Principal Investigator
Professor Tadd T. Truscott
Tadd received his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering in 2003 from the University of Utah (advisor Prof. Patrick McMurtry). As an undergraduate researcher, he helped develop and impliment an inertial measurement unit (advisor Prof. Mark Minor) and was employed by the CSAFE laboratory (advisor Prof. Patrick McMurtry) to run rocket nozzle flow visualizations. He received his Ph.D. in June 2009 from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (advisor Prof. Alexandra H. Techet) for research in the field of hydrodynamics. During his graduate studies he studied the affect of wetting angle from surface treatments and dynamic effects on the water entry of spheres. He also studied the stabilization criterion for the water entry of bullets. During his graduate studies he helped pioneer a quantitative 3D imaging technique now known as Synthetic Aperture Particle Image Velocimetry (SAPIV). He continues to develop imaging methods that utilize the basis of this technique. As professor at BYU he spends a large portion of his summers at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, RI as a Research Scientist.
His research interests span the fields of fluid dynamics, bio-medical flow visualization, ocean-wind-wave renewable energy, micro-fluids, bio-engineering, optics, computational cameras, physics, imaging, flow visualization, photographic techniques, and microbiology.
Splashlab 2010-2011: The first year
Splashlab was concieved by these individuals. They are the first members of the lab and will always be remembered as the ‘starters’. Thanks to them we are what we are today. Upper row from left: Jeff Hendricks, Ken Langley, Bryce McEwen & Alex Jafek. Lower row from left: Michael Wright, Josh Bryson, Robert Klaus, Taylor Killian & Tadd Truscott.
Splashlab 2011-2012: Year two
Aside from Josh, the same people but an expansion of the group. This was the year many wonderful things came together. Many papers were written our first grant was funded! Clockwise from upper left row: Matthew Elverud, Preston Murray, Randy Munns, Jesse Daily, Bryce McEwen, Tadd Truscott, Ken Langley, Jonathon Pendlebury, Alex Jafek.Kyle Bodily, Robert Klaus, Michael Wright, Joey Nielson, Taylor Killian & Eric Hardester.
Splashlab 2012-2013: Year Three
Meet the individual members of Splashlab!
Ken Langley received a B.S. in 2011 and an M.S. in 2013 in Mechanical Engineering from BYU. Ken has been working with the Dr. Truscott and the SplashLab since it’s inception in 2010. While in the SplashLab, the two main projects that have occupied his time are investigating the fluid dynamics of spinning spheres partially immersed in a liquid bath and experimentally measuring the 3D velocity fields around painted lady butterflies in free flight using SAPIV. While an undergrad at BYU, Ken led the engineering team that designed and developed the Village Drill (sponsored by WHOlives.org and coached by Dr. Chris Mattson). The Village Drill is a human powered borehole drill that has provided access to clean water to nearly 10,000 people in East Africa since its development in 2011. Ken is a recipient of the SMART Scholarship-for-Service, which funded his graduate studies. He will begin work in May 2013 as a civilian for the US Air Force as a Mechanical Engineer working in the ICBM Systems Directorate at Hill AFB. Upon completion of his service commitment, he plans to return to school and pursue a PhD continuing his studies in fluid dynamics. Ken and his wife Konnie have been married since 2008 and are expecting their first child in September 2013. In his free time, Ken enjoys reading, watching movies, building legos, and playing/watching sports.
Kyle Bodily graduated from Southern Utah University in 2011 with a B.S. in Integrated Engineering. His graduate work is focused on studying the effects of wetting angle and nose shape on the cavity dynamics and trajectory of axisymmetric projectiles. Outside of the engineering field, he enjoys reading, computer programming, and photography.
Randy Munns received his Bachelors degree from BYU-Idaho and joined the SplashLab team in August 2011 as a Research Assistant. Current research includes studying the dynamics of buoyant rising spheres in a fluid below and above the free surface. Other interests include electromechanical systems, kinematics, biomechanics, and dynamics. Randy has been married to his beautiful wife since 2008 and has a 3 yr old daughter Kylee, and a baby boy in the oven. He is also an electrician. He worked for 3-4 years doing industrial, commercial and residential construction and taking the electrical apprenticeship program at a vocational college while getting his undergrad. Randy is a farm boy having been raised on a dairy farm in Rexburg, ID working with cows and horses. Hobbies and other interests include: playing and watching any type of sport (mainly football, softball and basketball), running, hunting, hiking, exploring new places with his wife, horses and rodeo.
