Kenneth Kiger

Kenneth Kiger is a Professor and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park. He holds the endowed Keystone Professor title and is affiliated with the Maryland Energy Innovation Institute and Brain and Behavior Institute. His research focuses on fluid mechanics and experimental techniques, with emphasis on multi-phase flows, particle-turbulence interaction, turbulent mixing in complex geometries, and applications in nuclear reactor safety, spray cooling, and sediment transport.

Dr. Kiger earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego (1995). He has received the National Science Foundation CAREER Award (1997) and the Distinguished Scholar-Teacher award from the University of Maryland. His work has advanced fluid dynamics education and curriculum development, particularly in hands-on engineering pedagogy.

His research employs advanced experimental methods like Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF). Notable projects include studying air entrainment by plunging jets, boron mixing in nuclear reactors, and the dynamics of sediment-laden flows. He has contributed to biomimetic fluid dynamics, exploring gill kinematics in mayfly nymphs, and developed novel measurement techniques for two-phase flows.

Prof. Kiger actively engages in academic service, serving on the organizing committee for the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Annual Meeting (2000) and as a reviewer for journals including Physics of Fluids and Journal of Fluid Mechanics. He has mentored numerous students and pioneered educational initiatives such as mastery-based assessment approaches in engineering education.

His lab work involves fluid-structure interaction studies, particularly flexible plate impacts on water surfaces, and high-fidelity simulations of complex fluid dynamics phenomena. Recent contributions address environmental fluid mechanics (e.g., foundry physics modeling) and energy-related applications (e.g., spray cooling for electronics).