CV/Resume

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Nicole Sharp

Email: nicole.sharp[at]gmail.com

Education

Texas A&M University
Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering
Thesis: “Hypersonic Measurements of Roughness-Induced Transient Growth.”
Advisor: Dr. Edward B. White

Cornell University
M.S. in Aerospace Engineering
Thesis: “Effects of Large-Scale Free Stream Turbulence on a Turbulent Boundary Layer.”
Advisor: Zellman Warhaft

Case Western Reserve University
B.S.E. in Aerospace Engineering, magna cum laude

Experience

FYFD
The Internet (Jul 2010 to present)
Founder and Editor

Created, researched, wrote, and maintained a popular science blog with new posts 3-5 days/week. Learn more.
Built an audience of over 328,500+ Tumblr followers, 12,100+ Twitter followers, 1,000+ Feedly subscribers, and 11,800+ YouTube subscribers.
Studied the physics of the Boston Molasses Flood with collaborators at Harvard University and received national and international press coverage from The New York Times, the Associated Press, New Scientist, Smithsonian Magazine, CBC (Canada), Cosmos Magazine (Australia), Die Welt (Germany), and many others.
FYFD featured on Wired, Physics World, Science, io9/Gizmodo, NPR, BoingBoing, Mashable, Tumblr and others.

Sharp Science Communication Consulting, LLC
The Internet (Mar 2018 to present)
Owner

Filmed, produced, and animated short videos on scientific topics for clients at institutions including Stanford University, Knexus Research Corporation, and the Journal of Fluid Mechanics.
Offered science communication workshops and training at institutions such as Harvard University, the Technical University of Delft, Stanford University, and the United States Military Academy.
Helped clients secure over $1 million in grants through technical editing and personalized scientific narratives.

Harvard University
Cambridge, MA (Feb. 2016 to Jun. 2016)
Visiting Science Communication Expert

Mentored 80 undergraduates on communicating science in an introductory fluid dynamics course.
Met weekly with students during the semester to provide feedback and advice on their final video projects.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Lexington, MA (Mar. 2014 to Jan. 2016)
Technical Staff

Created and disseminated models for aerodynamics, aerothermal heating, and re-entry physics of gliding hypersonic vehicles.
Analyzed and modeled complex sensor architectures used for national defense.
Created technical materials presented internally and externally, including in the Department of Defense and on Capitol Hill.

Texas A&M University
College Station, TX (Jan 2009 to Mar 2014)
Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant

Investigated surface roughness effects on hypersonic boundary layer transition in a low-disturbance tunnel.
Designed a hypersonic wind tunnel model with interchangeable rough nosetips.
Performed boundary layer stability computations supporting Northrup Grumman flight tests.
Prepared and led laboratory sessions focused on experimental aerodynamics with 50 students per semester.

Cornell University
Ithaca, NY (Dec 2006 to Dec 2008)
Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant

Studied effects of high free stream turbulence on turbulent boundary layers using hotwire anemometry.
Led 40 students in laboratory sessions for a mechanical engineering course focused on solid mechanics.

Invited Talks

Invited Speaker, Royal Society Dinner Club, Online, 2023.

Invited Speaker, "The Stories of Women in Fluids" Minisymposium, APS DFD Meeting, Washington D.C., 2023. With Rowana Miller and others.

Invited Speaker, Women Fly 2022, The Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA, 2022.

SciComm Is For Everyone, APS March Meeting 2022, Chicago, IL, 2022.

Off the Well-Trod Path: Exploits in Science Communication, Sibley Graduate Research Symposium, Cornell University, 2021.

From Memes to Molasses Floods: Adventures in Science Communication, Department of Chemical Engineering Seminar, Northeastern University, 2020.

Promoting your Research in the Media (Social or Otherwise), Fluid Mechanics Webinar Series, Online, 2020. With T. Crawford.

