Dec 2025 - Award Announcement Ross is elected a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society for pioneering contributions to multi-body orbital dynamics and space mission design, transformative educational outreach, and influential service to the AAS through leadership, scholarship, and mentorship. See the press release.
Sep 2025
We present NumbaCS: A fast Python package for coherent structure analysis. NumbaCS (Numba Coherent Structures) is a Python package for performing coherent structure analysis in a user-friendly and efficient manner. It implements methods referred to as "coherent structure methods", an umbrella term for any method that can be used to infer or extract Lagrangian and Eulerian coherent structures. These are tools for performing analysis of time-dependent dynamical systems, mainly with a focus on material transport in fluid flows. While this package can be used with any (incompressible) flow, methods are provided which make it simple for the user to take advantage of these tools for large-scale geophysical flows. This code, co-developed by graduating PhD student Dr. Albert Jarvis, is published at the Journal of Open Source Software.
Jan 2025Our new paper in Environmental Science: Advances present a new approach combining ground and aerial sensors with predictive modeling to monitor and forecast aerosolized harmful algal bloom (HAB) particles, addressing a critical gap in understanding their atmospheric transport and enabling targeted health advisories for at-risk coastal and lakefront areas.
Nov 2024Our new paper in Journal of Experimental Biology incorporates a unique experimental dataset with predictive quasi-steady models to examine the aerodynamics of snake flighti. We find that quasi-steady approaches underpredict snake flight performance, which indicates that snakes likely rely on unsteady aerodynamic forces for their remarkable flight capabilities. These findings encourage future experimental research to test and identify unsteady mechanisms of aerodynamic force generation in flying snakes.
Sep 2024
How far can Cannabis pollen travel? Our study mapped windborne pollen across the U.S. and determined the risk of unintentional cross-pollincation. See the Scientific Reports open access article led by PhD candidate Manu Nimmala. With over 40,000 accesses, this article is a Top 5 Article in Earth, Environment, and Ecology for 2024, Top 25 Article Overall for 2024for Scientific Reports
May 2021
Free university-level course videos on Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos in short videos focused on specific topics, for those new to the subject, and with several examples.
May 2021New paper on Global invariant manifolds delineating transition and escape dynamics in dissipative systems: an application to snap-through buckling, published in Nonlinear Dynamics
Apr 2021New freely available paper on Differential correction and arc-length continuation applied to boundary value problems: examples based on snap-through of circular arches, just published in Applied Mathematical Modelling.
Apr 2021Open access article on Wind dispersal of natural and biomimetic maple samaras, just published in Biomimetics.
Mar 2021New freely available paper on Multirotor-assisted measurements of wind-induced drift of irregularly shaped objects in aquatic environments, just published in Applied Ocean Research. See a short video abstract.
Jan 2021Online course videos for Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos, for those new to the subject.
Nov 2020Open access paper on Reduced order modeling of fluids using Lagrangian coherent structures
Oct 2020Course videos on Analytical dynamics - Lagrangian and 3D rigid body dynamics. This course on YouTube will ensure that you have a firm grasp of the fundamentals of engineering dynamics, specifically the analytical dynamics approach (Lagrangian mechanics) and 3D rigid body motion. The course will extend your knowledge of dynamics into areas not covered or covered only briefly at the undergraduate level, e.g., Lagrange’s equations, D’Alembert’s principle, quasi-velocities, phase plane analysis. See the class notes in PDF form.
May 2020
Find out how hidden flow structures in the ocean can aid ocean search-and-rescue operations in a new Nature Communications paper (open access). See the press release and ocean experiment video. Authors: M. Serra, P. Sathe, I. Rypina, A. Kirincich, S.D. Ross, P. Lermusiaux, A. Allen, T. Peacock, G. Haller.
Apr 2020New video lecture series for my Advanced Dynamics course, posted on YouTube. Topics covered include Hamiltonian systems (canonical and non-canonical), nonlinear dynamics, Poisson brackets, integrals of motion, periodic orbits, quasi-periodic orbits, resonance, nonlinear oscillators, stability, chaos, invariant maniifolds. See the class notes in OneNote or PDF form here.
Mar 2020
All drones can be used as wind sensors, for providing wind profiles on demand, anywhere, with higher spatiotemporal resolution and a fraction of the cost of other methods. See the free open-access paper in Sensors led by soon-to-graduate aerospace PhD student Javier Gonzalez-Rocha.
Feb 2020
Identifying air pollution transport patterns using generalized Lagrangian coherent structure. See the free open-access paper in Atmosphere.
Jan 2020
We're starting a new Harnessing the Data Revolution: Data Science Corps program for college students this year, where those in training to be engineers/physicists and biologists team up to tackle problems in data-driven decision-making at the engineering/biology interface. The main part of this multi-university program is a summer experience at Virginia Tech, for student-directed field research and data analysis. Read the news article.
Jan 2020
All drones are wind sensors. Detecting wind from the motion of multirotor drones. See the paper here on a model-based approach to wind velocity profiling using motion perturbations of a multirotor unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in both hovering and steady ascending flight.
Nov 2019
Calculating Lagrangian coherent structures (LCS) from the instantaneous limit of the finite-time Lyapunov exponent (FTLE), with several examples to geophysical flows. See the paper here on the instantaneous Lyapunov exponent (iLE) and related iLE structures.
