Allen An / Northwood HW 12th Grade

Turbulence is the appearance of tiny tornadoes that something creates when it moves through a liquid or gas. (These tiny tornadoes mix with each other in ways that are very difficult to predict. Figuring out how to deal with this is one of the biggest challenges in physics and engineering. In fact, physicist Richard Feynman, one of the greatest physicists in world history, called turbulence “the most important unsolved problem in classical physics.” So, who out there is stepping up to try to solve the problem of turbulence? Well for one, aerospace engineer Stephen Hu is.

Hu was born in Madison, Wisconsin, where his parents settled down after immigrating to America from Taiwan. Ever since he was little, Hu was a huge fan of the Star Wars movies, especially the giant battles with hundreds of vehicles shooting lasers in all directions. The aircraft and spacecraft in the series especially intrigued Hu. He soon started to notice he was fascinated by all kinds of flying things: spaceships, fighter jets, and birds. Once he was about thirteen or fourteen, Hu realized he wasn’t satisfied with just watching these crazy futuristic vehicles in movies. He wanted to figure out how they actually work and recreate them himself.

After high school, Hu attended the University of Minnesota to study Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics. When given the choice to choose an area of focus within his major, Hu chose fluid dynamics. He enjoyed it so much that after he graduated, he stayed two more years to get a Master’s in Aerospace.

Stephen is currently working for a company that designs the testing facilities for jet engines. Nowadays jet engines need to be more quiet and efficient than ever which means they will be getting bigger. As part of a research and development team, it is his job to improve simulation accuracy and efficiency as well as studying turbulence.

Hu’s words of wisdom include being proactive and seeking others with similar passions. Hu advices that there are tons of information available online and should be utilized as a resource? it’s never too late to get ready for college. Who knows? By following Stephen’s advice and putting in some hard work, you could soon be solving one of the greatest mysteries in physics.

Or, you can figure out how to build a space cannon to launch stuff into space.

Stephen has advice for you: The #1 Rule: BE PROACTIVE!

● Seek out other people with similar passions or create your own clubs/groups.

● Get ahead: There is tons of information online, you can even get a head start on your college education using sites like the MIT Open-courseware or edx.

● Learn a new skill: There are even free programs for you to play around with like Open foam(similar to what Stephen uses at work). A large community supports this and they are willing to help beginners.

● Don’t be afraid to go directly to a college professor near you and ask if you could help or volunteer for a research project.

● Read articles like the ones mentioned above and ask teachers or find a mentor to help you figure out what you need to work on to get into those types of fields (sending well written emails works well!).

Who knows? By following Stephen’s advice and putting in some hard work, you could soon be solving one of the greatest mysteries in physics.

Or, you can figure out how to build a space cannon to launch stuff into space.