Teaching Associate Professor - Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering
After earning his dual BSME/BSAE degree, Christopher Griffin worked at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as an Engineering Technician conducting research in the area of highway work zone safety. He continued to work at NIOSH while pursuing his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. As a graduate student and in his post-graduate work, he had the privilege to teach a variety of undergraduate courses in addition to conducting research, allowing him to provide specific applied examples to the principles discussed in lecture. Prior to his current appointment, Griffin was a Research Assistant Professor working in hybrid unpiloted aerial systems (UAS) and avian aerodynamics.
Griffin’s current research involves statistical approaches to understanding the behavior of unstable aerodynamic bodies and autonomous UAS. He enjoys utilizing both experimental and computational techniques in his research. Griffin also aided in the procurement of a 70-camera motion capture system to track unstable projectiles. His primary teaching interests are in aerodynamics and computational fluid dynamics. He is the faculty advisor of the WVU Student Branch of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and co-advisor of the WVU Beta-Xi Chapter of the Sigma Phi Delta Engineering fraternity.
Education
Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, 2013
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, West Virginia University, 2007
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, West Virginia University, 2004
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, 2004