Dr. Allan Wain, a Labor and Worklife Program (LWP) fellow at Harvard University since 2014, took on the head of research and strategy position at the infrastructure investment manager CP2 in 2015. Outside of his professional activities, Dr. Allan Wain spends time researching fluid mechanics.
In order to understand the specialized branch of mechanics known as fluid mechanics, one must first familiarize themselves with a number of scientific terms. While some individuals may associate the notion of fluidity primarily with liquids, the concept can be applied to both liquids and gases. Scientifically speaking, a fluid is any substance that consistently deforms when subjected to shear stress. Stress, meanwhile, can be defined as force as applied to a predetermined unit area.
Having defined the concepts of fluids and stress, individuals can begin to understand the field of fluid mechanics. Individuals researching fluid mechanics study the ways in which force and motion influence the behavior of liquids and gases. The field of fluid mechanics can be separated into two general categories. Fluid statics, also known as hydrostatics, examine how liquids and gases behave while following Newton’s second law for nonaccelerating bodies. Meanwhile, fluid dynamics emphasizes the operation of liquids and gases in motion.