100 Years Ago, Boston Flooded With Molasses, Ignite Talks, ORD Camp, 2019.

Adopting a Communication Lifestyle, Invited Plenary, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Annual Meeting, 2019.

Communicating Science in the 21st Century, United States National Committee on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Meeting, National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, 2019.

Creator Brainstorm: Peer Reviews, EduCon US, YouTube LA, 2019. With Miriam Nielsen and Peter Musser.

From Memes to Molasses Floods: Adventures in Science Communication, Chemical Engineering Department Seminar, Stanford University, 2019.

From Memes to Molasses Floods: Adventures in Science Communication, Earth, Planetary, and Space Science Department Seminar, UCLA, 2019.

Help! I Want to Make a Video!, West Point Writing Program Evening Seminar, United States Military Academy, 2019.

Help! I Want to Make a Video!, Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics Seminar, Cornell University, 2019.

My Fluid Dynamical Odyssey, Keynote Address, Students in Industry Day, Colorado Chapter, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2019.

Technical Communication: Finding Your Message, West Point Writing Program Wednesday Night Seminar, United States Military Academy, 2019.

Communicating the Next 100 Years of Fluid Mechanics: Lessons from J. M. Burgers, Fluid Mechanics Centennial, Delft University of Technology, 2018.

From Memes to Molasses Floods: Adventures in Science Communication, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dept. Seminar, Princeton University, 2018.

Spreading Science Through Art, Liquid Assets, Utah State University, 2018.

The Beauty of the Flow, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dept. Seminar, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, 2018.

Celebrating the Beauty and Diversity of the Flow, Women’s History Month Address, Advisory Council on Women, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 2017.

Mixed Nuts, Skipping Rocks, and Molasses Tsunamis: Communicating Fluid Physics to the Public, Thermal-Fluids Seminar, Oregon State University, 2017.

Mixed Nuts, Skipping Rocks, and Molasses Tsunamis: Communicating Fluid Physics to the Public, Employee Seminar, Exploratorium, 2017.

Mixed Nuts, Skipping Rocks, and Molasses Tsunamis: Communicating Fluid Physics to the Public, Computations in Science Seminar, University of Chicago, 2017.

Slow as Molasses in January: Fluid Dynamics and the Boston Molasses Flood, Annals of Improbable Research Show, AAAS Conference, 2017.

Wind Tunnels, Websites, and Waves of Molasses, Keynote Address, Students in Industry Day, Colorado Chapter, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2017.

Communicating Fluid Dynamics: From the Lab to the Classroom and Beyond, Fluid Mechanics Lab Seminar, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2016. Slides

Communicating Science in the Internet Era, Mechanical Engineering Department Seminar, Tufts University, 2016.

Fluid Dynamics, 24/7 Lecture, Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony, 2016.

Improbable Fluid Connections, Annals of Improbable Research Show, AAAS Conference, 2016.

More Than Just Cosmos: Communicating Science in the Internet Era, Applied Mechanics Colloquium, Harvard University, 2016.

More Than Just Cosmos: Communicating Science in the Internet Era, Mechanical Science and Engineering Department Seminar, University of Illinois, 2016.

Re-Telling Science, New England Complex Fluids Meeting, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2016. With Felice Frankel.

The Extremes of Fluid Dynamics, Keynote Address, APS New England Section Meeting, 2016. Slides

Adventures in Fluid Dynamics, Seminar, Brown University, 2015. Slides

Scientist-Reporter Workshop: How to tell your science story, Special Event, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Annual Meeting, 2014. With David Hu, Flora Lichtman, Rachel Levy and Jason Bardi.

Surface roughness effects on hypersonic boundary layer transition and online outreach in fluid dynamics, Special Seminar, Pointwise, Inc., 2013. Slides

The Beauty of the Flow, Applied Mathematics Undergraduate Seminar, Texas A&M University, 2013. Slides

Hypersonic Transition to Turbulence, Monthly Meeting, Zonta Club of Fredericksburg, 2012.

