Lance Collins

Lance Collins is the Vice President and Executive Director of the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech. He previously served as Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering at Cornell University, leading initiatives that significantly increased diversity in engineering programs. Collins holds a BSE from Princeton University and advanced degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on turbulent processes, numerical simulations, and aerosol dynamics. He has held leadership roles on boards of organizations such as MITRE Corporation and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Foundation. Collins has received prestigious awards including membership in the National Academy of Engineering (2021) and fellowships from the American Physical Society (2007) and AAAS (2014).

Education:

• BSE in Chemical Engineering, Princeton University (1981)
• MS & PhD in Chemical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania (1983, 1987)

Research Interests: Turbulent processes, fluid dynamics, numerical simulation of flames and microstructures, polymer drag reduction mechanisms, and particle-laden flows. His work bridges computational models with experimental validation in high-Reynolds-number turbulence.

Publications Trends: Recent articles emphasize non-continuum effects in multiphase flows, inertial particle dynamics in turbulence, and DNS advancements. Themes include droplet coalescence, particle clustering mechanisms, and high-performance computing for turbulence modeling.

Awards:

• National Academy of Engineering (2021)
• Fellow of APS (2007), AAAS (2014), AIChE (2005)
• Mosaic Medal of Distinction (2017)
• Edward Bouchet Legacy Award (2018)

Advising & Leadership: Spearheaded Cornell Tech's Roosevelt Island campus, secured major donations for engineering schools, and pioneered diversity initiatives in academia. Current roles include board memberships at MITRE and the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates on large-scale DNS projects, turbulence simulation algorithms, and multiphase flow studies through interdisciplinary teams at Virginia Tech and previously at Cornell's Sibley School.