Milton Van Dyke
Encyclopedia
Milton Denman Van Dyke was Professor of the Department of Aeronautics
and Astronautics
at Stanford University
. He was known for his work in fluid dynamics
, especially with respect to the use of perturbation analysis in aerodynamics
. His often-cited book An Album of Fluid Motion
presents a collection of about 400 selected black-and-white photographs
of flow visualization
in experiments, received – on his request – from researchers all over the world.
Together with Bill Sears, Milton founded the Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, in 1969, for which he was an editor
until 2000.
, from 1940 until 1943. Thereafter he started working at NACA
Ames Laboratory
. After the Second World War, Milton went to Caltech, to obtain his MS in 1947 and PhD
(magna cum laude) in 1949. A second period at Ames Laboratory followed. During this period, Milton was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship
and Fulbright grant
, which he used to spend the 1954–55 academic year working with George Batchelor
at Cambridge University. He was a visiting professor at the University of Paris in the 1958–59 academic year, then in 1959 he was appointed as a professor at the new Aerodynamics department of Stanford University. He married Sylvia Jean Agard Adams in 1962 and the couple would eventually have six children. In 1976, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering
.
He was the director of Parabolic Press, an independent publisher of engineering books.
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...
and Astronautics
Astronautics
Astronautics, and related astronautical engineering, is the theory and practice of navigation beyond the Earth's atmosphere. In other words, it is the science and technology of space flight....
at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He was known for his work in fluid dynamics
Fluid dynamics
In physics, fluid dynamics is a sub-discipline of fluid mechanics that deals with fluid flow—the natural science of fluids in motion. It has several subdisciplines itself, including aerodynamics and hydrodynamics...
, especially with respect to the use of perturbation analysis in aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
. His often-cited book An Album of Fluid Motion
An Album of Fluid Motion
The book An Album of Fluid Motion is a collection of black-and-white photographs of flow visualizations for different types of fluid flows. These flows include:*Creeping flow*Laminar flow*Flow separation*Vortices*Fluid instability*Fluid turbulence...
presents a collection of about 400 selected black-and-white photographs
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
of flow visualization
Flow visualization
Flow visualization in fluid dynamics is used to make the flow patterns visible, in order to get a qualitative or quantitative information on them.- Overview :...
in experiments, received – on his request – from researchers all over the world.
Together with Bill Sears, Milton founded the Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, in 1969, for which he was an editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
until 2000.
Biography
He was the son of James and Ruth (Barr) Van Dyke. He studied Engineering Sciences at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, from 1940 until 1943. Thereafter he started working at NACA
NACA
- Organizations :* National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the forerunner of the U.S. federal agency NASA* National Association for Campus Activities, an organization for programmers of university and college activities...
Ames Laboratory
NASA Ames Research Center
The Ames Research Center , is one of the United States of America's National Aeronautics and Space Administration 10 major field centers.The centre is located in Moffett Field in California's Silicon Valley, near the high-tech companies, entrepreneurial ventures, universities, and other...
. After the Second World War, Milton went to Caltech, to obtain his MS in 1947 and PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
(magna cum laude) in 1949. A second period at Ames Laboratory followed. During this period, Milton was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
and Fulbright grant
Fulbright Award
The Fulbright Award is a scholarship awarded as part of the Fulbright Program to foster international research and collaboration. The program also awards a fellowship to Ph.D.'s to lecture and teach in foreign universities...
, which he used to spend the 1954–55 academic year working with George Batchelor
George Batchelor
George Keith Batchelor FRS was an Australian applied mathematician and fluid dynamicist. He was for many years the Professor of Applied Mathematics in the University of Cambridge, and was founding head of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics...
at Cambridge University. He was a visiting professor at the University of Paris in the 1958–59 academic year, then in 1959 he was appointed as a professor at the new Aerodynamics department of Stanford University. He married Sylvia Jean Agard Adams in 1962 and the couple would eventually have six children. In 1976, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
.
He was the director of Parabolic Press, an independent publisher of engineering books.