William J Devenport

Professor & Assistant Department Head for Laboratory Facilities and Director of the VT Stability Wind Tunnel

Research Expertise

Aerodynamics and Hydrodynamics

Professional History

1999-present, Professor;1993-1999, Associate Professor; 1989-1993, Assistant Professor; 1985-1989, Research Assistant, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Professional Leadership

Commission on Graduate Studies and Policies, 1996, Advisory Committee on Electronic Theses and Dissertations; 1996-1999, AIAA Fluid Dynamics Technical Committee. 2001-2003 Associate Editor AIAA Journal. 2001-2004, W.S. "Pete" White Chair for Innovation in Engineering Education; 2004-present, Coordinator of the AOE Laboratories and Machine Shop, Director of the VT Stability Wind Tunnel

Research Interests

Experimental Aeroacoustics and Aerodynamics

Prof. Devenport heads an active research program that involves Ph.D., Masters and undergraduate students in experimental studies of the aeroacoustics and aerodynamics of turbulent flows. Ongoing sponsored research projects include experimental studies of rough-wall boundary layer noise (with relevance to airframe and marine vehicle noise), studies of trailing edge noise (with relevance to wind turbines and airframe noise), studies of leading edge noise (with relevance to helicopters and marine vehicles), and the dissipation of aircraft engine fan-blade wakes (with applications to commercial jet engine noise). He is director of the Virginia Tech Stability Wind Tunnel, and in this capacity has lead the development of a unique removable anechoic system that allows the wind tunnel to be used for measurements of flow generated noise as well as aerodynamics. In its acoustic configuration, the Stability Tunnel is by far the largest university owned anechoic wind tunnel in the US.