GACLIT 75
Fall 2003
Guruswami Ravichandran
Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering
Professor Ravichandran’s research interests are in mechanics of materials, dynamic deformation and failure, wave propagation,
micro mechanics, composite and active materials, and experimental mechanics.
GALCIT is a very special place, especially for the experimental side of things. This is one of the few places in the world where the experimental sciences are very strongly supported and encouraged. This is because of the historic precedents of how the wind tunnels were developed and how they supported the aerospace industry during the time of von Kármán; they were always doing large-scale experiments and really using experiments to understand the physical world around them, first in the aeronautical sciences, and later on evolving into mechanics. That provided a culture that has been built on for 75 years. This has brought forth a certain energy, a synergy to encourage experimental work, and colleagues who appreciate experimental work. And there is also close interaction with colleagues who do simulation and modeling. This is really a singular place where the experimental sciences are thriving.
