Derek Drumm Email & Phone Number

Working under the guidance of Dr. Sarah Olson at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, I have been studying fluid flows, Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCSs), and how such structures help us to understand fluid flows. My current focus mainly in nonlinear optimization and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Through my dissertation research, I have developed custom-made software in MATLAB and combined it with black box optimization and fluid solvers in COMSOL Multiphysics to solve shape optimization problems in fluid mechanics and biological contexts. I have applied my solvers numerically solve for obstacles that minimize drag in a viscous fluid, construct obstacles that give a specified flow structure, and model the movement of micro-organisms in bio-fluids. During a workshop and modeling camp in the summer of 2022, I had the pleasure of working with a team of senior researchers and other graduate students to solve real-life industrial problems as provided by industrial sponsors and faculty mentors. Through these experiences, I gained additional experience with machine learning and data analysis tools.