Shane Ross

Shane Ross is a Professor at Virginia Tech's Department of Aerospace & Ocean Engineering within the College of Engineering. He holds the Roanoke Electric Steel Chair in Engineering and has expertise in dynamical systems theory, fluid mechanics, and biomechanics. Ross's research focuses on nonlinear dynamics applications, including atmospheric transport, gliding animals, and spacecraft trajectory optimization.

He earned his Ph.D. (2004) and B.S. (1998) in Physics from Caltech. His honors include the 2012 NSF CAREER Award and multiple recognitions for excellence in research and teaching. Ross leads the Ross Dynamics Lab, which explores topics like Lagrangian coherent structures, predictive modeling, and bio-inspired engineering.

Key projects include studying pollen dispersal using drones, analyzing flying snake aerodynamics, and developing methods for space mission design. His work bridges engineering and biology, with applications to environmental monitoring, disaster response, and aerospace systems.

• Awards: 2017 Excellence in Research Award, 2012 NSF CAREER Award, NASA Innovation Awards (2002, 1998)
• Grants: NSF-funded projects on dust plumes, flying snakes, and data science corps training
• Labs/Teams: Ross Dynamics Lab, Virginia Tech's Biological Transport (BIOTRANS) program, and collaborations with Woods Hole and MIT