Spencer Smith

he/him

  • Associate Professor of Physics
  • Chair of Physics & Astronomy
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

Meet Mount Holyoke’s newest directors in Student Affairs

New directors Kris “knp” Nolan-Parker and Lauren Collier are leading Residential Life and Disability Services within Mount Holyoke’s Division of Student Affairs.

Mount Holyoke College is a seven-time HEED Award recipient

For the seventh consecutive year, Mount Holyoke College has received the 2026 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from Insight Into Diversity.

Introducing Mount Holyoke’s class of 2030

Mount Holyoke College’s class of 2030 has arrived on campus, ready to challenge conventions and make connections.

Recent Publications

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

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