Andrew Dickerson

Andrew Dickerson is an Associate Professor in the Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (since August 2024). Previously, he held positions as an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee (2021–2024) and the University of Central Florida (2016–2021). He earned his PhD, MS, and BS in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology (2014, 2012, 2009). His research focuses on fluid dynamics, biomechanics, and the mechanics of interfaces, with applications in animal locomotion and engineering systems. He holds an NSF CAREER Award (2019) and a Faculty Fellowship to Israel (2019/2020).

Key research interests include drop impact dynamics, water entry mechanics, and the interaction of fluids with biological and engineered surfaces. He investigates phenomena such as pendant drop motion, fur anti-fouling mechanisms, and the survival strategies of water striders during raindrop impacts. His work has been featured in high-impact journals like Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Physics of Fluids, and he has contributed to media discussions on science and engineering through appearances on networks like Good Morning America and the Discovery Channel.

Dr. Dickerson leads research on fluid-structure interactions, including studies on jet formation, cavity dynamics, and the biomechanics of mosquito takeoff. He collaborates on projects involving 3D-printing biomaterials and the design of vertical wind tunnels for hydrometeor physics. His grants include NSF-funded research on tuning liquid jet dynamics through deformable boundaries.

His lab explores topics such as microjet tuning via surface patterns, the physics of bubble bursting in droplets, and the role of mechanical compression in archaeal cell development. He advises graduate students in fluid dynamics and has published extensively on topics ranging from fur flutter to the survival mechanics of aquatic organisms.