Oct 2019
Find out how hidden flow structures in the ocean can aid Coast Guard search-and-rescue operations. See the paper here.
Oct 2019
Researchers receive USDA grant to study transport of pollen from genetically engineered switchgrass and hemp. See the news article about a new project by David Schmale, Hosein Foroutan, and me.
Jul 2019
In N degrees of freedom, the boundary of orbits escaping across an index-1 saddle, starting at the same initial energy, goes from a (2N-2)-dimensional hyper-cylinder in the conservative case to a (2N-2)-dimensional hyper-ellipsoid in the dissipative case. See the paper here.
Jul 2019News piece on a special edition of Scientific American on "Wild Ideas in Science" that features an article by me and David Schmale on the transport of microbes in the air and water. There's an 'atmospheric superhighway' that transports microbes across the globe, modeled using fluid dynamics and mathematics, and sampled using drones. The special issue covers what it calls "amazing innovations that just might save the planet and us".
Jun 2019
We present a new data-driven method to estimate the location and type of unstable equilibrium points from observed dynamics in mechanical systems of two or more degrees of freedom. Such unstable points are not easily found directly, based on transient trajectories from experiments, but can have a large influence on global dynamics. Our method is validated experimentally for a simple bench-top system, showing promise for more complicated systems. See the paper.
May 2019Download our new paper for free on global phase space structures in a model of passive descent, with simplied models of behaviors such as tumbling leaves, gliding animals, etc. More here, including interactive visualization of the 3D phase space structures.
Apr 2019
Field campaign exposes students to data and decisions research at the interface of engineering and biology. See the news article about the Spring Break REU campaign put on by David Schmale and me.
Apr 2019
See our new Nonlinear Dynamics paper on a trajectory-free approximation of phase space structures using the trajectory divergence rate. More here.
Mar 2019
Congratulations to Peter Nolan on passing his PhD defense! See his defense talk on Youtube here and read his thesis on Experimental and Theoretical Developments in the Application of Lagrangian Coherent Structures to Geophysical Transport
Mar 2019
See our new open access free Sensors paper on a method for detecting atmospheric Lagrangian coherent structures using a single fixed wing unmanned aircraft system. More here.
Feb 2019
See the 1-minute NSF video about our group's work on predicting the motion of material at the ocean surface, with applications to search-and-rescue, oil spills, and harmful algal blooms.
Nov 2018
See the press release about a new NSF funded project to apply new applied math techniques to improve forecasts of contaminant spread in the oceans, floods, and atmosphere - combining reduced order modeling and Lagrangian coherent structures. In collaboration with Traian Iliescu in the Virginia Tech Math Dept.
Sep 2018
I will be attending 2018 SACNAS: The National Diversity in STEM Conference in San Antonio, Texas during October 11-13. I will be at the Virginia Tech College of Engineering booth (#520). Email me if you'd like to meet.
Sep 2018
Interested in graduate school in mechanics? Take integrated coursework on fluids, solids, dynamics, and biomechanics and get a MS or PhD in Engineering Mechanics from Virginia Tech. Apply to visit us for free during our Prospective Student Weekend Oct 19-20. Deadline to apply is September 21. Apply now by filling out a short survey and uploading your CV.
Aug 2018
See the new video on our recent ocean experiments using simulataneous drone and water-based assets, which has applications to search-and-rescue, hazard containment, oil spills and distaster relief. All part of the NSF Advanced Lagrangian Prediction for Hazards Assessment (ALPHA) project.
Jul 2018
Congratulations to Gary Nave on defending his thesis to become a PhD! Watch his defense on video here.
Feb 2018
Congratulations to Isaac Yeaton on defending his thesis to become a PhD!
Oct 2017
Article on Control of gliding in flying snakes, which sets the stage for development of multi-link flying snake robots. In collaboration with F. Jafari, S. Tahmasian, and J.J. Socha.
May 2016
Ross gave a talk on 'Lagrangian transport and mixing in fluids from geometric, probabilistic, and topological perspectives.' at workshop Numerical Analysis and Predictability of Fluid Motion (hosted by the Pitt Math Dept.). See the slides
March 2016
Congratulations to Dr. Renee Pietsch on defending her dissertation to earn a PhD in Biology!
Jan 2016
Ross gave a talk on 'Escape from potential wells in multi-dimensional systems: experiments and partial control' at Dynamics Days US 2016 in Durham, NC (hosted by Duke Physics Dept.). See the slides
May 2015
Ross gave a talk on 'Experimental Verification of Criteria for Escape from a Potential Well in a Multi-degree of Freedom System' at the SIAM Conference on Applications of Dynamical Systems, Snowbird, Utah.
Aug 2013
Congratulations to Sam Raben on finishing his PhD in Mechanical Engineering and starting as a Joesph Ford Postdoctoral Fellow at Georgia Tech!
May 2013
Congratulations to Binbin Lin and A.J. Prussin, who just passed their Ph.D. defenses! Congratulations also to Shibabrat Naik for passing his preliminary exam!
May 2013
Congratulations to my former student Dr. Phanindra Tallapragada (EM PhD '10), who will join Clemson University as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering in Fall 2013!