Hypersonic Laminar-Turbulent Transition, District 10 Conference, Zonta International, 2011.

Guest Lectures and Workshops

Jar-Gone: Adapting Your Communication to Your Audience, Flow Visualization Course Guest Lecture, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2023.

Communicating Your Science, 4-Part Workshop, Purdue University, 2022.

Communicating Your Science: Finding and Sharing the Message, Ph.D. Symposium, IHE Delft, 2021.

From Memes to Molasses Floods: Adventures in Science Communication, Mechanical Engineering Guest Lecture, University of Rochester, 2021.

Help! I’m Trying to Make a Video, ES 123 Course Guest Lecture, Harvard University, 2020.

The 4Cs (Creativity, Communication, Critical Thinking and Collaboration) in My Career: Aerospace Engineering, Nepris Presentation, Berkner High School, Richardson, TX, 2020.

Help! I’m Trying to Make a Video!, ES 123 Course Guest Lecture, Harvard University, 2019.

Science Communication: Finding Your Message, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 2019.

Technical Communication in Mechanical Engineering, ME201 Guest Lectures, United States Military Academy, 2019.

Communicating Your Science: Finding the Message, Flow Visualization Course Guest Lecture, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2018.

Communicating Your Science: Reaching Beyond Your Peers, Workshop, Delft University of Technology, 2018.

From Memes to Molasses Floods: Adventures in Science Communication, Introduction to Fluids Course Guest Lecture, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2018.

Help! I’m Trying to Make a Video!, ES 123 Course Guest Lecture, Harvard University, 2018.

Spreading Science Through Video, Flow Visualization Course Guest Lecture, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2018.

The Beauty of the Flow, 1.060A/B Course Guest Lecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2016.

The Beauty of the Flow, ES 123 Course Guest Lecture, Harvard University, 2016.

Articles and Conference Papers

“What is Viscosity?,” Funsize Physics, July 2021.
“Ketchup, Oobleck, and Slime, Oh My!,” Funsize Physics, April 2021.
“What is Surface Tension?,” Funsize Physics, November 2020.
“Bringing the Stars Home,” American Scientist, Vol. 106:5, pp. 312-3, August 2018.
“Six Selfish Reasons to Communicate Science,” published July 2017 for the Union of Concerned Scientists
“The Beautiful Unpredictability of Coffee, Clouds, and Fire,” published July 2014 for Nautilus
Sharp NS, and White EB, “Roughness-induced transient growth on a hypersonic blunt cone,” Proceedings of the AIAA 52nd Aerospace Sciences Meeting, National Harbor, Maryland, 2014.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Sharp NS, “Adopting a communication lifestyle,” Physical Review Fluids, Vol. 5, Issue 11, 2020. #
Sharp NS, Neuscamman S, and Warhaft Z, “Effects of large-scale free stream turbulence on a turbulent boundary layer,” Physics of Fluids, Vol. 21, No. 9, 2009. #
Geraschenko S, Sharp NS, Neuscamman S, and Warhaft Z, “Lagrangian measurements of inertial particle acclerations in a turbulent boundary layer,” Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 617, 2008, pp. 255-281. #

Conference Presentations

Collaboration Between Academia and Science Communicators, Presentation, Science Talk 2020, 2020.

