LAURENT
FLUID DYNAMICS LAB
Our interdisciplinary, experimental research aims to understand how animals have adapted to perform in highly turbulent environments. We explore ways in which these adaptations can be applied to man-made machines.
Improving Experimental Methods
Finding ways to enhance data accuracy and refine data analysis techniques
Fluid Mechanics Around Animals
Identifying the behaviors and adaptations of animals that enable them to out-perform man-made machines in a variety of applications
UAV Flight Performance
Quantifying and improving the response of unmanned aerial vehicles to turbulent flows
LATEST NEWS
01.13.2026 – Dr. Laurent and the lab present three papers at AIAA SciTech 2026! PhD student Adhip Gupta presents on multi-camera tracking of flocking birds, PhD student Matthew Qualters presents on supersonic dual-stream jet characterization, and Dr. Laurent presents on scalable energy harvesting for UAVs.
01.16.2025 – Undergraduate student Sona Flask joins the lab! Her SOURCE-funded project aims to understand how textured surfaces which mimic shark skin can reduce drag.
01.01.2026 – PhD student Matthew Qualters joins the lab! His project focuses on flow control in supersonic jets.
11.23.2025 – PhD student Adhip Gupta presents his work on 3D trajectory reconstruction of flocking birds at the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics conference.
10.15.2025 – Undergraduate student Jason Reid joins the lab! His SOURCE-funded project investigates how shark skin-inspired textured surfaces can reduce drag.
08.15.2025 – PhD student William Martin joins the lab! His project focuses on energy extraction from small-scale turbulence for improved UAV flight performance.
05.15.2025 – Undergraduate students Zachary Freyman (SOURCE-funded), Dean Abdel-Aziz (SOURCE-funded), Rudy Adkins (REU-funded), and Ava Lough join the lab for summer research projects!
05.21.2025 – Dr. Laurent participates in the Faculty Success Program through the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity.
04.26.2025 – Dr. Laurent and PhD student Adhip Gupta present at the 1000 Islands Fluid Dynamics Meeting.
11.25.2024 – PhD student Adhip Gupta presents his work at the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics conference. Read the abstract here
10.18.2024 – In collaboration with Dr. Lui, Dr. Laurent receives funding from SOURCE for undergraduate research for Spring – Fall 2025. Learn more about the project and how to get involved here!
08.05.2024 – Dr. Laurent presents Birds, Planes, & Aerodynamics at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.
07.16.2024 – Dr. Laurent volunteers for TACNY’s Summer STEM Trekker Program. Read more about it on our “Outreach” page!
06.03.2024 – Undergraduate student Maximilian Lapinski joins the lab for a summer REU-funded project! This project aims to develop an experimental setup for measuring the forces on a flapping wing.
06.03.2024 – Undergraduate student Joshua Varkey joins the lab! His SOURCE-funded project aims to design and analyze flow visualization techniques for a low-speed water tunnel.
02.15.2024 – Dr. Laurent receives funding from SOURCE for undergraduate research for Summer & Fall 2024. Learn more about the project and how to get involved here!
02.07.2024 – Dr. Laurent’s collaborative work with local company OpB Data Insights is published in Experiments in Fluids. Read the article here
01.20.2024 – Dr. Laurent presents Birds of Prey in Flight: Exploring the Aerodynamics of Birds of Prey at the Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse.
12.11.2023 – Dr. Laurent presents her research at Clarkson University’s Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Graduate Seminar
08.28.2023 – Undergraduate student Kazi joins the lab! His research project examines drag-reduction in car designs.
09.29.2023 – Dr. Laurent receives funding from SOURCE for undergraduate research. Learn more about the project and how to get involved here!
03.10.2023 – Dr. Laurent presents her research at Syracuse University’s Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Graduate Seminar
01.17.2023 – Undergraduate students Sophia and Alex join the lab! Their SOURCE funded project examines how fish bodies reduce drag.
08.29.2022 – Undergraduate student Cody joins the lab! His research project examines optimal flapping patterns in manta-inspired robots.
08.22.2022 – Dr. Laurent arrives at Syracuse University to start her role as an Assistant Professor.
03.02.2022 – An interview with Dr. Laurent is published in BBC Wildlife – read the article here
JOIN OUR TEAM!
There are open opportunities for PhD and master students. Highly motivated undergraduate students are encouraged to reach out as well. Please email your CV with a brief introduction to klaurent@syr.edu