<p>I’m an aerospace engineering student who is thinking of doing research and dynamics and control (also thinking of materials too). I’ve visited the materials lab and see what they do and my materials science class has a lab component so I know a bit about that.
What is research in dynamics like? Do you stare at equations and code all day? What is your typical time in the lab spent doing?
Any engineer or mathematician who does research in dynamics and control systems should reply.</p>
<p>Come on…</p>
<p>My graduate research was in the area of vibrations. I think the problem with your question is that it is so general there really isn’t an answer. Every graduate lab will be different so every lab’s focus of research will also be different. There are labs that will do experimental research and there are labs that will focus on computational research. The key is finding a lab that you think is a good fit for you i.e. do you think the lab’s projects are interesting?</p>
<p>The one thing that I can tell you about dynamics is that it is very mathematical (moreso than fluids or thermo in my opinion). You will become very good at deriving equations of motion and developing methods for modeling complex dynamic systems.</p>
<p>While I agree with moat of that, ME, I would caution you that fluids is VERY math intensive at the graduate level especially. When you get into boundary later theory, turbulence and stability, it is as math intensive as D&C is.</p>
<p>Good point. I shouldn’t have made that generalization. I mean any graduate level engineering research will be math intensive. Many graduate engineering courses felt like math courses to me.</p>