Richard M. McLaughlin

Richard M. McLaughlin is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he served as Mathematics Chair from 2013 to 2023. His academic career spans positions at the University of Utah and NSF postdoctoral work following his PhD training.

His educational background includes a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Princeton University (1989-1994) and a BS in Mathematics from the University of Arizona (1986-1989). Early education was completed at Amphitheater High School and various elementary/junior high institutions in Arizona.

McLaughlin's research centers on fluid dynamics with emphasis on stratified flows, turbulence, and passive scalar transport. His work bridges theoretical mathematics with experimental validation, particularly in geophysical and environmental contexts. Key themes include symmetry breaking in pipe flows, vortex dynamics in stratified media, and boundary effects on chemical transport in microfluidic systems. The research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between mathematical theory, laboratory experiments, and real-world applications in oceanography and environmental science.

His publication trends reveal consistent focus on stratification phenomena across multiple scales - from microfluidic systems to oceanic processes. Recent work increasingly integrates experimental validation with rigorous mathematical analysis, particularly in particle transport through sharp density interfaces and asymmetric concentration distributions in bounded flows.

• Milton van Dyke APS DFD Gallery of Fluid Motion (2015) for work on dense vortex rings in stratification

McLaughlin leads the UNC Fluids Lab, which conducts experimental and theoretical research on stratified fluid phenomena. His work includes field campaigns such as the Himalayan Goyko Lake study examining extreme depth fluctuations. The lab utilizes both computational modeling and hands-on experiments, including APS-featured videos on falling spheres and fractal fingering. Current research directions involve marine snow settling dynamics, porous particle transport, and enzymatic activity enhancement at stratified layers.