Stanford University's Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology Program, in the Department of Civil Engineering, has long been recognized nationally and internationally in the general areas of hydraulics, hydrology, fluid mechanics, and water resources research. Within this program, the Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory (EFML) is the centerpiece for research activities in experimental and computational fluid mechanics. Current research in the EFML includes: turbulence and mixing in natural water bodies; stratified flows in various bodies of water; natural and forced convection flows in energy systems; energy and mass transfer across the ocean-atmosphere interface; and transport and mixing of pollutants at regional and global scales in the atmosphere. Presently the laboratory is housed in the south wing of Building 2-520, a facility that was constructed in 1912. Existing laboratory space, antiquated with limited utility, impedes on research experimentation requiring clean conditions and/ or controlled environments. Thus certain procedures cannot be performed in the present environment. Funding from the ARI Program will provide partial support for the renovation of the EFML into a modernized facility. Renovations will entail the reconfiguration of existing research space; upgrading communications, electrical, and mechanical systems; and improving space for safety and ADA compliance. In addition to furnishing proper drainage and sewage facilities for laboratories, a clean room will be constructed to permit investigations in biological and geochemical fluid dynamics to be conducted. The creation of a high-speed fiber-optic network for communications within the laboratory is critical for Stanford's NSF Grand Challenge project. Not only will the renovated facility provide many research opportunities, but it will encourage greater diversity and facilitate the growth of multidisciplinary efforts.
