{"id":1464,"date":"2015-08-05T10:46:21","date_gmt":"2015-08-05T14:46:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=1464"},"modified":"2025-10-17T17:36:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T21:36:18","slug":"high-flying-grad-student-research","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/high-flying-grad-student-research\/","title":{"rendered":"High-flying Grad Student Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n High-flying Grad Student Research:\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

From saving lives using sensors to creating more efficient airplanes, Carleton University graduate students are heavily involved in aerospace research with far-reaching practical results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The federal government recently added this sector to its science and technology strategy to encourage cross-disciplinary approaches, something Carleton is working hard to pursue along with six partner institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The i-Aero collaboration<\/a> involves 25 faculty researchers across Canada, as well as grad students who are playing a vital role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carleton master\u2019s student Derek Ancrum wanted to work on a project that would create quieter aircraft that are more fuel efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cThese are both high priorities in the aerospace industry due to high fuel prices, the desire for airlines to fly larger aircraft into more populated areas with tighter noise restrictions, and a focus on passenger comfort,\u201d says Ancrum. \u201cAs this technology develops, it will mean less noise pollution both for people on the ground and within the cabin, and could potentially result in cost savings on airfare.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n

[wide-image url=”\/our-stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/Derek-Ancrum.jpg”]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although a few technologies already exist that are capable of preventing turbulent flow, Ancrum notes that his team\u2019s approach is new. \u201cWe are developing a new surface with micro-pillars arranged in rows that will weaken and stop the spread of the turbulent flow by inhibiting the fundamental mechanisms by which the turbulence regenerates itself and spreads.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ancrum did an undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering at Carleton in which he spent 16 months at a co-op placement in the Flight Sciences Group at the Department of National Defence. Inspired by Engineering Prof. Metin Yaras, he decided to pursue a Master\u2019s of Applied Science in Aerospace Engineering<\/a>. Ancrum is also captain of Carleton\u2019s Blackbird UAV team which built and flew an unmanned aircraft in the annual Unmanned Systems Canada Student Competition<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cMy master\u2019s has not only been about learning and performing research in aerodynamics, it has been about troubleshooting problems, developing code for data acquisition and processing, learning about instrumentation, building things in the machine shop and countless other experiences that have made me a more well-rounded engineer,\u201d shares Ancrum.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Kathleen Van Benthem, who just graduated last spring with a PhD in Cognitive Science<\/a>, came to Carleton to work in Chris Herdman\u2019s Advanced Cognitive Engineering (ACE) lab<\/a>, where they were working on a cognitive health screening tool for older pilots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kathleen
Kathleen Van Benthem<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy previous experience as an occupational therapist included extensive work on the issue of older driver safety,\u201d notes Van Benthem, who is now a postdoctoral fellow in the ACE Lab. \u201cThis experience gave me a good understanding of the importance for older adults to maintain meaningful activities into older age and was, therefore, a natural transition to begin work related to older pilot safety.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

[wide-image url=”\/our-stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/Researchers-using-a-flight-simulator-in-the-ACE-Lab.jpg”]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About a year ago, Smart Pilot, a project funded by the Canadian Search and Rescue New Initiative Fund (SAR NIF), approached ACE as they were looking to develop resources for older pilots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Van Benthem says: \u201cThey had heard about our work at Carleton and were very pleased to come here and produce four videos based on our findings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can watch those videos by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research at the ACE lab showed that although older pilots did show poorer results on some aspects of flight performance when compared to younger pilots, some of the effects of age were reduced by having higher levels of expertise. \u201cThis emphasizes the need for continued upgrading of skills throughout the pilot lifespan,\u201d says Van Benthem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psychology PhD <\/a>student Chris Nicholson is also doing aerospace research in the ACE Lab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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