Improving Scientific Visuals, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting, Seattle, WA, 2019. Slides

F*** Yeah Fluid Dynamics: Tips for Connecting with Broader Audiences, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting, Atlanta, GA, 2018. Slides

F*** Yeah Fluid Dynamics: Getting started in science communication, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting, Denver, CO, 2017. Slides

‘In a sea of sticky molasses’: The physics of the Boston Molasses Flood, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting, Portland, OR, 2016. With Jordan Kennedy and Shmuel Rubinstein. Slides

F*** Yeah Fluid Dynamics: Inside the science communication process, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting, Portland, OR, 2016. Slides

F*** Yeah Fluid Dynamics: On science outreach and appealing to broad audiences, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting, Boston, MA, 2015. Slides

Discrete surface roughness effects on a blunt hypersonic cone in a quiet tunnel, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, 2013. With Edward B. White. Slides

F*** Yeah Fluid Dynamics: Lessons from online outreach, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, 2013. Slides

Experiments on roughness-induced transient growth in a hypersonic boundary layer, International Workshop on Hypersonic Stability and Transition, Sedona, AZ, 2012. With Jerrod Hofferth and Edward B. White.

Surface roughness effects on a blunt hypersonic cone, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting, San Diego, CA, 2012. With Jerrod Hofferth and Edward B. White. Slides

Complex dynamics of a boundary layer with free stream turbulence, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting, San Antonio, TX, 2008. With Stephanie Neuscamman and Zellman Warhaft. Slides

Measurements in a boundary layer with intense free stream turbulence, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, 2007. With Stephanie Neuscamman, Sergiy Geraschenko, and Zellman Warhaft. Slides

Poster Sessions

Sharp N, Neuscamman S, Geraschenko S, and Warhaft Z. “Effects of intense free stream turbulence on a turbulent boundary layer,” presented at Fluid Science and Turbulence Symposium, Baltimore, MD, May 2008.
Sharp N, Neuscamman S, and Warhaft Z. “Measurement in a boundary layer with intense free stream turbulence,” presented at SiGMA Visit Weekend Poster Session, Ithaca, NY, March 2008. #
Sharp N and White EB. “An investigation of the odor-sensing abilities of moths,” presented at CWRU’s Support of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE) Symposium and Poster Session, Cleveland, OH, April 2006. #
Taylor B, Sharp N, Wilson M, and Cohen M. “Improved foot design of Robot V,” presented at CWRU’s SOURCE Symposium and Poster Session, Cleveland, OH, April 2005.

Honors, Grants, and Proposals

AAAS If/Then Ambassador, 2019-2021
SciFoo Attendee, 2019, 2021
Tumblr Lifetime Achievement, 2015
Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellow, 2011-2012
Boeing Fellowship recipient, January 2009
Fred Hale Vose Prize recipient for showing “great promise of professional leadership,” Dept. of Mech. and Aero. Engr., Case Western Reserve University, May 2006
Awarded a $3,000 research grant as a SOURCE Summer Fellow for a proposal on the fluid mechanics of odor-sensing in moths, Summer 2005
Robert and Leona Garwin Award recipient for excellence in theoretical and experimental mechanical engineering, Dept. of Mech. and Aero. Engr., Case Western Reserve University, May 2005
Trustees Scholarship recipient, Case Western Reserve University, August 2002 – May 2006
Tau Beta Pi Honor Society Member

Professional Service

American Physical Society (APS), Member, 2007 to present Member, Science and Media Relations Committee, 2015 to 2018
- Member, Science and Media Relations Committee, 2015 to 2018
- Chair, Science and Media Relations Committee, 2018
- Vice-Chair, Science and Media Relations Committee, 2017
- Gallery of Fluid Motion Video Coordinator, 2017
United States National Committee on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, 2020 to present
- Member-at-large, 2020 to present
- Chair, Subcommittee on Outreach and Education, 2022 to present
Physics World Advisory Board Member, 2020 to present
American Institute of Physics (AIP) Science Communication Award Selection Committee, Book Category, 2017 to 2020
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Student Member, 2012 to 2014
Aggie Aerospace Women in Engineering (AAWE), Texas A&M University, 2012 to 2014

Skills

Programming Languages: MATLAB, Python, Fortran 90/95, LabView, HTML, PHP
Software: Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Illustrator, Audition), ANSYS Fluent, SolidWorks
Other: UNIX/Linux Experience
Proficient in written and spoken German

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