Jonathon Pendlebury received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University in 2010. He worked his way through school building cabinets at local custom cabinet shops, doing an internship with Cambric Corp. modeling parts from the A-10 Wathog, and finally another internship with Belcan Engineering Group. After graduation he received a full time position at Belcan working, in cooperation with a group at Pratt and Whitney, on the Joint Strike Fighter Program. His responsibilities there included writing programs to optimize and automate the creation of computer models required for Computation Fluid Dynamics, and to help optimize the design and analysis of turbine disks in jet engines. In January 2012 he joined the Splash Lab as a graduate student studying the measurement of flames. This research emphasizes using Synthetic Aperture Imaging to reconstruct flame shape, do 3-D flame structure analysis using SAPIV and flame temperature measurement. Outside the lab he enjoys woodwork, rock climbing and most other outdoors activities.
Jesse Daily is a doctoral student from Livermore CA. He studies with Dr. Thomson and Dr. Truscott in the fields of fluid structure interaction and high speed photography. In his spare time Jesse enjoys reading, photography and ultimate frisbee.
Taylor Killian 
is an Undergraduate student of the Department of Mathematics at BYU in his final year, graduating December 2012. He is currently in the process of wrapping up a publication highlighting fluid activated passive dampening through sloshing motions. Other work that he is currently engaged in is determining the drain rate and curvature-driven stability of spherical soap films as well as the spectral stability of combustion waves in multi step chemical reactions (with Jeff Humpherys of the Department of Mathematics). He plans to pursue a graduate degree within Applied Mathematics, hopefully putting to use all of the things he’s learned while part of SplashLab by studying fluid systems. When a busy schedule of school and work leave him to himself, he takes every moment he can to laugh and smile with his wife Marie and soon to arrive baby girl.
Eric Hardester is a Master’s student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Marriott School of Management. He received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from BYU in April ’12. His work involves using PIV techniques to analyze 3-dimensional flows around a flapping wing. This research will be applied to the development of flapping Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs). His engineering interests include fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, composite materials, and product development. When not at school, Eric enjoys being outdoors going hiking, fishing, boating, and working on his car.
Randy Hurd received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BYU in 2012 and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in the same field. He is currently working along with Dr. Anton Bowden studying the mechanism associated with spinal burst fracture using high speed imaging. Additionally he is involved in initiating the SeaPerch program, which is funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), in local public schools. Randy also enjoys hiking, camping, gardening and beekeeping.
Kip Hacking is an undergraduate student at Brigham Young University, studying Electrical Engineering. His background is mainly in ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles), teaching elementary age students STEM topics through building ROVs, and oceanographic research. He is currently the President of BYU’s Marine Technology Society’s student section. He is an avid skier, hiker, and mountain biker from Washington State.
Jordan Huey is currently in his final year as an undergraduate student at Brigham Young University. He is currently involved in the BYU supermileage vehicle team developing a gasoline-powered vehicle that will get an excess of 1000mpg. He has interests in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, web design, and entrepeneurship.
Zhao Pan
Past Members
Michael Wright is a Master’s student in BYU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in mechanical engineering in April 2010. His interests in engineering revolve around fluid mechanics. He enjoys the outdoors, hiking and backpacking. He loves spending time with his wife and son.
Bryce McEwen received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BYU in ’10 and is currently a graduate student pursuing a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at BYU. His work is mainly centered around fluid dynamics, specifically using PIV to analyze 3-dimensional flow on the micro scale. Bryce has been looking into applications for this technology in the study of blood flow. As part of this research he has also been studying different ways to fabricate microfluidic devices. Bryce’s other interests include heat transfer, thermodynamics, renewable energy, combustion engines, and pretty much the combustion of anything else. He is happily married to his sweetheart and partner in pyromania, Rachel.
Joey Nielson
Robert Klaus graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in April 2011 and has continued at BYU for a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering working with Dr. Tim McLain. Besides a keen interest in fluid dynamics, he also enjoys classical dynamics, controls, and stress analysis. Outside of engineering, Robert plays racquetball, goes hiking, and flies two & four-string stunt kites for fun. He and his wife, Amy, have been married since December 2009 and have a baby girl, born in June 2011.
Jeff Hendricks graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics in August 2011. He is currently working on a M.S. in Mathematics at BYU with Dr. Jeff Humpherys. Jeff has broad interests in applied math including dynamical systems, stochastic processes, finance, and, of course, fluid dynamics. While with SplashLab, he studied the effects of a spinning sphere partially immersed in fluid, and capillary flow in closed-end nanochannels. When Jeff isn’t busy with math, his favorite things are playing or watching basketball.
Josh Bryson
Alex Jafek joined SplashLab for its inaugural year as a Freshman at BYU. He began the study of the rebound suppression of a sphere bouncing in a puddle. He is currently serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Peru.