Deputy Lead, Aerodynamics · Terrier Motorsport
I'm deputy lead of the aerodynamics team on Boston University's Terrier Motorsport. My work covers the CFD testing procedure the team uses, the research behind our nose cone, and the nose cone design itself. The team competes in Formula SAE and I've been on it since Fall 2025.
Three connected pieces of work: a repeatable CFD testing procedure, a research base on how nose cone shape affects results, and a nose cone designed from that research.
I researched best practice and wrote the procedure the team now uses for CFD testing, so results are consistent and comparable between designs. It covers domain size, meshing, boundary conditions, convergence checks and how results are reported.
I ran a study of how nose cone characteristics affect the results. Parameters varied: length, tip bluntness and profile family. Metrics: drag, pressure recovery and flow onto the front wing.
I designed the nose cone using Fusion scripts that generate mathematically optimal curves, including the LD Haack profile, so any candidate shape can be generated from a few parameters. The final shape was chosen from the research results.
As deputy lead I help plan the aero season, review designs before they go to manufacturing, mentor newer members through onboarding, and coordinate with the chassis and suspension teams.
Every new Terrier Motorsport member builds an RC car before joining a subteam (Fall 2025). This is where I first learned the team's CFD and CAD tools.
Components, design choices, and what I'd change next time.
What I simulated in SimScale and AcuSolve and what it told me.