• Experimental and theoretical fluid dynamics
• turbulence
• optical, acoustic, and thermal measurements techniques
• and experimental methods. Laboratory pedagogy.

Dr. Ralph Budwig, is a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Idaho in the area of experimental fluid dynamics. He is currently located on the Boise campus of the University of Idaho and is the Director of Engineering for the Boise campus and the Director of the Center for Ecohydraulics Stream Laboratory, a $2M+ facility with multi-university participation. Dr. Budwig received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1985 and has worked as a guest researcher in several laboratories in the United States and Canada since that time. His areas of specialization include experimental and theoretical fluid dynamics; turbulence; optical, acoustic, and thermal measurements techniques; and experimental methods. Dr. Budwig has taught extensively in the experimental methods area including required undergraduate courses as well as a specialized graduate level course on the subject of experimental methods in fluid dynamics.

Research Publication Honors

Ralph S. Budwig, Michael J. Anderson, Gabriel Putnam, and Chris Manning. 2010 Ultrasonic particle size fractionation in a moving air stream. Ultrasonics, 50, 26-31.

Naomi Sanders, Ralph Budwig and Elowyn Yager. Disturbances caused by probes that penetrate through the water surface of an open channel flow. Proceeding of the 33rd IAHR Congess, Vancouver, Canada, August 9-14, 2009.

Budwig, R., McLaughlin, R.E., Clayton, S., Sweet, S., and Goodwin, P. Physical modeling of wave generation for the Boise River Recreation Park in the Center for Ecohydraulics Stream Laboratory. Proceedings of the International Conference of Science and Information Technologies for Sustainable Management of Aquatic Ecosystems, Conceptión, Chile, January 12 -16, 2009.

Leichliter, K., Lounsbury, B., Steciak, J., Budwig, R., and Beyerlein, S. Finite element model of a heated wire catalyst in cross flow. In the Proceedings of the ASME 2008 International Mechanical Congress and Exposition, Boston, October 31 - November 6, 2008. Paper number IMECE2008-68922.

Stephens, Terrance L. and Budwig, Ralph S. 2007 Three-axis acoustic device for levitation of droplets in an open gas stream and its application to examine sulfur dioxide absorption by water droplets. Rev. Sci. Instrum., 78, 01490-1 to 11490-8.

McIlroy Jr, H.M. and Budwig, R.S. 2007 The boundary layer over turbine blade models with realistic rough surfaces. ASME Journal of Turbomachinery, 129, 318 – 330.