Spencer Smith

he/him

  • Associate Professor of Physics
  • On Sabbatical 2024-2025
Spencer Smith, Faculty

Spencer Smith's work seeks to characterize the complexity inherent in chaotic fluid motion by uncovering dynamically relevant and topologically robust fluid structures. He investigates how these ideas are pertinent from micro-fluidic chips at the small scale to pollution tracking and prediction in oceanic flows on a much larger scale and touch on some of the deep questions in fluid dynamics, such as the nature of turbulence.

Spencer is also very interested in the intersection of art and physics, and he curated a show at the MHC Art Museum in fall 2017 on the science photographs of Berenice Abbott. 

Areas of Expertise

physics (fluid dynamics); math (dynamic systems theory & topology); computer science (finite elements, data structures, algorithm development, and numerical methods)

Education

  • Ph.D., M.S., Tufts University
  • B.A., Dartmouth College

Happening at Mount Holyoke

Recent Campus News

Craig Woodard, Christianna Smith Professor of Biological Sciences, has been recognized as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Mount Holyoke College has announced that Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey will be the primary speaker at its one hundred eighty-eighth Commencement. Two Mount Holyoke alums, Bess Weatherman ’82 and Tara Roberts ’91, will also be honored at the event.

Mount Holyoke College alum Connie Converse ’46 was a trailblazing composer and singer-songwriter. MHC is hosting an event that celebrates her life and legacy.

Recent Publications

Smith, S.A., Gong, R. (2022). Braiding dynamics in active nematics. Frontiers in Physics, 10.

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