Cindy Song, ’22, Economics
Certificate(s): Applications of Computing, Statistics and Machine Learning
I studied the rise velocity of large viscous bubbles in a narrow tube, which closely model bubbles in a volcanic eruption. Factors such as gravitational forces, surface tension, viscosity and tube diameter influence a bubble’s rise velocity and appearance. To understand how these bubbles behave, I ran simulations using Basilisk, a software program that solves partial differential equations using adaptive Cartesian meshes. I then created movies and graphs from the output to display the relationship between the bubbles’ rise velocity and their fluid properties. Through this internship, I sharpened my data analysis and coding skills and became familiar with new programming languages. I also gained a more thorough understanding of fluid dynamics, which I find fascinating. Although my research did not directly relate to my academic study, the technical and problem-solving skills I developed will be helpful in my future independent work.