Big Question: Harnessing Turbulence Constructively

Principal Investigator: William Irvine, Physics 

Funding Type: Vision

Big Idea: Turbulence is canonically associated with chaotic mixing, destructive forces, and increased entropy. Our big idea is to harness turbulence to do the opposite. By combining turbulence with microscopic particle design, we aim to harness turbulence to extract pollutant particles from fluids and assemble structures in a controlled manner. We will leverage the BIG grant to understand the fundamental forces underpinning the capacity of turbulence to de-mix and assemble. This bold vision, if established, will change the perception of turbulence from a nuisance or obstacle to a resource.