Research:

My research interests include acoustics, classical physics, and robotics. Working with undergraduates to develop a research project that expands their capabilities is very important to me. Link to a pdf of my current C.V. is here.

Select Undergraduate Student Research Projects

Academic Year 2023 - 2024:

• Simon Podsiadlik:
• Designing and Building a Robotic Percussionist: A Study in Engineering Design. (video)
• Niya "Honey" Norfork
• 2024 Arkansas Department of Education's Solar Eclipse Endeavor Project (ongoing).

Academic Year 2022 - 2023:

• Nadira Amadou Mahamane:
• Research Poster entitled "Analysis and Experiment of Air Drag on a Sphere" and presented at the 2022 PhysCon.
• Will Ward:
• Department Honors Thesis entitled "INVESTIGATING MEMS ACCELEROMETER CALIBRATION TECHNIQUES".

Academic Year 2019 - 2020:

• Max Huggins:
• Department Honors Thesis entitled "Reaction Control System for High Altitude Balloons: Characterizing the Cold Gas Thruster for Reaction Control"

Academic Year 2018 - 2019:

• Kayce Conville:
• Poster entitled "A Real Time Automated Microclimate Ecosystem" presented at the 2019 meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science and senior thesis.
• Issac Raphael:
• Research Poster entitled "An Investigation of Thermoelectric Element Power Generation" at the 2019 meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science and senior capstone report.
• Elaine Jeffery:
• Research Poster entitled "Student-Built High-Altitude Balloon Payload" presented at the 2017 meeting of the American Physical Society.
• Research Poster entitled "Pointing Isn't Rude: A Proof-of-Concept HAB Stabilizer" presented at the 2019 Meeting of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium and as a senior thesis.

Academic Year 2014 - 2015:

• Shaohui Qiu:
• Research Poster entitled "Optimizing the Angular Acceleration of a Current Carrying Wire in Dipole Magnetic Field" presented at the 2015 meeting of the Arkansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence.

Academic Year 2013 - 2014:

• John Ferrier:
• Research Poster entitled "Sound Absorption and Resonance of Venturi Resonator Systems" presented at the 168th meeting of the Acoustical Society of America.

Academic Year 2012 - 2013:

• Jerrod Ward:
• Research Poster entitled "Design, Characterization and Testing of a Custom Air Horn" presented at the 164th meeting of the Acoustical Society of America.
• Matt Sisson and Justin Mann:
• Research Poster entitled "Absorption Properties of NASA Flight Approved Materials and other Testable Samples" presented at the 164th meeting of the Acoustical Society of America.
• Research Poster entitled "Acoustic Properties of Felt" presented at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium.

Academic Year 2011 - 2012:

• Ashley Hicks:
• Research Paper entitled "Determining the Coefficient of Discharge for a Draining Container" published in The Physics Teacher.
• Departmental Honors Thesis entitled "A Study of the Speed of Sound in Pure Gases and Binary Gas Mixtures."

Academic Year 2010 - 2011:

• Asami Nishikawa:
• Research Poster entitled "Aeroacoustic Source Strength Measurement of a Helmholtz Resonator" presented at the MidSouth Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America meeting in April 2011.
• Departmental Honors Thesis entitled "Aeroacoustic Source Strength Measurement of a Helmholtz Resonator." This work has also been published in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.
• Trey French:
• Research Poster entitled "Determination of Elastic Moduli in Bars Using Resonance" presented at the MidSouth Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America meeting in April 2011 and at the 95th Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science.
• Tristan Odekirk:
• Research Poster entitled "Speed of a Pulse on a Taut Wire" presented at the MidSouth Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America meeting in April 2011. This work has also been published in The Physics Teacher.
• Pete Bland:
• Research Poster entitled "An Efficient Flood Basin Water Depth Sensor" presented at the 95th Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science.
• Jon White:
• Research Poster entitled "High Altitude Data Logging" presented at the 19th Annual Arkansas Space Grant Symposium in April 2011 and at the 95th Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science.

Academic Year 2009 - 2010:

• Asami Nishikawa:
• Research Poster entitled "The Effect of A Helmholtz Resonator’s Neck Geometry On The Aero-Acoustic Excitation of Resonance" presented at the MidSouth Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America meeting in March 2010 and at the 94th Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science.
• Dustin Morris:
• Research Poster entitled "Behavior of a Helmholtz Resonator Driven at High Amplitudes" presented at the MidSouth Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America meeting in March 2010 and at the 94th Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science.

Academic Year 2008 - 2009:

• Kim Penn (Mason):
• Honors College Thesis entitled "Rocket Lab and BalloonSat: The Importance of Student Based Hands-On Experiments in the Classroom."
• BalloonSAT and LabPro Poster presented at the 2009 American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) Winter Meeting.
• Model Rocket Thrust Presentation given at the 2009 American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) Winter Meeting. This work has also been published in The Physics Teacher.
• Matt Brozak: Physics Department Senior Lab Report entitled "Qualitative Analysis of Symmetric Modes of a Vibrating Drum"
• Mode (0,3): Video, Animation
• Mode (1,1): Video, Animation
• Mode (1,3): Video, Animation
• Mode (2,1): Video, Animation
• Shane McNew: Physics Department Senior Lab Project entitled "Bessel's Flames of Glory." The project was to build and test a Ruben's tube like device based on 2D square and circular geometry rather than a Ruben tube's 1D geometry.
• Circular Pan Mode Photos: Mode (0,1), Mode (1,1), Mode (2,2)
• Square Pan Mode Photos: Mode (2,0) & (0,2) degenerate mode, Mode (2,1), Mode (2,2)

Academic Year 2007 - 2008:

• Holly Smith:
• Thermoacoustic Quality Factor Presentation at the 154th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America
• Physics Department Honors Thesis entitled "Impedance Measurement of a Thermoacoustic Engine Constructed from a Helmholtz Resonator"
• Honors College Thesis entitled "A Thermoacoustic Approach to Exploring Resonance"
• NASA Workforce Development Project entitled "Reduction of Fan Generated Tonal Noise in a Ventilation Duct with Applications to the International Space Station"
• Steven Stoll: Physics Department Honors Thesis entitled "Investigation of Temperature Gradients in a Demonstration Model Thermoacoustic Refrigerator"
• Stephanie Lanier: Aeroacoustic Presentation at the 154th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America
• Jennifer Rullman: Acoustics Lab Digital Picture Frame Project
• Kim Mason:
• BalloonSAT and LabPro Presentation at the 92nd Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science
• Model Rocket Thrust Presentation at the 92nd Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science
• A3-4T Engine Movie, C6 Engine Movie, E9 Engine Movie

Academic Year 2006 - 2007:

• Christa Harbor: Aeroacoustic Excitation of Acoustic Resonance
• Holly Smith: Thermoacoustic Quality Factor Enhancement
• Christa Harbor, Holly Smith & Dr. Slaton's trip to Johnson Space Center
• Kim Mason: Measuring Model Rocket Engine Thrust Curves