Spencer Smith

he/him

  • Associate Professor of Physics
Spencer Smith, Faculty

Spencer Smith's work seeks to characterize the complexity inherent in chaotic fluid motion by uncovering dynamically relevant and topologically robust fluid structures. He investigates how these ideas are pertinent from micro-fluidic chips at the small scale to pollution tracking and prediction in oceanic flows on a much larger scale and touch on some of the deep questions in fluid dynamics, such as the nature of turbulence.

Spencer is also very interested in the intersection of art and physics, and he curated a show at the MHC Art Museum in fall 2017 on the science photographs of Berenice Abbott. 

Areas of Expertise

physics (fluid dynamics); math (dynamic systems theory & topology); computer science (finite elements, data structures, algorithm development, and numerical methods)

Education

  • Ph.D., M.S., Tufts University
  • B.A., Dartmouth College

Happening at Mount Holyoke

Recent Campus News

President Danielle R. Holley provided an introduction for a showing of “Nomadland,” directed by Chloé Zhao ’05, at Amherst Cinema. The event, part of a series called “Five on Film,” highlights alums of the Five College Consortium.

Naomi Dupre-Edelman, assistant director of math leadership programs at , is one of 26 people named to the Massachusetts Education Policy Fellowship program held by the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy.

Artist Harmonia Rosales spoke at the Art Museum about her work, including her painting “The Harvest.”

Recent Publications

Smith, S.A., Gong, R. (2022). Braiding dynamics in active nematics. Frontiers in Physics, 10.

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