About Me
Daniel Borrero is Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Prof. Borrero got his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He earned Masters and PhD degrees (both in Physics) from Georgia Tech, where he worked in Prof. Mike Schatz’s Pattern Formation and Control Lab.
At Willamette, Prof. Borrero's research focuses on using the tools of dynamical systems theory (a.k.a. “chaos theory”) to understand complex behavior in spatially-extended nonlinear systems. He is currently performing experimental studies of the transition to turbulence in linearly-stable Taylor-Couette flows (i.e., the flow between independently rotating concentric cylinders). The central goal of this work is to understand how turbulence emerges in systems that hydrodynamic stability theory predicts should be stable. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the transition to turbulence in this class of should allow the development of methods to control it and thereby provides an avenue for greatly improving efficiency in a wide variety of aero/hydrodynamic applications. Prof. Borrero is also interested in developing techniques for data reduction in high-dimensional dynamical systems with continuous symmetries. More recently, Prof. Borrero and his team have been working on stuyding optical actuation of drops bouncing on an oscillating fluid interface. In the past, Prof. Borrero has also studied spontaneous synchronization in coupled nonlinear oscillators.
Prof. Borrero is a member of the Executive Board of the Advanced Laboratory Physics Association (ALPhA) and sits on the Organizing committee for the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Division of Fluid Dynamics of the American Physical Society.
Research Interests
- Fluid Dynamics: direct transition to turbulence and bypass scenarios, weak turbulence, computational fluid dynamics, flow visualization, hydrodynamic stability
- Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos: high-dimensional chaos, symmetry in dynamical systems, periodic orbit theory
- Complex Systems: synchronization, pattern formation, flocking and swarming, collective behavior
- Physics Education: undergraduate curriculum reform, scientific computation, recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups
Education
- Ph.D, in Physics, 2014
Georgia Institute of Technology
Dissertation Title: “Subcritical Transition to Turbulence in Taylor-Couette Flow”
Advisor: Prof. Michael F. Schatz
Area of Study: Dynamical Systems Approaches to Turbulence
Minor: Mechanical Engineering - M.S. in Physics 2006
Georgia Institute of Technology
Area of Study: Chaotic Mixing and Microfluidics - B.S. in Physics (with Honors) 2005
The University of Texas at Austin
Thesis title: “A Low-Noise Current Supply for an Electron Electric Dipole Moment Experiment”
Advisor: Prof. Daniel Heinzen
Area of Study: Ultracold Atomic Physics
Professional Society Memberships
- American Physical Society
- Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
- American Association of Physics Teachers
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Advanced Laboratory Physics Association (ALPhA)
Contact Info
Mailing address
Daniel BorreroDepartment of Physics
Willamette University
900 State St.
Salem, OR 97301
U.S.A.
Telephone and Fax
Office: +1-503-370-6753Fax: +1-503-370-6773
© 2019 Daniel Borrero Echeverry | Last updated: 9-9-2019