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

Mount Holyoke College’s longest-running tradition is Mountain Day, and this year, the community made its way to the top of Mt. Holyoke to celebrate.

Mount Holyoke College’s Professor Jared Schwartzer, a behavioral neuroscientist, spoke to the Boston Globe about the move to relabel this form of folic acid as a treatment for autism.

Mount Holyoke College Art Museum (MHCAM) hosted a panel to celebrate the artist Anni Albers. An exhibition of Albers’ work will be on view through Dec. 9, 2025.

Recent Publications

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

View More