Bryan Schmidt

Bryan Schmidt is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Case Western Reserve University's Case School of Engineering. His research focuses on turbulent and unsteady flows across a range of speeds, from low-speed to hypersonic, employing advanced imaging techniques such as Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS), wavelet-based optical flow velocimetry (wOFV), and particle image velocimetry (PIV). He leads the Flow Physics and Imaging Laboratory, emphasizing experimental methods in fluid dynamics, turbulence, hypersonics, and image processing.

• Education:
  • PhD in Aeronautics, California Institute of Technology (2016)
  • MS in Aeronautics, California Institute of Technology (2012)
  • BS in Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University (2011)
• Professional Memberships:
  • Senior Member, AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics)
  • Member, American Physical Society (APS)

His research interests include fluid dynamics, turbulence, hypersonic flow analysis, and advanced imaging diagnostics. He has pioneered wavelet-based optical flow velocimetry to improve accuracy in velocity measurements across diverse flow regimes. Notable contributions include studies on aerosol-laden plumes, shockwave dynamics, and combustion-driven flows. He has received prestigious awards such as the ONR and AFOSR Young Investigator Program (YIP) Awards in 2023.

His lab develops novel experimental setups, such as self-aligned focusing schlieren systems, and open-source tools like SDToolbox for shock and detonation wave modeling. His work bridges computational and experimental fluid mechanics, with applications in aerospace engineering, environmental systems, and biomedical flows.