Research Initiation Awards provide support for junior and mid-career faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are building new research programs or redirecting and rebuilding existing research programs. It is expected that the award helps to further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness, improves research and teaching at the home institution, and involves undergraduate students in research experiences. The award to Albany State University has potential broader impacts in a number of areas. The goal of this project is to develop mathematical modeling and analysis of nanofluid in axisymmetric and three-dimensional flows, and to enhance teaching and learning at the university by involving undergraduate students in mathematical modeling.
The project will develop mathematical modeling and analysis of nonlinear coupled partial differential equations in axisymmetric and three-dimensional flows that arise in nanofluid flow in unsteady mixed convection. The specific goals of this project are to: (i) obtain deterministic solutions to the unsteady mixed convection nanofluid flow in axisymmetric bodies; (ii) develop stochastic solutions to unsteady mixed convection nanofluid flow over axisymmetric and three-dimensional bodies; and (iii) investigate the stability properties of the mixed convection flow over moving axisymmetric bodies. The success of this project will provide fundamental understanding of unsteady convective heat transfer phenomena in complex nanofluids. The results of such studies could be used to optimize fluid properties and for existing critical applications such as coolant for automobiles, air conditioning, and supercomputers, as well as emerging and novel applications. This project will be conducted in collaboration with the Mathematical Biosciences Institute at Ohio State University.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
