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Aidan Malloy ’24

Major: Physics and Pure Mathematics
Project: A Study of the Effects of Mass and Friction in Avalanches of Granular Piles
Advisor: Kelly Krieble, associate professor of physics

Aidan Malloy experienced breakthrough success on the third iteration of a project that has been attempted unsuccessfully at ̽������ since 2008. This research sought to replicate a PhD thesis from Lehigh University in the late ’90s.

The project used a chaos theory approach to analyze the non-Newtonian fluid-like nature of granular materials. This chaos theory conceptual framework, denoting irregularities within an ordered system, meant that Malloy looked at small uniform changes in the mass and frictional coefficients of granules within an overall system. He specifically assessed granular avalanches, using these flows to demonstrate how minuscule changes affect the overall state of a material.

Malloy and his advisor, Kelly Krieble, associate professor of physics, used the groundwork from the prior two research projects at ̽������ to steer the experiment in a new direction that yielded results. The application of the physical theory that underlies this project, however, was not always easy to grasp.

“Granular materials are described by the physics of statistical mechanics, a field with which I have no experience. This particular field of physics also makes use of the mathematics of partial differential equations, a mathematical system with which I also have little experience,” Malloy says. “Between these two unfamiliar and advanced concepts, there was quite a lot of material that I had to approach for the first time.

“However, while this may have been the most challenging aspect of my project, it was also the most rewarding,” he continues. “It taught me the invaluable skills of self-improvement within my field.”

Malloy’s project established a system of data collection that successfully generated a massive amount of data, a first since the project was introduced to ̽������ 15 years ago. His next steps included processing and analyzing this data, which he presented at the Landmark conference at ̽������ and PhysCon 2022, a national conference held by the American Institute of Physics.

“By taking part in this program, I have become a better student, a more passionate researcher, and a more successful academic,” he says. “It has been one of the most influential experiences I’ve had in my academic career to date ... Not only do I have a much better relationship with my peers and professors, but also with the institution of ̽������ as a whole.”

What he is most grateful for, however, is how this research sparked his enduring enthusiasm for his studies. “This project has shown me how much meaning and joy I can take from the fields of physics and mathematics,” Malloy says. “Since then, I have been absolutely engrossed in my classes and studies.”