Michael W. Plesniak, The George Washington University

Megan Leftwich, The George Washington University

This symposium will focus on how animals propel themselves (fly, swim, run) and how insights gained from that can lead to innovative engineering adaptations for improved propulsion of vehicles.  From ctenophores to swordfish to humming birds and owls, nature has found countless ways to create propulsion.  This has led to a rich and diverse field of research to understand the various physics that underpin these phenomena.  The fundamental research questions concern interaction between a moving body and the fluid that surrounds it.  The focus of this symposium is to explore a variety of biologically-inspired propulsive mechanisms.  Invited speakers from a number of disciplines will cover experimental and computational results across a variety of species and scales.

Keywords: energy, fluid mechanics