Jennifer Franck
Assistant Professor of Engineering Physics
Affiliate Appointment in Mechanical Engineering
jafranck@wisc.edu
Education:
B.S. Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia
M.S. Aeronautics, California Institute of Technology
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology
Graduate Students

Riley Bridges
M.S. Student in Engineering Mechanics
B.S. Engineering Mechanics (2020), University of Wisconsin – Madison
Research Focus: Cross-flow turbine blade dynamics; hydrokinetic energy

Mukul Dave
Ph.D. Student in Mechanical Engineering
M.S. Mechanical Engineering (2016), Arizona State University
B.Tech. Mechanical Engineering (2014), Nirma University
Research Focus: Cross-flow turbine dynamics; large-eddy simulations; hydrokinetic energy

Trevor Dunt
M.S. Student in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics
B.S. Physics (2019) University of Northern Iowa
Research Focus: Bio-inspired flows; fluid-structure interactions; machine learning tools in hydrodynamics

Sara Hartke
Co-advised with Prof. Nimish Pujara
M.S. Student in Civil and Environmental Engineering
B.S. Mechanical Engineering (2020) University of Texas, Dallas
Research Focus: Surface waves and turbulence in marine energy harvesting
Soundarya Ramasubramanian
M.S. Student in Mechanical Engineering
B.Tech. Mechanical Engineering (2021), Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore India
Research Focus: Bio-inspired flow around seal whiskers and undulated cylinders; wake dynamics

Bernardo Luiz Rocha Ribeiro
Ph.D. Student in Engineering Mechanics
B.S. Mechanical Engineering (2017), Federal Fluminense University
Research Focus: Hydrokinetic energy with oscillating foils; wake and vortex dynamics; multi-body cooperation via machine learning
Undergraduate Researchers

Hanqi Dong
Undergraduate Researcher
B.S. Mechanical Engineering (2023)
Research Focus: Hydrokinetic energy and cross-flow turbines

Alexis Liu
Undergraduate Researcher
B.S. Computer Science (2025)
Research Focus: Fluid-structure interactions among multiple oscillating foils

Vineet Pasumarti
Undergraduate Researcher
B.S. Mechanical Engineering (2023)
Research Focus: Complex meshing techniques; hydrokinetic energy; cross-flow turbines

Julia Thormann
Undergraduate Researcher
B.S. Engineering Mechanics (2024)
Research Focus: Fluid-structure interactions among multiple oscillating foils
Lab Alumni
degree awarded; first position after CFPM lab
Graduate Students
Kate Lyons: Ph.D. Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, UW-Madison (2021);
Alejandro Gonzalez Calvet: Visiting Scholar UW-Madison; M.S. Aeronautical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València (2019);
Divya Jaganathan: Sc.M. Engineering, Brown University (2018); PhD student, International Center for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru, India
Xiaoyue Zhao: Sc.M. Engineering, Brown University (2017); Applications Engineer, COMSOL, Shanghai City, China
Ka Ling Wu: Sc.M. Engineering, Brown University (2015); PhD Student École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne ‐ EPFL
Alex Czulak: Sc.M. Engineering, Brown University (2015); Mechanical Engineer, Robert Bosch LLC, Waltham, MA
Koketso Makhafola: Sc.M. Engineering, Brown University (2014); Senior Engineer, Willdan Energy Solutions, Dallas, TX
Justin Morse: Sc.M. Biomedical Eng, Brown University (2014); Electrical Engineer, Ximedica, Providence, RI
Undergraduate Researchers
Riya Agrawal: Visiting Researcher; B.Tech. Mechanical Engineering (2023) United College of Engineering and Research;
Mikihisa Yuasa: B.S. Engineering Mechanics, UW-Madison (2021); PhD Student UIUC
Kirby Heck: B.S. Engineering Mechanics, UW-Madison (2021); PhD Student MIT
David Burkhart: B.S. Applied Math and Engineering Physics, UW-Madison (2020); Engineer, Oshkosh Corporation, Madison, WI
Aneesh Heintz: Sc.B. Mech Eng, Brown University (2018); PhD Student, Cornell University
Arianne Spaulding: Sc.B. Mech Eng, Brown University (2018); Mechanical Engineer, Amazon Robotics, Boston, MA
Noemaikealohaiku`ulei (Noe) Lum: Sc.B. Mech Eng, Brown University (2018); Grad Student, UC-Berkeley
Matthew Shorter: Sc.B. Mechanical Engineering Brown University (2017); PhD Student, MIT
Isabel Scherl: Sc.B. Mech Eng, Brown University (2017); PhD Student, University of Washington
Filip Simeski: Sc.B. Mech Eng, Brown University (2017); PhD Student, Stanford University
Aryssa Medina: Sc.B. Mech Eng, Brown University (2015); Lead Assembly Operations Engineer, Pratt & Whitney, Hartford CT
Evan Roelke: Sc.B. Mech Eng, Brown University (2015); PhD Student, Georgia Institute of Technology
Sarah Frank: Sc.B. Mech Eng, Brown University (2014); PhD Student, University of California-Berkeley
Joo Yeon Jung: Sc.B. Biomedical Eng, Brown University (2014)