Education
- Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2024
- M.S., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021
- B.S., University of Pittsburgh, 2017
Teaching Interests
Professor Nichols' teaching interests are centered on thermo-fluid sciences and experiential engineering education. Through in-class demonstrations, laboratory activities, and hands-on experimentation, he is committed to helping students develop physical intuition for material in the mechanical engineering curriculum by complementing analytical and computational approaches with direct observation.
Research Interests
Professor Nichols' research focuses on experimental fluid mechanics, particularly the experimental characterization and control of complex aerodynamic flows. In various wind tunnels, he has studied unsteady flows and developed flow-control approaches to mitigate undesirable flow phenomena with applications spanning aerodynamics, propulsion, and aeroacoustics.
Recent Publications
- Nichols, D.A., Vukasinovic, B., Glezer, A., DeFore, M., and Rafferty, B., “Flow Control for a Nacelle Inlet in Crosswind,” AIAA Journal, Articles in Advance, 2026.
- Anderson, J.M. and Nichols, D.A., “An Analytical 2-D Model for Unsteady Surface Pressure Response of Thick Airfoils Immersed in Turbulent Flows,” AIAA Paper 2026-3420, May 2026.
- Nichols, D.A., Vukasinovic, B., and Glezer, A., “On the Formation of a Ground Vortex in Crossflow,” Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 1012, 2025.
- Nichols, D.A., Vukasinovic, B., and Glezer, A., “Control of a Nacelle Inlet Ground Vortex in Crossflow,” AIAA Journal, Vol. 63, No. 6, 2025.
- Nichols, D.A., Vukasinovic, B., Glezer, A., and Rafferty, B., “Aerodynamic Control of an Inlet Flow in Crosswind using Peripheral Bleed Actuation,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 40, No. 1, 2024.