Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering, MSME 2012
Georgia Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering, BSME 2009