Spencer Smith

he/him

  • Associate Professor of Physics
  • Chair of Physics & Astronomy
Spencer Smith, Associate Professor of Physics Chair of Physics & Astronomy

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 Faculty for 2026

Mount Holyoke College welcomes a new group of scholars and educators whose curiosity and innovative approaches are expanding the possibilities of teaching and research.

Expressing a sense of place

Pujita Guha examines how Indigenous communities claim their environments amid rapid climate change.

Finding community in mathematics

Corrine Yap’s mathematics classrooms are shaped by the mentors, collaboration and support she found on her own educational journey.

Recent Publications

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

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