Tyler Van Buren

Assistant Professor

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Aerospace Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
M.S. Aerospace Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
B.S. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Tyler Van Buren is an Assistant Professor at the University of Delaware in the Mechanical Engineering Department. He received his B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (2008) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he continued to also attain his M.S. in Aerospace Engineering (2010), working with electroactive polymer dynamic surfaces for boundary layer control, and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering (2013), studying steady and unsteady jets as flow control devices. From 2014-2019, he served as a Research Scientist at Princeton University, where he led multiple projects including bio-inspired propulsion systems, novel wind energy harvesting techniques, turbulence induced blood damage, liquid-infused surfaces for turbulent drag reduction, and non-equilibrium wall-bounded turbulence.

At UD, Tyler’s lab focuses primarily on unsteady flows—including flows that are unsteady purposefully (fish swimming) or chaotically (turbulence) —that are dominated by coherent structure. He develops systems that interact with these flows by sensing and responding to their environment. He stresses fundamental research that has a tangible route to impact the world today. His work will lead to better vehicle design, robots with new methods of propulsion, or novel ways to save energy.

RESEARCH AREAS

• Biomechanical Engineering
• Clean Energy & Environment
• Robotics & Controls

FACULTY EXPERTISE

• Fluid Mechanics
• Experimental Methods
• Aerodynamics/Hydrodynamics
• Bioinspired propulsion
• Turbulence
• Flow Control